History Of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade And Barton Counties, Missouri  1889, 
published by Goodspeed,  Page, 721-Cedar County Section

Thomas J. Blake, M.D., of Stockton, Mo., was born in Roane County, Tenn., in 
1828, and is a son of Dr. William G. and Elizabeth (McKinney) Blake, who 
were born in Virginia and Roane County, Tenn., respectively, the former's 
birth occurring in 1800.  At the age of five years he was taken to Tennessee 
by his father, Thomas Blake, who was a farmer and millwright by 
occupation, and there remained until 1837, when he came to Missouri, and 
located in Dade County, at the town of Cora, coming in 1844 to Stockton.  He 
entered forty acres of land where the town now is, which he afterward 
deeded to the county for the county seat, on which he erected the first house.  
He practiced his profession here for many years, and became well known 
throughout the county, not only professionally, but socially. He died in 1884, 
and his first wife in 1831, after which he married Sarah Pennington, who yet 
survives him, and is 72 years of age.  Thomas Blake, the grandfather, was a 
farmer and millwright by occupation, and died in 1860, at the age of eighty-
three years.  His father, William Blake, was killed in the Revolutionary War.  
Dr. Thomas J. Blake is the second of three children, and when nine years old 
came to Missouri with his father.  The schools at that day were few and far 
between, consequently his early educational advantages were quite 
meager.  In 1850 he took the overland trip to California, and at the end of four 
months and ten days was in the "Eureka State," where he remained for six 
years, working in the gold mines.  He then returned to Cedar County, Mo., 
and commenced the study of medicine, his preceptor being Dr. William G. 
Blake, his father.  He entered the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis in the 
spring of 1858, from which he was graduated as an M.D. in 1860.  He went 
first to Stockton, but a short time after removed to Benton County, Ark., and in 
the spring of 1861, returned to Cedar County, Mo., enlisting in May of that 
year in the Missouri State Guard, and afterward in Shelby's Brigade, C.S.A., 
serving until the spring of 1865, when he surrendered in Texas.  He 
participated in the fights at Oak Hill, Newtonia, Prairie Grove, Pea ridge, 
Wilson's Creek, West Port, Iron Mountain, Mark's Mill, and many skirmishes.  
After the war he resided in Benton County, Ark., until 1874, since which time 
he has lived in Stockton.  In 1866 he married Miss Mary V. Barnes, of 
Fayetteville, Ark.  She was born in Manchester, Mo., and is the mother of five 
children;  William C., Clint H., Thomas J., Elizabeth, and a son not named.  
The Doctor is a Mason, a member of the I.O.O.F., a Democrat, and for four 
years served as coroner of Cedar County.  His wife is a member of the 
Catholic Church. 
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