--- James H. Blackwell. The subject of this sketch was born in Macon County,
Missouri, February 19, 1834, being the third son and the fifth child of a family of
eight children, of William and Elizabeth Blackwell. William Blackwell was born in
Madison County, Kentucky, January 13, 1797, and was married September 18, 1823,
to Miss Elizabeth Lynch, a native of Virginia, and daughter of Henry Lynch, a
Revolutionary veteran. William Blackwell immigrated to Missouri and settled in
Boone County November 7, 1827, living there one year, when he went to Howard,
where he resided three years. In 1831, he removed to the territory of what is now
Macon County, then a portion of Randolph, where he. lived till his death, which
occurred in July, 1882, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. His widow still lives on
the same farm, being eighty-four years of age. Mr. Blackwell well remembers the
time when the country in which he was born was almost a wilderness, when it was
too remote from the settlements to have what would now be termed the
necessaries of life. When the few inhabitants had to go from thirty to forty miles to
mill, when they could not get shoes or boots, and in consequence wore moccasins,
and the men wore a great deal of dressed buckskin clothing, when nearly every
man laid. in his barrel of wild honey every fail from the woods, when deer,
wildcats, catamounts, wolves and panthers were plentiful. He worked with his
father on the farm till twenty-one years of age, receiving what education he could
obtain in the common schools at odd times when he could be spared from the
farm. From early boyhood he had serious religious impressions made upon his
mind, to a great extent though the instrumentality of his mother, who was an
earnest Methodist, and afterward by his father, who become a faithful Cumberland
Presbyterian, and when about thirteen years old, at an old fashioned camp
meeting, made a public profession of faith, and soon after joined the M. E. Church
South, of which he has lived an humble member ever since. In 1855, he started in
the world for himself by teaching his first school, near Lancaster, Schuyler County,
in which he succeeded well. In 1856, he taught in Howard County, and in 1857,
being ambitious for higher attainments in education, entered Central College at
Fayette, remaining during two sessions. In 1858, he taught school in Randolph
County, and in 1859 and 1861, in Chariton County. Although Mr. Blackwell had
received an early Whig training, and cast his first vote for Millard Fillmore for
president, yet he had been taught that ours was a federal union, and steadfastly
believed in the doctrine of state sovereignty; hence, when the southern states
began to secede he doubted not their constitutional right to do so, but thought it
bad policy, that it would result badly, and when the war broke out in 1861 he went
with his convictions of right, rather than those of policy, and entered the army as
sergeant major of Bevier's regiment, M. S. G., August 8, 1861. In February 1862.
being severely afflicted with chronic ophthalmia, he left the army for medical
treatment, and came to the northern portion of Henry County, where he remained
five months, during which time he resolved to make Henry County his home, if he
should ever get through the war, where he had found such a rich, lime stone soil,
so genial and healthful a climate, and last, but not least, such a kind hearted
people, such as the Walls, the Fewells, the Averys, the Wilsons, the Wylies and the
Garretts. In August, 1862, he assisted in raising a company of men, of which he was
elected first lieutenant, and was sworn into the Confederate service proper at
Sutliff's Mill in Bates County, by Colonel J. V. Cockrell August 14, 1862, and on the
16th commanded his company in the hard fought little battle of Lone Jack. Mr. B.
then retreated with the Confederate forces to Arkansas, where he remained till
July, 1865, (after the Confederate surrender) when he returned to his people in
Macon County, broken down in health and in fortune. In 1866 he again resumed his
old profession as teacher in Howard County, and so continued, receiving good
wages, till October, 1867, when he returned to Henry. On the 17th of November he
was married to Miss Fannie Gilbert, daughter of Samuel D. Gilbert, who had been a
prominent minister of the Regular Baptist Church, and a granddaughter of Major
William M. Wall. Mr. Blackwell has ever since his marriage, followed farming and
teaching at intervals. His marriage relation was of the happiest type, his wife being
a favorite of all, till in 1875 she became a victim to consumption, and died
December 20, 1876, loved and regretted by all. Mr. Blackwell remained a widower
four years, and settled the farm he now occupies in 1878. December 16, 1880, he was
again married to Miss Alice Owen. He is very strongly devoted to his church,
taking great interest in religion and good morals, and hates trickery and
dishonesty. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Patrons of
Husbandry, and in politics a Democrat. Though modest and retiring, he sometimes
takes the stump in advocacy of any doctrine he may espouse, and in 1880
canvassed his county for the nominee of his party for representative, but was
defeated.
Source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co., pg: 630
Missouri, February 19, 1834, being the third son and the fifth child of a family of
eight children, of William and Elizabeth Blackwell. William Blackwell was born in
Madison County, Kentucky, January 13, 1797, and was married September 18, 1823,
to Miss Elizabeth Lynch, a native of Virginia, and daughter of Henry Lynch, a
Revolutionary veteran. William Blackwell immigrated to Missouri and settled in
Boone County November 7, 1827, living there one year, when he went to Howard,
where he resided three years. In 1831, he removed to the territory of what is now
Macon County, then a portion of Randolph, where he. lived till his death, which
occurred in July, 1882, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. His widow still lives on
the same farm, being eighty-four years of age. Mr. Blackwell well remembers the
time when the country in which he was born was almost a wilderness, when it was
too remote from the settlements to have what would now be termed the
necessaries of life. When the few inhabitants had to go from thirty to forty miles to
mill, when they could not get shoes or boots, and in consequence wore moccasins,
and the men wore a great deal of dressed buckskin clothing, when nearly every
man laid. in his barrel of wild honey every fail from the woods, when deer,
wildcats, catamounts, wolves and panthers were plentiful. He worked with his
father on the farm till twenty-one years of age, receiving what education he could
obtain in the common schools at odd times when he could be spared from the
farm. From early boyhood he had serious religious impressions made upon his
mind, to a great extent though the instrumentality of his mother, who was an
earnest Methodist, and afterward by his father, who become a faithful Cumberland
Presbyterian, and when about thirteen years old, at an old fashioned camp
meeting, made a public profession of faith, and soon after joined the M. E. Church
South, of which he has lived an humble member ever since. In 1855, he started in
the world for himself by teaching his first school, near Lancaster, Schuyler County,
in which he succeeded well. In 1856, he taught in Howard County, and in 1857,
being ambitious for higher attainments in education, entered Central College at
Fayette, remaining during two sessions. In 1858, he taught school in Randolph
County, and in 1859 and 1861, in Chariton County. Although Mr. Blackwell had
received an early Whig training, and cast his first vote for Millard Fillmore for
president, yet he had been taught that ours was a federal union, and steadfastly
believed in the doctrine of state sovereignty; hence, when the southern states
began to secede he doubted not their constitutional right to do so, but thought it
bad policy, that it would result badly, and when the war broke out in 1861 he went
with his convictions of right, rather than those of policy, and entered the army as
sergeant major of Bevier's regiment, M. S. G., August 8, 1861. In February 1862.
being severely afflicted with chronic ophthalmia, he left the army for medical
treatment, and came to the northern portion of Henry County, where he remained
five months, during which time he resolved to make Henry County his home, if he
should ever get through the war, where he had found such a rich, lime stone soil,
so genial and healthful a climate, and last, but not least, such a kind hearted
people, such as the Walls, the Fewells, the Averys, the Wilsons, the Wylies and the
Garretts. In August, 1862, he assisted in raising a company of men, of which he was
elected first lieutenant, and was sworn into the Confederate service proper at
Sutliff's Mill in Bates County, by Colonel J. V. Cockrell August 14, 1862, and on the
16th commanded his company in the hard fought little battle of Lone Jack. Mr. B.
then retreated with the Confederate forces to Arkansas, where he remained till
July, 1865, (after the Confederate surrender) when he returned to his people in
Macon County, broken down in health and in fortune. In 1866 he again resumed his
old profession as teacher in Howard County, and so continued, receiving good
wages, till October, 1867, when he returned to Henry. On the 17th of November he
was married to Miss Fannie Gilbert, daughter of Samuel D. Gilbert, who had been a
prominent minister of the Regular Baptist Church, and a granddaughter of Major
William M. Wall. Mr. Blackwell has ever since his marriage, followed farming and
teaching at intervals. His marriage relation was of the happiest type, his wife being
a favorite of all, till in 1875 she became a victim to consumption, and died
December 20, 1876, loved and regretted by all. Mr. Blackwell remained a widower
four years, and settled the farm he now occupies in 1878. December 16, 1880, he was
again married to Miss Alice Owen. He is very strongly devoted to his church,
taking great interest in religion and good morals, and hates trickery and
dishonesty. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Patrons of
Husbandry, and in politics a Democrat. Though modest and retiring, he sometimes
takes the stump in advocacy of any doctrine he may espouse, and in 1880
canvassed his county for the nominee of his party for representative, but was
defeated.
Source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co., pg: 630
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| James H. BLACKWELL |