In the
Introduction, Verla Williams writes that:
By 1880, James had married and was listed with his wife; Henry and Jemima were listed with George and Will, their third son. Edward had remarried a Martha Haggard (a relative of James wife?) and had four children. I have found no trace of them anywhere.
I am continually amazed by how much my mother was able to discover about the family history without the use of the internet that we now seem to take so much for granted.
Ancestry.com, for example, has millions of records that can be accessed easily. I decided I would try to see if I could discover what had happened to Martha BLAKEY and her children.
As we've already seen, the
1875 MN State Census shows Edward and Martha Blakey (ages 70 and 37) with two children, Martha E. (age 2), and Ernest E. (age 0) living in Delafield Township, Jackson County. Martha’s birthplace is given as Wisconsin. Her father was born in Kentucky and her mother Penn., or possibly Tenn. It is not quite clear.
The
1880 US Federal Census Verla mentions above lists Edward (now 75) and Martha Blakey (42). Their four children are Martha E. (7), Ernest E. (5), Alma J. (3), and Albert H. (1). The family is living in Des Moines Township, Jackson County. Martha’s birthplace is listed as Wisconsin. Her father’s is Kentucky. Her mother’s is clearly Tennessee.
According to his son
Henry's Affidavit, Edward left his family in 1882 to return to England. So he would not appear in England’s 1881 Census. Since he also supposedly died in 1889 he would not appear in their 1891 Census either. So until a death record can be found Edward’s final whereabouts need additional confirmation.
A search on Martha BLAKEY turns up interesting results in the
1885 MN State Census. Instead of Martha BLAKEY, there is Martha Blake (44) born in Iowa. She is living in Cherry Grove Township, Goodhue County with Emily (12), Edward (9), and Alma (7) all born in Minnesota. She and her family are also listed next to a R. (62) and Jane Woodward (42, born in IA), but more about that later.
Detail of 1885 MN State Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Minnesota Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1865-1905. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164.
Minnesota. Minnesota Territorial Census Schedules, 1849-1855. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 2000. Microfilm.
Minnesota. Minnesota 1857 Territorial Census. Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN, USA.
Is this the right Martha? There are some obvious problems besides the surname. In five years she only aged two. The birthplace is Iowa instead of Wisconsin. From 1836-1838 Iowa was part of the Wisconsin Territory ["
Iowa Territory,"
Wikipedia.com.] which may be why there are some discrepancies among the Censuses for Martha's birthplace.
The children’s ages track, but all of their names aren’t right unless Martha E. and Ernest E. are using their middle names. Alma is the right name and age. If this is the right family, however, then it also appears that Albert H. may have died during the last five years. If Martha E.’s middle name is Emily, it wouldn’t be unrealistic to assume that she went by her middle name to avoid confusion with her mother. I have no idea why Ernest E. would be listed as Edward.
There only exist fragments of the
1890 US Federal Census due to a fire in the Commerce Building in 1921. The only part surviving from Minnesota is Rockford in Wright County. No records from Iowa or Wisconsin survived. [“
US Federal 1890 Census Records,”
FamilyHistory.com.]
In the
1895 MN State Census, there is a Martha Blakey (50, and surname spelled correctly) living in Cherry Grove, Goodhue County with a Jane Woodward (52). Both list their birthplace as Iowa. Martha’s age is still not quite right, she should be about fifty-seven. Right above them are A. J. Hunt (22) and his wife “Amily” (21). They have no children.
Detail of 1895 MN State Census. Image courtesy Ancestry.com. Source Information: Ancestry.com. Minnesota Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 1865-1905. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164.
Minnesota. Minnesota Territorial Census Schedules, 1849-1855. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 2000. Microfilm.
Minnesota. Minnesota 1857 Territorial Census. Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, MN, USA.
Did Martha move in with her neighbor Jane from 1885, or perhaps even a relative named Jane? Jane’s husband most likely passed away in the intervening decade and it's possible that daughter Emily married A. J. and is living in what was her mother’s home. Ernest and Alma are both old enough to have left home.
In fact, in 1895 Ernest E. [Edward] BLAKEY reappears in the
US Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914.
Detail of US Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com. Source Information: Ancestry.com. U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2007. Original data: Register of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M233, 81 rolls); Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s-1917, Record Group 94; National Archives, Washington, D.C. Ernest enlisted on 5 Jan 1895 in Minneapolis for a period of 3 years. It gives his birthplace as Jackson, MN, and his age as 21 and 1 month which would put his birthday at about late Nov or early Dec 1873. For occupation he lists “farmer.” The record even describes him as having blue eyes, light brown hair, fair complexion, and being 5’10” in height. The remainder is difficult to read. He seems to have been assigned to the 8th Cavalry, Company B, Hospital Corps in Fort Mead, SD. The last part appears to read, “Des. July 12/95. Surr’d Oct 4/95. DEA[?] June 12/97.” As of this writing there are no additional records for Ernest E. BLAKEY after 1895.
The
1900 US Federal Census provides a little more confirmation. It has Jane Woodward (58) as the head of a household in Cherry Grove, Goodhue. Her occupation is given as farmer. Living with her is her aunt Nancy Smith (83) and her
sister, Martha Blakey (62). All three ladies are widows. Martha’s age is finally right. I guess we can forgive her for previously exaggerating about it.
Detail of 1900 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com. Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Cherry Grove, Goodhue, Minnesota; Roll T623_764; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 40. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
Listed two households below Jane Woodward is the Court and Phoebe Hunt family. Court is also listed as a farmer. According to the
1880 US Federal Census, they are the parents of the A. J. Hunt who later married “Amily.” Below them are Earnest (23) and Mary J. Hunt (21) Earnest is listed as a farmer and is another son of Court and Phoebe. Interestingly on the next page right at the top are Addison Hunt (27) and his wife Emily (26). Addison’s occupation is printer. They have no children.
Detail of 1900 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com. Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: Cherry Grove, Goodhue, Minnesota; Roll T623_764; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 40. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
According to the
1910 US Federal Census Martha Blakey (73) is living in Minneapolis Ward 12, Hennepin County with her son-in-law and daughter, Addison (37) and Emily (37) Hunt. They have no children. Addison now either owns a printing company or works for one. This Census provides the confirmation that Emily Hunt was Martha BLAKEY's daughter.
Detail of 1910 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry. com. Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census Place: Minneapolis Ward 12, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll T624_705; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 196; Image: 886. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1910. T624, 1,178 rolls.Another family tree at
Ancestry.com gives 1919 as the year of Martha Haggard BLAKEY's death. I am still trying to verify that. I haven't been able to find her in the
1920 US Federal Census.
There are, however, further records for Emily and Addison Hunt. Addison Julien Hunt registered for the World War I Draft on 17 Sep 1918.
Addison Julien Hunt. World War I Draft Registration Card. Images courtesy of Ancestry.com.The card gives his address as 3608 22 Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., his birthdate as 5 Apr 1873, his occupation as Supt. of Printing, his place of employment as Murphy-Travis Lith. Co., and his nearest relative, his wife Emily M. Hunt. On the reverse side his physical appearance is described as medium height, medium build, brown eyes, and dark brown hair bald.
Two years later the
1920 US Federal Census has Addison J. (47) and Emily M. Hunt (47) living in El Centro, Imperial Co., CA, with Addison's brother Eral G. (42) who is a carpenter. Addison is working as a printer for a newspaper. It appears the couple has not ever been able to have children.
Detail of 1920 US Federal Census. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com. Source Citation: Year: 1920;Census Place: El Centro, Imperial, California; Roll T625_99; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 15; Image: 939. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 on roll 323 (Chicago City) Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920; (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625, 2076 rolls); Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
In 1924 they appear in the record of the California Voter Registration Index for the City of Los Angeles living at 5044 Baltimore St. and registered as Republicans.
Detail of California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968 (1924). Roll 15. Image courtesy of Ancestry.com.In the California Voter Registration Index for 1930, Addison is listed alone living in Lynwood City at 11214 Modjeska Av. He is still a printer, but he's now registered as a Democrat. I suspect Emily may have passed away, but I have been unable to find any further documentation yet for either Addison or Emily.
