In Memory of John Blakey BLAKLEY Sr.

John BLAKEY was born on Hew Davis Plantation in Woodville, Mississippi on Wednesday, June 21, 1871. He was the twin of Andrew Blakey. Andrew passed with their mother, Martha Scott Blakey date unknown. Private Isaac BLAKEY Sr. was the father of the twins. 

Throughout John's lifetime, he worked various jobs as a grader, worked as a hired and perhaps other jobs to support his family. On Monday, July 28, 1902, John married  Jennie Bartlett in Excelsior Spring, Missouri.  Their names were recorded as John BLAKYE and Jennie BARTLE.John and Jennie surname was changed to BLAKLEY  sometime between 1902 - 1910.
 
Some time during the mid 19 teens, John traveled to Yankton South Dakota. John had written to his brothers, Spencer Blakey and Henry Blakey asking them if they could  find a farm for his family could live. The brothers couldn't find a farm but, they found a house.

In the Summer of 1918, John was preparing to return to Missouri and gather his family to return to Yankton. However, he caught a cold  and was sick with tuberculosis / T.B. ( The Spanish Flu pandemic was  during this time.)

John didn't make the journey back to Missouri. At the age of 47, he passed in a covered wagon near his brother, Henry Blakey in Yankton, South Dakota on Wednesday, July 10, 1918

It's recorded that John was buried in Yankton, SD with the Blakey surname. As for his widow Jennie. She was told of his death through a letter. (The source of information was from Raymond Blakey. He could recall if John's body was brought back to Missouri.) Three months before John passed, the last child of Jennie and John passed at 11 months old. John was the father of about 12 children. Seven children were living at the time of his death

Some Thoughts:
I thought about about the journey to Yankton. I made the trip to Yankton, S.D. in October 1981 and July of 1995. I imagined how this journey could have been during the time of my Grandpa John. 

I was wondering; what my grandfather John Blakey / Blakley could have looked like? I wish that there was a photo of him  I was told that John looked like his brother, Spencer.

I believe that a child can looked just like one of  their parents. I wonder which one of  the Blakley children looked like their father.  I see the resemblance in the Blakley siblings. 


Thanks for reading
God bless you.
S.A. Blakley