James F. Blake was born February, 1850, in Ironton, Lawrence Co., OH, and died about April 11, 1927, in the City of Denver, Denver Co., CO, at age 77. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO. He is the son of Burdine Blake Jr. of Martinsburg, Bedford (Blair) Co., PA, and Mary Ellen Murray of Shippensburg, Cumberland Co., PA. 

Bertha R. Stark was born May, 1864, in Sachsen, Meiningen, Germany, and died April, 1955, in Denver, Denver Co., CO, at age 90. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO. She is the daughter of Johannes Stark of Germany, and Eva Marie "Mary" Sieman of Germany. 

James F. Blake and Bertha R. Stark were married November 13, 1884, in Burlington, Des Moines Co., IA.

James F. Blake and Bertha R. (Stark) Blake had one child:

1. Burdine Pondsley Blake: Born March 28, 1886, in the City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS; Died March 12, 1971, in Cardiff by the Sea, San Diego Co., CA (age 84). Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO. Married about 1907 in Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS, to Edna M. (Moffatt) Ryan: Born September 17, 1879, in Vermillion Twp., Vermillion Co., IN; Died July, 1963, in Colorado (age 83). Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO.

TIMELINE

In March, 2015, Mike Schalk, an Allstate Insurance agent in Denver, CO, forwarded these two pictures he just took at the address that James and Bertha Blake lived in ca. 1918 - 1940. He speculated that the original Blake house is no longer there, and a replacement structure was built maybe 20 - 25 years ago. He sent the pictures as a courtesy.

James F. Blake was born February, 1850, in Ironton, Lawrence Co., OH.

Bertha R. Stark was born May, 1864, in Sachsen, Meiningen, Germany.

The 1850 U. S. Census taken on August 20, 1850, shows Burdine Blake (age 29) born in Pennsylvania with real estate of $1,200 is an Iron Furnace Worker living in Upper Twp., Lawrence Co., OH. Living with him is his wife, Mary E. Blake (age 19) born in Pennsylvania. Also living there is his son, James F. Blake (age 4/12) born in Ohio, and Mary's mother, Mary Murray (age 60) born in Pennsylvania.

Mary Ellen (Murry) Blake died March 4, 1857, in Brighton, Clark Co., OH, at age 25.

The 1860 U. S. Census taken on June 2, 1860, shows Burdine Blake (age 37) born in Pennsylvania is a gunsmith living in the Village of London, Madison Co., OH with personal property valued at $150. Living with him are his children, all born in Ohio: James F. Blake (age 10), Wm. B. Blake (age 8), and Daniel F. Blake (age 5). Also living there was his mother-in-law, Mary Murray (age 70) born in Pennsylvania.

Burdine Blake (age 41) enlisted as a Corporal on May 2, 1864. On May 9, 1864, he was in Company I, 154th Infantry Regiment Ohio. He was mustered out of this company on September 1, 1864 in Camp Dennison, OH.

On June 6, 1867, Henr. Stark (age 36), Wm. Stark (age 51), Maria Stark (age 25), Bertha Stark (age 3), and Anna Stark (age 10 months), arrived in the Port of New York, NY, from Bremen, Germany, aboard the Brig Meridian.

The 1870 U. S. Census taken on June 5, 1870, shows Burdine Blake (age 47) born in Pennsylvania with real estate of $9,000 and personal estate of $700 is a Gunsmith living in the Village of London, Union Twp., Madison Co., OH. Living with him is his son, William Blake (age 18) born in Ohio, a Telegraph Operator.

James F. Blake and Bertha R. Stark were married November 13, 1884, in Burlington, Des Moines Co., IA.

The 1885 Kansas State Census taken March 1, 1885, shows James Blake (age 29) born in Iowa and having come to Kansas from Iowa is a Printer and is living in the 5th Ward, City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. Living with him is his Bertha Blake (age 20) born in Germany and having come to Kansas from Iowa. They are living with the Travis family.

Burdine Pondsley Blake was born March 28, 1886, in the City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS.

The 1895 Kansas State Census taken March 1, 1895, shows James F. Blake (age 45) born in Ohio, and having come to Kansas from Ohio, is a Printer, and is living in the 5th Ward, City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. Living with him are: Bertha Blake (age 30) born in Germany, and having come to Kansas from Illinois, a Housekeeper; and Burdine Blake (age 8) born in Kansas.

The 1895 Kansas State Census taken March 1, 1895, shows T. C. Moffatt (age 41) born in Indiana, is a Teamster, and is living in the 3rd Ward, City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. Living with him are: a female, L. S. Moffatt; (age 27) born in Illinois, a Housekeeper; a male, Firth Moffatt (age 17) born in Indiana, a Laborer; a female, Edna Moffatt (age 15) born in Indiana; a male, Clifford Moffatt (age 13) born in Indiana; a male, Walter Moffatt (age 9) born in Kansas; a male, Lester Moffatt (age 5) born in Kansas; a female, Dora Moffatt (age 3) born in Kansas; and a female, Dora Moffatt (age 33) born in Indiana, a Bookkeeper.

Unknown Ryan and Edna M. Moffatt were married about 1899 in Kansas.

Dorothy Ryan was born June 11, 1900, in Kansas.

The 1900 U. S. Census taken June 5, 1900, shows James Blake (age 50) born February 1850 in Ohio to Pennsylvania-born parents is a Compositor owning his home free of a mortgage and is living at 2009 Harrison, 5th Ward, City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. Living with him is his wife of 16 years, Bertha Blake (age 36) born May 1864 in Germany to German-born parents, with the only child born to her still living. Also living at home is his son, Burdine Blake (age 14) born March 1886 in Kansas to Ohio and German-born parents.

The 1905  Kansas State Census taken March 1, 1905, shows James F. Blake (age 53) born in Ohio, and having come to Kansas from Ohio, is a Printer, and is living in the City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. Living with him are: Bertha Blake (age 39) born in Germany, and having come to Kansas from Ohio, a House Keeper; and Birt Blake (age 18) born in Kansas, a Printer.

The 1910 U. S. Census taken April 30, 1910, shows James L. Blake (age 57) born in Ohio to Pennsylvania-born parents and married for 26 years is a Printing Printer owning his home with a mortgage and is living at 2207 West 22nd at Harrison, 5th Ward, City of Topeka, Shawnee Co., KS. Living with him is an unmarried Boarder: Ruthie M. Mabbett (age 17) born in Kansas to Unknown-born parents, a Telephone Operator at a Telephone Company.

About 1911 James F. Blake and Bert P. Blake moved to Denver, CO, and were living at 3705 Wolff. Bert is a printer for Publishers Press Room Company, while James is a printer for C. M. Davis.

The 1920 U. S. Census taken January 6, 1920, shows James Blake (age 66) born in Pennsylvania to English-born parents is a Printer at a Book Works who owns his home free of a mortgage and is living at 4407 Vallejo Street, City of Denver, Denver Co., CO. Living with him is his wife, Bertha R. Blake (age 56) born in Germany to German-born parents, having emigrated in 1865 and becoming a Naturalized citizen in 1885, is a Private Family Nurse. Also living at home, in the rear, is Bert Blake, wife and daughter.

The 1920 U. S. Census taken January 6, 1920, shows Bert Blake (age 32) born in Kansas to Pennsylvania and German-born parents is a Pressman at a Newspaper and is living at 4407 Vallejo Street, City of Denver, Denver Co., CO. Living with him is his wife Edna Blake (age 40) born in Indiana to Indiana-born parents, who is a Tea Room Waitress. Living with them is their daughter, Marion Blake (age 9) born in Colorado to Kansas and Indiana-born parents. Also living at home, in the front, is James Blake and wife.

James F. Blake died about April 11, 1927, in the City of Denver, Denver Co., CO, at age 77. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO.

The 1930 U. S. Census taken April 7, 1930, shows Bert Blake (age 44) born in Kansas to Ohio and German-born parents is a Printing Pressman owning his own home valued at $3,000 and is living at 4407 Vallejo Street, City of Denver, Denver Co., CO. Living with him is his wife, Edna Blake (age 50) born in Indiana to Indiana-born parents, who is a Tee Room Waitress. Living with them is Bert's widowed mother, Bertha Blake (age 65) born in Germany to German-born parents, and a Naturalized citizen.

The 1940 U. S. Census taken April 10, 1940, shows Bertha Blake (age 75) born in Germany and a Naturalized Citizen, and 5 years ago was living in the Same Place, and with 8 years of School, is a widow and is living at the rear of 4407 Vallejo Street, Ward B., City of Denver, Denver Co., CO.

Bertha R. (Stark) Blake died April, 1955, in Denver, Denver Co., CO, at age 90. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO.

Edna M. (Moffatt) Blake died July, 1963, in Colorado, at age 83. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO.

Burdine Pondsley Blake died March 12, 1971, in Cardiff by the Sea, San Diego Co., CA, at age 84. Buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson Co., CO.