I’d Like To Meet My Great Grandfather Isaac Blakey

Why would I like to meet my Great Grandfather Isaac Blakey?

First of all, I’m one of his great granddaughters. And out of all my earlier ancestors and relatives, he’s the most, in which I’ve written about with documentation. I have discovered so much about him through the years.

How did I become interested in my Great Grandfather Isaac?

On Saturday, October 31, 1981, I was visiting some family members in Yankton, South Dakota to hear more about our family history. I was told by my cousin, Mary Jane (Blakey) Ligthner that Isaac was my great grandfather. This was a surprise to me because I had thought that he was my great uncle. This made things more interesting.

Then I began to search for information on my Great Grandfather Isaac and discovered more about him through his pension records and through documents about his health. Isaac, as a teenager and a freeman enlisted into the Civil War. And after the War, he lived out his freedom for at least 54 more years.




I will share the clearer photo of Isaac Blakey in week two. The theme is Favorite Photo.

Here’s a brief introduction about Isaac Blakey.

Isaac Blakey was born in 1845 in Howard County, Missouri. He the son of Andrew White and Julia (Finney) White from Virginia. Isaac was rise as pone of the enslaved in Missouri and was separated from his family between 1858 to 1861. It was about the time in 1861 when Isaac and his mother. were sold and they went south. Oral history states that Isaac ran away to join the Civil War.

It was on Sunday, Nov 1, 1863, Isaac, at the age of about 16, enlisted as Private Isaac Blaker in Natchez, Mississippi. He was stationed in Natchez, Mississippi with Company H. Regiment 2, 5, and 6, Untied States Colored Heavy Artillery.

It was during the Spring on 1864, Isaac was accidently wounded by a bayonet to his left leg. His wound was a running sore since that day. He was honorable discharged on Sunday, May 13, 1866.

My why to why I’d Like To Meet My Great Grandfather Isaac who lived on the earth from 1845 – 1917. Although, in a way, I feel as though I have already met him while I’ve been searching for him through his paper trail.

And I believe that Great Grandfather Isaac and I will meet face to face in person some day in heaven along with all our other relatives. (I believe that Isaac did called upon Jesus as his Lord and Savoir. I have called upon Jesus as well.)

What would I ask my Great Grandfather Isaac?
I gave this some thought. Then again, I have so many questions to asked him. Still again, I see the most important thing to do, would be to meet him. I don’t want to drill him with questions. But, I see that as in meeting him as my great grandfather would be an honor in itself.

If could ask a few questions, I would ask him: How did he make the transition from being in bondage since as an enslaved child to his freedom years in his teen years through the rest of his life on earth ? And what can he share about his life and his ancestors?

This was an interesting theme to ponder. I did something like this in September of 2010 and December of 2015 with the title If I Could Choose (Repost With Updated Information. ) I did ask some questions in those years. But, this time around. I feel the want to meet him is the most honorable thing to say.

Thanks for reading
I’d Like To Meet My Great Grandfather Isaac Blakey

God bless
S.A. Blakley

I’d Like To Meet My Great Grandfather Isaac Blakey #52Ancestors ~ Week One In 2023 

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Susan Ann Blakley on word press 

 I’d Like To Meet is the theme for week one from Amy Johnson Crow’s Generations Café #52Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge for 2023.

Prompt for this theme: “Most of us have an ancestor who we’d like to meet (even if it’s to ask, “What are your parents’ names?”) This week, write about that ancestor or why you’d want to meet him or her. Feel free to be creative! (And feel free to leave your links and stories in the comments!)” Amy Johnson Crow

Extended Family: Julia White’s Household In 1880

 Welcome to 20 Twenty Three! 

I  hope to make new discoveries this year.

Thanks for reading.
May God bless you and protect you and your family throughout the year.

Peace
S.A. Blakley 

In Remembrance Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections: January 

Extended Family: Julia White’s Household In 1880  

I was thinking about the household of my 2nd Great Grandmother, Julia (Finney) WHITE. She was listed as a 60 year old widow on the1880 Missouri Federal Census with her 6 children, a daughter in law and 7 grandchildren. Her children were Isaac (White) BLAKEY, age 30 and her children who carried the WHITE surname were Spencer, age 28, John, age 26, David, age 22, Josh, age 20 and Martha, age 18 who was a widow with no children. The siblings were all laborers.

The crop photo listed below is of the1880 Federal United States Census for Chariton County Missouri for the household of Julia White. Some of this information was incorrect. And some of this information got me pondering.

I even wonder who was the person who gave the census taker the information? I don’t think Julia was the one. Why was some of the grandchildren’s identified as her children? And her daughter in law was her daughter? All had the WHITE surname?



The others listed in Julia’s household were Isaac’s wife, Rachel, age 29 who was the mother of Mary, age 8, (? son Andrew, age 6), Julia, age 4 and Henry, age 2. Isaac’s son, John, age 10 was by Martha (Scott) Blakey who was Isaac’s first wife.

There were some unknown grandchildren listed; Who were they ?
The grandchildren; Rebecca, age 10, mulatto and Andrew White, age 2.
Their parents weren’t listed on the census.

Who was the first Andrew age of 6 , born about 1873?
Did Rachel and Isaac have a son named Andrew?
Isaac had a son named Andrew by Martha.
That Andrew was he twin of John born in Mississippi in 1871.

Who was the last Andrew age of 2; born about 1878?
He doesn’t appear to be the child of any of the adult listed.
His name is listed after Martha.

Who was Rebeca’s Virginian parents?
This suggest that Julia had a child in Virginia..
It appears that Julia was caring for her grandchild.
Where both of Rebeca’s parents deceased?

There were two of Julia’s grandchildren who were not listed:
Isaac BLAKEY Jr. who was born either in 1873 or 1877 in Mississippi..
Jordan BLAKEY who was the twin of Julia. They were born in Mississippi in 1878.
It appears that the first Andrew could have been Isaac and the 2nd one was Jordan?

And what more of a mystery of the household of Isaac WHITE.?
This is the family unit listed above Julia White’s household in 1880.

I think that they are most likely related to Julia as an in laws and a child and grandchildren.
Julia had a son named Andrew White. (Isaac was born in 1845).
The Andrew White age about 30 is said to have been Isaac Blakey’s brother.
The Isaac White age 80 was perhaps the grandfather of Andrew.

What about Julia’s youngest son, Richard White?
He wasn’t listed with her household.
I was wondering where he was.
I believe that I located him with the household of Daniel WHITE.

Richard was 13 years old and a farmhand living not to far from Julia.
Daniel White was the brother of the former slave owners of Julia White and her family.
Daniel’s sister was Frances (WHITE) BLAKEY.

Before I began this blog, I googled. What’s a definition of Extended family?
– “grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, either all living nearby or within the same household.”
That’s how Julia and her household came to my thinking. This fits the extended family in one household. There were 15 in that household.

Our extended family are important part in our family journey.
It leaves us clues to missing family members and to how the family lived together.
I see that family members lived in the same general area on both my parents sides.

May include our extended family in our searches.
May we realized that they are apart of the family as well.
Happy Searching for more family connections.

Thanks for reading.
Extended Family Julia White’s Household In 1880: Week 27 In 2022

 Posted on July 8, 2022 by Susan Ann Blakley on another site. 
I added the In Remembrance: Januaryy

God bless
S.A. Blakley

Week 27
The theme for Week 27 is “Extended Family.” We often focus on those people from whom we descend. But what about their siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins? They played a role in our ancestors’ lives, just like those people play a role in our own lives. This is a good week to explre the lives of these other people in the family tree.