Billy Ray Blackwell

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• USR1: Carcinoma of mouth, causing severe hemorrhage and resulting death
• Residence: 1911

Notes:

Gerald Journal, Feb. 21, 1919:
“J. H. Meyer of Leslie Route 2 bought the 40 acre farm of John Blackwell on Leslie Route 2 the first of the week. They both were in Gerald Tuesday to make the deed for the transaction.”

Birth:
Ervin Blackwell said Henry and John were born in Leasburg.

Residence:
Living in Iron Mine area of Boone Twp.

Died:
Died at his home

Buried:
St. Johns? - Adams-Butler Cemetery, Lyon Township

John married Violet Annabell (Heckelman) Schebaum after 1935. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Census: 14 Jun 1880, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 5 Jun 1900, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Residence: Abt 1914, Maries Co., MO
• Census: 26 Jan 1920, S. Jefferson Twp., Maries Co., MO

Notes:

The 1900 census lists Tom living as a farmer in the south part of Boone Township, Franklin Co., MO. He was renting a farm and reported that he could neither read nor write. His wife could do both. His two sons were listed as farm laborers. Mary and Effie were in school, Ada at home. Living with the family was Elizabeth West Keeney, Clarissa's sister, who later married Tom.

The 1920 census reports that Tom's parents were born in Tennessee, but this may be incorrect.
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Gasconade County Republican, Owensville, MO, January 13, 1938: Father of H. Blackwell buried at Lanes Prairie-Funeral Services were held for Thomas Blackwell Sunday at the Skaggs Chapel at Lanes Prairie with burial in the Skaggs Cemetery. Rev. J. Arvin conducted the services.

Thomas Blackwell was born in Walbert [Franklin Co, MO] on May 2, 1862. He was 75 years old at the time of his death. He leaves his wife, nee Betty West, four daughters: Mrs. Mary Riske, Mrs. Ada Unger of St. Louis; Mrs. Effie Parks of Fisher, Illinois; and Mrs. Bertha West of Lanes Prairie; and two sons, John of Gerald and Henry of Owensville. 
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Home in 1930: Jefferson, Maries Co, MO 
Radio Set: No 
Occupation: Farmer 
J H Blackwell 69 lst mar age 21 MO MO MO
Elisabeth J Blackwell 74 wf lst mar age 20 MO

Home in 1920: Jefferson, Maries, Missouri 
Thomas H Blackwell 53 mar. MO TN TN
Elizebeth J Blackwell 63 wf mar. MO
Skaggs Adaline 85 mil wd TN
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Marriage, Maries Co, MO: Thomas Blackwell and Elizabeth J. West married 4 June 1916. Note: full name for Thomas Blackwell is "James Thomas William Henry Blackwell".
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Home in 1910: Boone, Franklin Co, MO
Date: 11 May 1910
Street: Sullivan Road 
Thomas Blackwell 49 mar2 3y farmer MO
Elizabeth A Blackwell 50 wf mar2 3/3 ch MO
Bertha V Blackwell 6 dau MO
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Marriage, Franklin Co, MO: Thomas Blackwell and Elizabeth Keeney married 16 Nov 1907 in Union, Franklin Co, MO.
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March 29, 1907: Clarissa Jane Blackwell died
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Home in 1900: Boone, Franklin, Missouri 
Thomas Blackwell 38 May 1862 mar 16y MO
Clarissa Blackwell 38 wf Oct 1861 6/5 ch MO
John Blackwell 17 son Feb 1883 sgl MO
Henry Blackwell 17 son Feb 1883 sgl MO
Mary Blackwell 14 dau Jun 1885 MO
Effie Blackwell 9 dau Jul 1890 MO
Ada Blackwell 7 dau May 1893 MO
Elizabeth Keeney 42 sil Jun 1857 Div. MO
(Elizabeth A. West, Mar. John Keny 26 Nov 1874, Franklin, MO)
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Marriage, Franklin Co, MO: James William Thomas Henry Blackwell, Shotwell, Franklin Co, MO and Clarissa Jane West from Shotwell, Franklin Co, MO married in Shotwell, Franklin Co, MO on 30 April 1882.
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Home in 1880: Boone, Franklin Co, MO 
Clarisia J. Blackwell 51 f/w wd KY 
Eliza J. Blackwell 25 dau sgl MO
James W. H. T. Blackwell 18 son sgl MO
James P. Childers 74 father sgl KY
Sarah E. Berte 6 gd MO
Jesse Cooper 30 w/m -- farmer MO 

Census:
ED 68 p.4, Line 3

Census:
Listed with wife, children, sister-in-law, ED 28 p.3 Line 58, Cannot read or write.

Residence:
Gerald Independent, 10-1-1920.

Census:
ED 62 p.8 Line 30 Living with Tom and Elizabeth was Adaline Skaggs, Elizabeth’s mother

Died:
Ervin and Earl Blackwell served as pallbearers for Tom.

Buried:
Skaggs Chapel Cemetery (according to Earl Blackwell, who was a pallbearer along with Ervin)

James married Clarissa Jane West on 30 Apr 1882 in Shotwell, Franklin Co., MO. Clarissa (daughter of John William (Westley?) West and Mary Jane Ankrum) was born on 30 Oct 1860 in Walbert/Gerald, Franklin Co., MO; died on 29 Mar 1907 in Shotwell, Franklin Co., MO; was buried on 30 Mar 1907 in Gerald, Franklin Co., MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• USR1: Paralysis

Notes:

OBIT:
Source: Friday, April 5, 1907 Republican Headlight
Franklin County Historical Society

Again the Angel of Death has entered our threshold and taken from our midst Mrs. Clarissa Blackwell, the beloved wife of Thomas Blackwell of Gerald.

Clarissa West was born near Walbert Oct 31, 1861 and was married to Thomas Blackwell May 1, 1882 and died March 29, 1907, age 45 years, 5 months, and 89 days.
Deceased leaves to mourn her untimely death a husband, two sons, four daughters, an aged mother, one brother and two sisters.

She was stricken Sunday morning March 24 with paralysis and while everything was done that could be done by human hands, she grew rapidly worse and all realized the case to be hopeless from the start.

To the bereaved family our hearts go out in sympathy. Could we but relieve one pain and thus help them to bear their burden, we feel the bitter pangs of giving up a loving wife and mother.
In her death, the husband has lost an affectionate wife and the children a fond and loving mother and the community an esteamable neighbor.

The remains were tenderly laid to rest in the New Friendship cemetery Sat, March 30, in the presence of a large concourse of sorrowing relatives and friends. Rev. W. B. Adams conducted the funeral services with two fitting and appropriate sermons, one at the residence and the other at the cemetery, each paving a beautiful tribute to the faith she embraced while yet in her tender years.
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Place name:Shotwell - https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_franklin.html

Description:A former post office in the northwest part of Boone Township, about one mile east of the present Gerald. The post office was established in 1855 and discontinued in 1907. Shotwell was probably a local family name; at least one Shotwell is known to have lived in the eastern part of the county. Cf. the Illmo (formerly Shotwell) Mines, above. No record remains, however, of the origin of the name. The temptation to invent an etymological explanation was irresistible, and at least two typical but contradictory stories are current locally. One tells of an early shooting affray between two pioneers who claimed the same deer lick. They met on a dark night and began shooting at each other until they had used up all their ammunition without inflicting any injuries. In mockery of their bad marksmanship, John Seaton, the first postmaster, decided to call the new post office Shotwell. Others ascribe the name to some particular exhibition of good shooting. All the explanations cannot be true, and place names seldom originate in particular incidents anyway. (Postal Guide; COUNTY ATLAS 1878, 13; HIST. FRANKLIN, 337; Kile's BIOG. DIR., 210; Miss Johnson: G.F. Duerr; J.A. Schroeder; Dr. W.P. Fitzgerald)Source:Harrison, Eugenia L. "Place Names Of Four River Counties In Eastern Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1943.

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Home in 1880: Boone, Franklin, Missouri, USA 
Mary J. West 40 f/w wd farming Iowa 
George M. West 23 son mar. MO [lined out-error]
Harriett V. West 20 dil mar. MO [lined our-error]
Virginia A. West 1 f/w gd MO [lined out-error]
*Clarissa J. West 20 dau sgl MO
Rachel Smith 17 dau MO
Sarah F. Smith 14 dau MO
******************************************


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Shotwell items:
Mrs. Thomas Blackwell died at her home last Friday, March 29. She was laid to rest in the Friendship cemetery Sat. We extend our sympathy to the bereaved. [Source: Friday, April 5, 1907 Republican Headlight - Franklin County Historical Society]

Birth:
Pension Record: Ann Wilson as midwife gives written oath to birth
birth record at
http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/birthdeath/births.asp?id=142845
gives birth year as 1865
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189087312/clarissa-jane-blackwell gives birth day as 31 Oct 1861

Died:
At home.
Shotwell was an early name of the area which became Gerald. “Shotwell, located in Township 42, Range 3 west, was so named by John Seaton, the first postmaster, from an incident which occurred in the pioneer days of the county. Mr. Alexander Gregory and an old Mr. Wages, pioneer settlers, each claimed the same deer lick, and both went to it one night to kill deer. The deer failed to appear, and, after waiting for a long time, each became aware of the other’s presence. They soon began firing at each other, and fired away all their ammunition, without personal injury to either. Shortly after this exciting but, as it turned out, harmless episode Mr. Seaton was appointed postmaster, and in honor of such good shooting named the postoffice Shotwell. The little village was built some years afterward, and the name, was, as a matter of course, applied to the village.”

Buried:
New Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery. W.B. Adams conducted the service. (Clarissa’s name does not show up on Find-A-Grave.)

Source: Friday, April 5, 1907 Republican Headlight - Franklin County Historical Society - Shotwell items:
Mrs. Thomas Blackwell died at her home last Friday, March 29. She was laid to rest in the Friendship cemetery Sat. We extend our sympathy to the bereaved.

Other Events and Attributes:

• EARL: Y
• MILF: Y
• Occupation: Farmer
• USR1: Accidently shot by a turkey hunter and died shortly thereafter
• Census: 1850, Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 1860, Franklin Co., MO

Notes:

Blackwell is an ancient locational English name, derived from Old English "blaec" meaning black and "waella" meaning stream. Ancient Blackwell family history begins with "Blacheuuelle" in Derbyshire, where they held a family seat (feudal home) and "Blacwaelle" in Durham. One of the first surnames ever recorded in England was Blacewellan in 1012 in Wocestershire. The Blackwell coat of arms is silver with a black greyhound: black stands for constancy and the greyhound nobility; popular in Greek and Roman mythology, greyhounds were long reserved for nobility ownership in England. In America the Blackwell genealogy begins in Massachusetts and Virginia in the mid-1630s.
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The 1920 census gives the birthplace of Tom Blackwell’s parents as TN. Earlier census records give Missouri as the birthplace of Clayton. Cleresa Jane was born in KY according to the 1850 census.
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During a visit to Missouri in 1999, the story of Clayton’s death by Earl Blackwell, grandson, was related to me: Clayton was wearing a “frock” coat (similar to a cape) when a turkey hunter mistook him for a turkey and shot him. Clayton was taken to his home and as he lay dying he pled that the man would not be hanged, for the shooting was an accident. However, no documentation of Clayton’s death or the fate of the shooter has been found to date.

Clayton’s burial site has not been established. A Blankenship is buried in Little Creek Cemetery (Clayton’s first wife?).

A William Blackwell living near Clayton in 1840 and 1850, with wife Mary, and children Agnes, Phoebe, William, Robert, and Locky, could be a relative--perhaps a brother. There are those who say William M. Blackwell is a brother to Clayton and that their father is Mathew Blackwell b. 1782 or 1795. Information not confirmed.

Birth:
Birth year calculated from Franklin Co., MO 1850 census. Birthplace also from census record. Census gives birthplace as Missouri.

Census:
Clayton Blackwell; Race, White; Age, 32; Born, abt 1818 in Missouri; Home in 1850: District 31, Franklin, Missouri; Occ: Farmer; Industry, Agriculture; Cannot Read, Write: Y, Line Number: 29; Dwelling and Family Number: 479; Household Members: Clayton, 32; Jane, 20, Mary S, 2; Sarah, 0.

Census:
C Blackwell, age 42, birth year act 1818, male, birthplace Missouri, Home in 1860, Boone, Franklin, Missouri; Dwelling and Family Number, 526; Occ: Farmer, RE Value $800; Personal Estate Value, $200. Household Members: C. Blackwell, 42; M Blackwell, 37; J Blackwell, 12; M Blackwell, 10; W Blackwell, 8.

Died:
Probably before 1882 when his son married, with his mother giving consent.

Buried:
Unknown

Clayton married Cleresa Jane Childers on 18 Feb 1847 in Franklin Co., MO. Cleresa (daughter of James P. (Pryor?) Childers (Childress) and Susanna Huffman) was born about 1830 in KY; died after 1880 in MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO

Notes:

In the 1880 census, Clarissa is listed as widowed at age 51. Living with her are a daughter, Eliza J. age 25*, James WHT, son age 18; her father, James P. Childers age 74; and Jesse Cooper, age 30, who is listed as a farmer “at home.” Perhaps Jesse is doing the farming for Clarissa.

*Eliza J. is most probably Elizabeth J. Skaggs who became son Tom’s third wife.

Birth:
Calculated from Franklin Co., MO 1850 census

Census:
#383 Listed with Eliza J., dau age 25, son James WHT age 18, and father J.P. Childers, age 74. Also Jesse Cooper, age 30.

Notes:

Married:
by Payton R. Sawers, J.P.

Other Events and Attributes:

• EYES: Blue
• HAIR: Light
• HEIG: 5’ 10”
• MILF: Y
• Occupation: Farmer
• USR1: Pneumonia/cold While Serving In Civil War
• Census: 10 Sep 1850, Franklin Co., MO
• Residence: 31 Aug 1854, Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 1 Sep 1860, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Residence: 21 Sep 1861, Union, Franklin Co., MO

Notes:

Birth and Parentage from 1850 census.
Children's births from Franklin Co., MO Early Births 1863-1892, B k A p.300, and from Pension Records.

Military: Pvt. 26th MO Infantry Volunteers, Co. I under Capt. Crowe.
Civil War Missouri 26th Infantry, www.angelfire.com/mo2/26thmo/rosters/rosteri.html, October 2000.

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Early land entries – Franklin Co. MO
Source: Goodspeed's Franklin County History, 1888, Goodspeed Publishing Co
Transcribed by: Barb Z. © 2009
August 27 -  1818
William West, part of the northeast quarter of Section 4, Township 42, Range 1 west; 
Does this information belong to John William West?
————

Birth:
Birth year from census would be 1832

Census:
p.52 Line 40, Dist. 31

Census:
p.194 Line 22, Neighbor to father

Buried:
Unknown burial place

John married Mary Jane Ankrum on 31 Aug 1854 in Franklin Co., MO. Mary (daughter of Ankrum) was born in 1838 in MO; died on 11 Oct 1908 in Gerald, Franklin Co., MO. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1 Sep 1860, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 1880, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Census: 22 Jun 1900, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO
• Residence: 14 Feb 1902, Tea, Gasconade Co., MO

Notes:

Mary Jane claimed widows pension and it was acknowledged 13 Jan 1863.
Rec’d $8/mo commencing 11 Mar 1862. $2/mo each child commencing 25 Jul 1866.

12 Mar 1863 Mary Jane (widow) married William Smith.

1865 Jan/Feb Testimony to John’s death given by William Gilcresse, James Conner, Joseph Boysten.

1867 April John Strain and Samuel Phillips gave testimony to knowing Mary Jane West for 15 yrs. and to her being the widow of John West. Mary Jane gives testimony that she is widow of John, that they had three children, hasn’t adopted them out. Also testified that she was still unmarried.

1868 March and April Another document with same testimony by Mary Jane dated a year later.
Ann Wilson, midwife for Clarissa Jane and Polly Cromer, midwife for George and Elizabeth Ann.

1901 Letter re: Smith--”having a wife pure fiction”, “old man Parks* of Spring Bluff” too sick to give information on Smith. (*William was dead; Eli was 55, James M. was 64. Elijah Bailey was 74.)

1902 Board of Review says Mary Jane received funds through “fraud” from 1863-1902.

1902 (May) Pension dropped--not legal widow. Last payment was Feb 1902.

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Info on parents of Clarissa:

Marriage, Franklin Co, MO: John W. West and Mary Ankrum married 31 Aug 1854 in Franklin Co, MO.
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Home in 1860: Boone, Franklin, Missouri 
Post Office: Boone 
M W West 27 male farmer MO 
M West 25 female MO
G W West 5 male MO
E A West 4 female
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Mary J. West remarried after John West died to a William Bill Smith on 12 March 1863 in Franklin Co, MO. They had:
l. Rachel Smith, born ca 1863, daughter of Mary Jane West; married Henry J.W. Angell in Franklin Co, MO on 12 March 1881. Henry J.W. married (2nd) Lisette H. Dorste 26 Nov 1885. Researchers shows Rachel died on/a 1885. Rachel and Henry had a daughter, Amanda.
2.Sarah Francis Smith, born 22 May 1866 in Shotwell, Franklin Co, MO; married (1st) Stanley Thomas Hibler in Gasconade Co, MO on March 16, 1884; Married (2nd) a Mr. Horton. She died 1950 and is buried in Vally View Cemetery, Garden City, KS. FAG memorial 14466630. 
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Home in 1880: Boone, Franklin Co, MO
Mary J. West 40 f/w wd farming Iowa 
George M. West 23 son mar. MO [lined out-error]
Harriett V. West 20 dil mar. MO [lined our-error]
Virginia A. West 1 f/w gd MO [lined out-error]
*Clarissa J. West 20 dau sgl MO
Rachel Smith 17 dau MO
Sarah F. Smith 14 dau MO
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Home in 1900: Boone, Franklin, Missouri 
Mary J West 61 Mar 1839 wd 5/4 ch MO MO MO
Levi West 9 gs Aug 1890 MO

Birth:
(1880 census gives birthplace as Iowa?)

Census:
p.194 Line 23

Census:
#202, age 40, widowed, farming, with 20 year old daughter Clarissa J. living at home. Also, Rachel Smith a daughter age 17, and Sarah Smith age 14.

Census:
ED 27 p.12 Line 57 States widowed, cannot read or write, had five children, 4 living. Grandson Levi West enumerated with her. Stated birth place as MO.

Notes:

by John Seaton, Justice of the Peace

Married:
Franklin Co. Marriages, Union, MO Bk B p.230 #271