Richard Blackstone

	This biography appears on pages 1023-1024 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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RICHARD BLACKSTONE, one of the representative citizens of the 
Black Hills district, maintaining his home in Lead, Lawrence county, was 
born on a farm near Connellsville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and is 
a scion of one of the old and honored families of the Keystone state. 
The date of his birth was October 16, 1843, and he is a son of James and 
Nancy C. (Johnston) Blackstone, both of whom were likewise natives of 
that county. The parents of the subject passed their entire lives in the 
vicinity of Connellsville, where the father followed the vocation of 
farming, being a successful and influential citizen and one who 
commanded unequivocal confidence and esteem. Of his fourteen children, 
eight are yet living. 

Richard Blackstone was reared on the home farm and secured his early 
education in the schools of Connellsville and in a private school. On 
the 20th of July, 1861, when somewhat less than eighteen years of age, 
he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
commanded by Colonel Thomas B. Ford, who had served as governor of the 
Buckeye state. He enlisted at Mansfield, Ohio, and thence accompanied 
his command to West Virginia, where they passed the winter. In the 
spring they advanced to the east toward Staunton, Virginia, under 
General Milroy, and took part in the battle of Bull Mountain, after 
which they marched by way of Franklin over into the Shenandoah valley, 
where they joined General Fremont's forces and followed Stonewall 
Jackson on his retreat up the valley to Harrison. They then returned to 
Winchester and fortified the city, and when Lee crossed into Maryland 
they abandoned Winchester and retreated to Harper's Ferry, taking part 
in the battle of Maryland Heights, where they were taken prisoners and 
paroled. During the battle of Antietam they could hear the firing but 
were not able to take part, as they were held in captivity at the time. 
The regiment was moved on to Baltimore and thence to Camp Douglas, in 
Chicago, and in the fall were, sent to Columbus, Ohio, where their 
exchange was effected. In the spring of 1863 the regiment was again made 
ready for duty and proceeded via Mississippi to Memphis, where it became 
a part of the Army of the Tennessee, under General Grant, being assigned 
to the Third Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps. After lying in camp 
at Milliken's Bend for a time the command crossed the Mississippi river, 
below Vicksburg, and started on the march to the rear of Vicksburg, 
engaging in battle with Raymond's forces on the 8th of May, and then 
proceeding as far as Jackson, Mississippi, from which point they 
returned toward Vicksburg, participating in the battle of Champion 
Hills, on the 16th of May. In the charge they captured two entire 
regiments, from Alabama. Then advancing upon Vicksburg they besieged 
that city until the 4th of July, under General Logan, and after the 
capitulation of the city the regiment was engaged in provost duty during 
the summer, and in the fall Mr. Blackstone was made first sergeant of 
his company. At that time he re-enlisted, although his term would not 
have expired until nearly a year later. He received a thirty days' 
veteran furlough and passed the same at his old home, after which he 
returned to Vicksburg and was detailed on recruiting service. The 
regiment in the meanwhile came northward, and he rejoined the command at 
Cairo, Illinois, from which they proceeded up the Tennessee river to 
Athens, Georgia, our subject being about this time commissioned second 
lieutenant. They marched onward and joined Sherman's army at Big Shanty, 
Georgia, where they began their services in connection with the Atlanta 
campaign, advancing against General Johnston, who made a somewhat 
stubborn stand at Kenesaw Mountain, while they had numerous skirmishes 
enroute, reaching Atlanta in July, and being in the thickest of the fray 
on the 22d of that month, when General McPherson was killed. Sherman 
continued his march and the Thirty-second Ohio was present at the battle 
of Jonesborough but did not take part in the same. Returning to Atlanta, 
they there encamped until late in September, when General Hood started 
for the north. The federal troops were put on cars and went as far as 
Dalton, the intention being to head off Hood. Sherman then began the 
destruction of the railroad and shortly afterward our subject's regiment 
arrived at Atlanta and joined in the memorable march to the sea, thence 
proceeding northward through the Carolinas and being present at the 
surrender of Johnston, after which they marched to Washington, where, as 
a part of Sherman's army, they participated in the grand review. From 
the national capital the regiment was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, 
where they were assigned to provost duty, Mr. Blackstone there receiving 
his honorable discharge in July, 1865, as captain of his company, while 
on the 27th of the same month he was mustered out of the service. 

After the close of his long and arduous military service Captain 
Blackstone returned to his home, in Pennsylvania, and for a number of 
months was a student in the Pennsylvania Military Academy, at Chester, 
after which he took a two-years course in the Rensselaer Polytechnic 
Institute at Troy, New York, where he gave his attention to the study of 
engineering In 1868 he came west to Colorado, making the trip from 
Cheyenne to Denver by stage, and he engaged in placer mining on the site 
of the present town of Breckenridge, also prospecting in other 
localities. In 1870 he returned to Denver, where he secured a position 
in the office of the United States surveyor general, as draughtsman. One 
year later he removed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he was employed in the 
office of the surveyor general until 18878, in March of which year he 
started for the Black Hills, arriving in Deadwood on the last day of the 
month. He came here in the interest of Cheyenne men who had some mining 
properties on Whitewood creek, and he acted as superintendent about two 
months, when he found that the venture was not a profitable one, and he 
accordingly engaged in the work of his profession as an engineer, to 
which he devoted his attention for the ensuing two years. In 1881. he 
entered the employ of the Homestake Mining Company as engineer, and 
began the construction of the Black Hills & Fort Pierre Railroad, 
continuing to make extensions to the same at intervals until 1890, when 
the line was completed to Piedmont. In connection with his other 
official duties he was superintendent of this railroad until it was sold 
to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, in 1901. He has 
been chief engineer for the Homestake Company from the start, and has 
maintained his home in Central City since 1888. April 1, 1903, he was 
made assistant superintendent of the company. He also served as 
assistant superintendent of the Father DeSmet, Deadwood, Terra and 
Caledonia mines, owned by the Homestake Company. In politics the Captain 
is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, and fraternally he is 
affiliated with the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion and with E. M. 
Stanton Post, No. 8, Grand Army of the Republic, at Lead. 

On the 28th of December, 1871, was solemnized the marriage of 
Captain Blackstone to Miss Mabel R. Noble, who was born and reared in 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, being a daughter of William and Louisa 
(Findley) Noble. Of this union have been born three children, namely: 
Alexander J., who is in the employ of the Homestake Mining Company; Mary 
L., who is the wife of D. C. Regan, of Lead; and Florence, who remains 
at the parental home. The family attend the Episcopal church.