Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Blanchard, Washington Z. 1886 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net July 11, 2011, 1:13 pm Ionia Standard, 16 Apr 1886 Dr. Washington Z. Blanchard, who died at his home in this village on March 30, where he had lived for nearly forty-eight years, was born at Elizabethtown, Upper Canada, Nov. 13, 1800. He was of French descent, one of his ancestors having been a marshal of France under Louis XII. They were Huguenots, and fled to England, from whence they came to America and settled on what was known as Blanchard’s plains, twenty miles west of Boston. The father of the subject of this sketch was born at Andover, Mass., and soon after the revolution took up his residence in Boston, but soon afterward removed to Canada. Washington Z. lived with his parents until he was 12 years of age, when he was sent to Boston to be educated. He read medicine with Dr. Waldo, near Auburn, N.Y., and began the practice of his chosen profession when 21 years of age, and was married in 1821 to Miss Hannah Jeffers, eldest daughter of a Baptist minister. Soon after he emigrated to the western part of New York and settled at Nunda, Livingston Co., then an almost unbroken wilderness. He built the first store at Nunda and engaged largely in mercantile pursuits, practicing medicine at the same time. Here he amassed a considerable fortune, but was financially ruined by endorsing the paper of friends and being compelled to pay $16,000, which forced him to give up even his household furniture. He then returned to Cayuga county, and in the following fall, 1836, he came to Michigan and settled at Shiawasseetown, three miles south of the present village of Vernon. At the organization of the county, he was chosen the first register of deeds. Andrew Parsons, afterwards governor, being his deputy. The county seat being permanently located at Corunna, Dr. Blanchard came to Lyons in July, 1838, and for thirty years continued to practice medicine, his “circuit” embracing Ionia, Clinton, and Montcalm counties. He retired from active practice soon after the close of the war. His wife died in 1840 and he was married a second time in 1843 to Mrs. Enselba Hull, of Portland. Mr. Blanchard was elected judge of probate as a whig in 1844, over John L. Morse, Democrat. The same year A.F. Bell was elected county surveyor, H. Rich clerk; F. Hall register of deeds; I.G. Frost treasurer; Hiram Brown, Sheriff; and A.L. Roof representative, all democrats. He also held various township offices, taking especial interest in school matters. He took an active interest in politics, and was a staunch whig up to the formation of the republican party, when he became identified with and remained a member of that organization. Dr. Blanchard was a positive man, conscientious in all his convictions of duty; a kind, affectionate husband, father and neighbor and a good citizen. He had great confidence in his fellow men, and always looked upon the bright side of life. He was religious in his nature, a life-long member of the Baptist church and a strong advocate of temperance. In his death the county loses another of the landmarks, a valued and respected pioneer. He leaves five children living, Hon. J.C. Blanchard of Ionia, Mrs. Clarissa VanVleck of Mecosta, Hiram f. Blanchard of Hubbardston, Mrs. D.C. Crawford of Ionia and Mrs. Alphonzo Burgduff of Lyons. The funeral services were held at the M.E. church on Thursday, the 1st inst., the sermon being preached by Rev. M. Gulick, pastor of the Methodist church, assisted by Presiding Elder Aaron Moore. – Lyons Herald. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/b/blanchar14526nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.0 Kb