WHITE COUNTY, TN - CEMETERIES - Blankenship Cemetery ----¤¤¤---- A copy of this letter was given to me by Pauline Graham, who was the daughter of Lillian Blankenship Cotton. James Washginton Blankenship was Lillian’s grandfather Sparta, Tenn. R#1 April 28, 1967 Mrs. Lillian J. Cotton, I saw your article in the Sparta Expositor of White Co. wanting some information on GEORGE WASHINGTON BLANKENSHIP I am W. S. Ray born in 1880 in White Co. and lived on the farm joining the farm that WASHINGTON BLANKENSHIP owned. I was well acquainted with him and he used to come to our house and stay all nite and I have pulled fodder with him and worked with him. I also remember the four children TIM, FRED, CHARLES, AND IKE and went to school with them and also my oldest brother AFRED RAY married his oldest sister, SUSIE BLANKENSHIP. They had two sons, BILL and JIM RAY. WASHINGTON BLANKENSHIP and WIFE died and was buried here in the BLANKENSHIP CEMETERY. The sons left and went to the Indian Territory or Oklahoma. I hope this information has helped you and if you need to know more, maybe I can help you. I am now 87 years old, still drive my truck anywhere I want to go. My wife is almost 84 and we still keep house and wait on ourselves. We live about 9 mi. north of Sparta just off of Highway 42. Come to see us if you are ever back here. Sincerely, W. (William) S. RAY I believe the BLANKENSHIP CEMETERY that Mr. Ray is referring to is the one listed in the White County Cemetery Book, Vol. 1, page 51. This cemetery was located on or near John Blankenship and J. W. Blankenship‘s farm. As the cemetery book notes there are no marked graved there any longer. It is now being seeded and mowed. George Washington Blankenship’s correct name was James Washington Blankenship. On court documents we find his name as J. W. or Wash Blankenship. James W. was married to Ettie Cooper in White County, TN. Susie Blankenship who married Mr. Ray older brother, Alford Ray, was actually one of Wash’s younger sisters. ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Pattie Cochran ___________________________________________________________________