BLACHLY, Andrew T., b 1847; 1905 Bio, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/blachlyat.txt --------------------------------------- Donated September 29, 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Andrew T. Blachly The late Andrew T. Blachly, of Delta, whose tragic death on September 7, 1893, at the age of forty-six, by a daring hold-up and robbery of the Farmers & Merchants' Bank, of which he was at the time cashier, awakened universal regret and horror throughout the Western slope of this state, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, on September 22, 1847, and was the son of Eben and Jane (Trew) Blachly, of that state, both of whom are now deceased. The father was a doctor and after many years of general practice in Wisconsin, moved to the vicinity of Kansas City, Missouri, where he opened and conducted a school for Negro children, carrying it on in conjunction with his wife, who had, like himself, received a college education and was well qualified for the work. They kept the school going mainly by their own endeavors and at their own expense from 1866 until 1877, when the father died and the mother sold her property and joined her son in the West. They were the parents of five sons and one daughter. The first and second born of the sons served in the Civil war. One was captured and confined in Libby prison and the other died in a military hospital. Andrew received a good education, attending the Lodi (Wisconsin) Academy and pursuing a partial course at Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington, Pennsylvania. He left home in 1869 and came to Colorado, where he clerked in the office of the Kansas Pacific Railroad at Denver part of the time, teaching school during the rest until 1872. From that time until 1878 he was occupied in mercantile business for himself at Monument, Colorado, and also published a paper called the Mentor for two years. In 1880 he moved to Salida and kept a drug store until 1881, when he changed his base to Gunnison and there carried on the same business until his health broke down in 1885. He then moved to Delta county and took up a homestead on which he lived five years. He planted a few acres in fruit, but sold the place before the trees began to bear much. Locating at Delta, he opened a real-estate office and pushed his business vigorously and profitably for two years. At the end of that period, in company with D.S. Baldwin, he organized the Farmers and Merchants' Bank of Delta. He served as cashier of this institution until September 7, 1893, when just after the bank had been opened for business three robbers walked into the room and ordered him to throw up his hands and turn over to them the cash. Instead of doing this he called for help and the leader of the outlaws shot him, killing him instantly. The robbers then went behind the bars and talking all the money in sight, made their way to the back door where their horses were tied. As they mounted their horses and passed to the rear of the post office they encountered W.R. Simpson, who had heard of the robbery. He stepped into an alley and shot two of them dead. The third man, who was their guard while they made the raid, succeeded in getting away with the money they had taken. At the time of Mr. Blachly's death he was living on a ranch he had purchased a short time before. On this property his family resided until recently and under the wise and vigorous management of his widow it became one of considerable value and productiveness. Mr. Blachly was married on September 7, 1877, to Miss Mary A. Bradley, a native of Bangkok, Siam, the daughter of Dan B. and Sarah (Blachly) Bradley, the former born in Utica, New York, and the latter in Dane county, Wisconsin. The father died in 1876 and the mother in 1893. To Mr. and Mrs. Blachly eight children were born, all sons and all now living. They are Arthur T., Fred F., Clarence D., Howard D., Harold W., Ralph R., Louis B. and Edward H. By their help Mrs. Blachly has been able to carry on the operations of the ranch and greatly enlarge its productiveness. She sold the one on which they were living at the time of her husband's death and bought another of forty acres. On this she has four acres in fruit and also runs a fine herd of cattle in the hills. She and her sons are very successful in managing the business, and she has won a high reputation as a business woman of excellent judgment. The oldest son was fifteen years old when his father died and the youngest one year old. The first named is now a student in the medical department of the State University at Boulder, and will be graduated there in a short time, after which he will practice his profession in the neighborhood of his home. Mrs. Blachly has prospered in all her undertakings and made money steadily. She is regarded as a very good manager and a lady of great industry and enterprise. Her husband was a Republican in politics, a Mason in fraternal life and a Presbyterian in church membership. She is also a Presbyterian and she and the sons are in sympathy with the principles of the Republican party in political affairs. Their ranch is located one mile and a half east of Delta, on the Garnett mesa. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.