Judge Henry N. Blake
History of Montana,by Joaquin Miller, 1894
USGENWEB Montana Archives
May be copied for non-profit purposes.


Judge Henry N. Blake was born in Boston Massachusetts, 
June 5, 1838. The progenitor of the Blake family 
in America emigrated from England to Massachusetts in 1630 
and became one of the prominent factors in the 
early history of Dorchester. He served as Recorder and Clerk 
of "ye Writs" of Suffolk County. Several of 
his descendants were also prominently identified with the 
early history of the colonies and one of the third 
generation of the family, James Blake Jr, wrote a book entitled 
"Blake Annals," a history of Dorchester from 
1630 to 1753. Jonathan Blake, the great-grandfather of our 
subject was an adjutant in the Revolution and 
served in five campaigns in that war. His family consisted of 
nine children, of whom the oldest, James Blake, 
was Judge Blake's grandfather. Down to the third James Blake, 
the men of the family had all been Deacons and 
Elders. James Howe Blake, our subject's father was born 
December 7, 1804. He was engaged in the milling 
business most of his life and his death occurred in 1864. 
November 26, 1829 he married Mary Nichols, with 
whom his life was happily blended until the time of his death. 
She survived him until 1885. They had five 
children. One of their sons, William Edward, lost his life 
while in the Union ranks serving in defense of 
his country. Their daughter, now Mrs. Frank Farington, resides 
in Boston. Having briefly sketched his ancestry, 
we now turn to the life of Henry N. Blake, who was the fourth 
born in his father's family.
Henry N. Blake graduated in the Dorchester high school and 
also in the Law School at Harvard, receiving the 
degree of LL.B. from the latter institution in 1858. He began 
the practice of his profession in Boston. 
In April 1861 when the first call was made for volunteers to 
put down the rebellion, he enlisted in Company K, 
Eleventh Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and rose 
successively from the rank of private to that 
of Sergeant, First Sergeant, Second Lieutenant, First 
Lieutenant and Captain. He continued in the service until 
June 1864 when he was mustered out, having during that time 
participated in twenty of the battles in which the 
Army of the Potomac was engaged. At the first battle of Bull 
Run he was slightly wounded and May 12, 1864 at the 
battle of Spottslvania Courthouse, he was wounded severely, 
his serious injuries resulting in his being mustered 
out of the service.

In 1866 Mr. Blake moved to Montana. He came up the river to 
Fort Benton and from there went to Virginia City 
where he took up his abode and entered upon the practice of 
his profession and where for twenty-three years 
he was engaged in the practice of law, except when he served 
as Judge--August 1866 to January 1867, and when 
he was editor of the Montana Post. The Judge has decided 
literary talents. Soon after the war he wrote
"Three Years in the Army" it being a history of his regiment 
and a very interesting one.
January 27, 1870 Judge Blake was married in Boston to Clara 
J. Clark, a native of Massachusetts and a daughter
of Benjamin F and Mary (Choate) Clark of that State. They have 
two daughters, Bessie M. and Nellie A.

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