Howard County IN Archives Biographies.....Blakely, J. W. 1847 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 14, 2006, 10:51 pm

Author: Jackson Morrow

J. W. BLAKELY.

   Many years have elapsed since the subject of this resume took up his
residence in Howard county, and it is due entirely to his assiduous efforts and
undaunted ambition that he has here gained such signal success, having begun
life under none too favorable auspices and being now the owner of one of the
best farms in the county, while he is held in unqualified esteem as a citizen
and as a progressive and prosperous man of business.

   John William Blakely was born in Franklin county, Ohio, April 10, 1847, the
son of Thomas and Eliza (Blair) Blakely. Grandfather Blakely was a native of
Ireland and he was brought to Ohio by his parents when but two years old. The
grandfather of the former came over about 1814. The subject's grandfather died
shortly after coming to this country. His widow lived where they first located
the balance of her life, dying, when about seventy years old. They were the
parents of eight children. The early education of the father of our subject was
limited, since he was compelled to work out at such work as he could obtain to
help support the family. This he continued to do until he was married. He then
built a small log cabin on the farm of his father-in-law. Clearing ground near
by he made a farm and in time the estate of his father-in-law was divided and
the land on which he had built a house, cleared and made a home, fell to one of
his wife's brothers, while his wife inherited the old home house and her share
of the land thereto. On this place they lived, raised their children and died,
the father at the age of fifty-nine. He was a Baptist minister and had one
charge for thirty-five years. He was a man of great influence for good in his
community and exercised a strong influence for the moral tone of the locality
where he lived. The mother of the subject lived until she was seventy-seven
years old. They were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom grew to
maturity, our subject being the fifth in order of birth.

   Mr. Blakely attended the public schools in Ohio when a boy. However, he
attended school but a short time, having been compelled to work out by the day,
doing anything to make an honest penny, continuing this mode of living until he
was twenty-three years old, at the same time assisting his father, who was
practically an invalid, wherever his services were needed.

   Our subject was married on January 24, 1870, to Mary Frances Teegardin,
daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (Crume) Teegardin, natives of Ohio. Mrs.
Blakely's grandfather was a captain in the army at the time of the Revolutionary
war.

   Four children have been born to the subject and wife as follows: Irvin, born
September 8, 1872, died in 1902, leaving a widow and one child; Laura, born in
October, 1876, is the wife of John W. Miller, a farmer in Howard county, being
the mother of two children; Jennie Leotie died in infancy; Homer A., born in
1881, is with his father on the farm, married and has one child.

   After the subject's marriage he rented a log cabin in Franklin county, Ohio,
and cultivated seven acres of ground as a market garden, paying as rental ten
dollars per acre in advance, working this for two years. He also worked twenty
acres of grain on the shares. He afterward rented a farm in Allen county, Ohio,
which farm belonged to his father-in-law. Here he farmed successfully for ten
years, then came to Howard county, Indiana, in 1881 and went onto his wife's
father's farm, where he has lived for twenty-seven years. At that time the farm
consisted of one hundred and seventy acres, twenty-five of which were cleared by
our subject, and he had added one hundred and forty-five acres to this,
expending five thousand dollars for drainage, the farm now being under a suberb
[sic] system of drainage. The fencing is well kept, being partly of wire and
partly of wood in about equal parts. The productiveness of the soil is in fine
condition as the result of the subject's skillful manipulation of the fields. He
understands well the rotation of crops so as to prevent the soil becoming thin
or washing. Clover is used after small grains and home fertilizers are also
employed to enrich the soil. He feeds all the grain on the place that he raises
and also buys other grain.

   Mr. Blakely has an attractive and beautiful home, surrounded by a well kept
and an artistically arranged lawn and orchard and groves, so that his place is
one of the most attractive and one of the most comfortable in this part of the
country. He lives four and one-half miles from Kokomo, and an interurban station
is near his door. He graveled at his own expense in teams and labor, one-half
mile of road leading from his home to the pike which leads to Kokomo.

   Fraternally the subject is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
having been a faithful member for thirty years from the time of this writing.
While he is a loyal Democrat and ever vigilant in his efforts to assist in
placing the right men in local offices, he has himself never sought public
office, preferring to devote his time exclusively to the work of his farm, which
he has made a great success, being regarded as a model fanner by his neighbors.
Mrs. Blakely is a member of the Baptist church and they are both highly
respected by all who know them for their uprightness, kindness and hospitality.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY INDIANA
BY
JACKSON MORROW, B. A.
ILLUSTRATED
VOL. II
B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

(circa 1909)


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