Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Blanchard, John C. March 12, 1905
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Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net July 1, 2010, 6:38 pm

The Ionia Standard, Friday, March 17, 1905
John C. Blanchard died very suddenly at his home at 7:45 Sunday evening, from 
what the doctor pronounces hemorrhage of the lungs.  This cause is as 
surprising to the friends, as his sudden taking away, as he had shown no 
previous symptom of lung disease since youthful days.  He has been growing 
perceptibly more feeble for past two or three years, and especially during the 
last year; but he has been down town every day until the day of his death, and 
there was no indication of this sudden taking away.  Dr. Defendorf was first 
called Saturday afternoon, and noted that he was failing rapidly.  He then 
said to a friend that he would be surprised if Mr. Blanchard survived two 
weeks.  He was again called about 5 Sunday evening, but the hemorrhage and 
death took place after he left.  The death was so sudden, his daughter, Mrs. 
T. G. Stevenson, on being notified of his condition was not able to reach the 
bedside in time to see him alive.

His son, John C. Jr., was with him during the day, but was absent at the time 
of death.  His other daughters, Mrs. Nettie Todd and Mrs. Ben Vosper, were 
both out of the city, the former at her home near Carson City, and the latter 
with her daughter in Detroit.

John Celsus Blanchard was born in Cayuga county, N.Y., September 19, 1823.  
His father, Washington Z. Blanchard, was for many years a prominent physician 
of the county, with his residence in Lyons.  His mother, Hannah Jeffries 
Blanchard, is claimed to have been a lineal descendant of the famous Judge 
Jeffreys of England.

John C. had the advantages of schooling at the Temple Hill academy in Geneseo, 
N.Y., and the Cayuga institute, but he never attended school after entering 
his teens.  At the age of 14 he ran away from home, going first to Port Byron, 
where he hired out to work at $10 per month.  He soon after went to Livingston 
county, and hired out—he was always ready to work.  There he met a man who had 
known him at home, and who wrote his parents, who at once followed him to this 
state, greatly surprising him by their sudden appearance on the scene.  Before 
winter, young Blanchard went from Livingston to Shiawassee county, where he 
was adopted by an Indian family, to whom his hustling proclivities were always 
a wonder, and who gave to him the name of “Optupsue,” which means to drive, to 
push, to overcome.  In this Indian family was a son named Pewamo, and the 
village of that name in this county was named by Mr. Blanchard for him.

While living with this Indian family, young Blanchard saved $53, with which in 
the spring of 1837 he came to Ionia county, through a trackless wilderness, 
and located 40 acres of land, having $3 left to this fund.  This land was the  
n e ¼ of n e ¼ of section 11, town 6 north, range 3 west—Riley, Clinton 
county.  On this journey Mr. Blanchard, not yet 15 years old, slept in the 
woods like a young Indian.  He returned to Shiawassee county, but in July 1838 
he came back to Ionia county and located permanently, working on farms in 
Lyons for one year.  His parents were then living at Lyons, and he forsook his 
Indian home at their request for a more civilized manner of life.

December 31, 1839 he entered the office of Roof & Bell at Lyons as a law 
student.  He passed a creditable examination in 1842, and was admitted to 
practice.  He accepted Mr. Roof’s proposal of partnership, and this firm 
existed three years.  Mr. Blanchard was then in practice alone until 1850 when 
having been appointed prosecuting attorney, he moved to Ionia, which place has 
since been his home.  On his location here, he formed a partnership with A. F. 
Bell, and Blanchard and Bell was for many years one of the leading and best 
known legal firms in Western Michigan.

Mr. Blanchard has held several public offices, serving the people with 
credit.  He was register of the United States land office under President 
Buchanan; was prosecuting attorney five years; served as president of Ionia 
village two terms; was school director for nine years; and served for some 
years as a trustee of Albion College.  He was a candidate in 1872 for 
lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket, but went down with the rest of 
the ticket.

Mr. Blanchard was a strong stumper, and his services were in great demand 
during campaigns.  He was frequently sent to other states, under direction of 
the national committee.  As a lawyer he was resourceful, strong in attack and 
shrewd in defense, and was regarded as an expert in examination of witnesses.  
For many years he was engaged on one side, or the other, of nearly every 
important case in this county, and was usually successful.

He gradually retired from the law, on becoming interested in the more 
remunerative business of pine land speculation, and at one time his 
possessions were very large, and he was accounted one of the wealthiest men in 
the county.

October 6, 1845 Mr. Blanchard was marred to Harriet Augusta Brewster, who died 
November 10, 1895.  To them four children were born: Hannah Cornelia, wife of 
Thomas G. Stevenson; Lucia A., wife of Benjamin Vosper; Mrs. Nettie A. Todd, 
and John C. Jr.  On December 22, 1896 Mr. Blanchard was married at Towanda, 
Kansas to Mrs. Nora B. Johnson of Wichita, Kansas, who survives.


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