Tuscola-Lapeer-Saginaw County MI Archives Biographies.....Blackmore, James P. 1849 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 5, 2007, 11:42 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JAMES P. BLACKMORE. Among those who are giving their attention to the
development of fine stock, is this resident of Vassar, who breeds blooded and
registered trotters and roadsters. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland,
July 20, 1849, and is a son of John and Ann (Armstrong) Blackmore, who settled
near London, Canada, in County Middlesex. At the age of nineteen our young
subject left the farm where he had so far received his training, and went with a
brother, who was a mechanic and contractor, to a point northwest of Toronto.
This brother was engaged in bridge building for the railroad and in furnishing
wood as they were there some two years.

  In 1871 our subject came to Lapeer County, Mich., and himself engaged in
bridge building and engineered the driving of piles throughout that summer. He
then returned to London, Ontario, and after a visit there came again to Lapeer
where he and his brother resumed bridge building on the Fish Lake Branch of the
Detroit & Bay City Railroad. They came to Vassar in January, 1872, and took
contracts on bridges and culverts, constructing eleven miles on the Flint & Pere
Marquette Road. As the young man was making money in these contracts he invested
in property, but the panic came on and closed up the business of contracting. He
went back to London, Canada, in the fall of 1872, and worked on the car shops
which were being put up by the Great Western railroad and the following spring
went to Elkhart, Ind., and thence to Avilla, Ind., where he carried on bridge
building on the Baltimore & Ohio Road.

  Returning to Vassar Mr. Blackmore took charge of a saloon and billiard hall,
which he owned, and in 1875 he and his brother bought the Central Hotel and
livery business and five years later he sold his interest in the hotel to his
brother, after which Mr. James Blackmore engaged in the double avocation of
livery and farming. He soon sold out the former business, but a year and a half
later purchased the Jewell House and after managing it himself for five years
and leaving it the hands of a tenant for one year, he finally took charge of it
again and built a new addition. He sold out in June, 1888.

  During the same year Mr. Blackmore purchased the home where he now resides but
did not move into it at once. He went to Millington where he owned an hotel, but
after running it five months he sold it and returned to Vassar and bought a
livery stock which he sold out the following-spring and then moved into his
present home and during the following season erected the fine building which is
now his.

  Upon this finely improved tract of one hundred acres he has a fine stock farm.
His high-bred Wilkes stallion "Westward" by "Onward," son of "George Wilkes,"
dam by "Amber" and son of "Almont No. 33," the most popular strain in the world.
Our subject also  keeps registered stock in both Durham and Jerseys in
connection with his dairy. He is a Democrat in national politics but in local
movements is independent and cannot be called in any sense a politician.

  The marriage of James Blackmore and Elizabeth S. Vial, took place December 18,
1879, at Chesaning, Mich. This lady was born in England, April 10, 1857. Of her
three children two are now living, Russell J. and Alice May. Arthur V. died when
about thirteen months old. As Mr. Blackmore's father died when he was only eight
years old he was early thrown upon his own resources and his first earnings, at
the age of fifteen, were $5 a month at chopping cord wood. His first purchase
was in buying two young calves which he raised and disposed of when they were
two years old. This was his first speculation and it was a good one. It was
followed by further purchases in the same line and he also engaged in the
butchering business. He used to take contracts of cutting cordwood and hired men
by the day to do the work and thus got his first start. Any kind of work that
brought him into the line with horse-dealing or the care of that noble animal
has been congenial to him and he has done much in the line of buying and selling
them. He is a decidedly popular man and warmly respected by those who are
brought into business relations with him.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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