Miles Marion Blake




Miles Marion Blake was born March 24, 1873, in Puttstown, PA, and died September 12, 1955, in Lakemont, PA, at age 82. He is the son of Samuel F. Blake of Woodbury, Bedford Co., PA, and Mary Ann Putt of Saxton, Bedford Co., PA. 

Elizabeth May "Lizzie" Wilson was born September 7, 1872, in Todd, Huntingdon Co., PA, and died November 8, 1954, in Altoona, Blair Co., PA, at age 82. She is the daughter of George Wilson and Unknown.

Miles Marion Blake and Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Wilson were married February 6, 1896, in Huntingdon, Blair Co., PA.

Miles Marion Blake and Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" (Wilson) Blake had six children:

  1. Elsie P. Blake: b. May 1896 in Pennsylvania; d. Unknown
  2. Eva M. Blake: b. August 1897 in Pennsylvania; d. Unknown
  3. Orla B. Blake: b. About 1902 in Pennsylvania; d. Unknown
  4. Ralph W. Blake: b. About 1905 in Pennsylvania; d. Unknown
  5. Mildred Pauline Blake: Born June 26, 1907, in Liberty Twp., Bedford Co., PA; Died September 8, 1990, in Altoona, Blair Co., PA (age 83). Married July 16, 1929, in Hollidaysburg, Blair Co., PA, to Lawrence Alfred Hann: Born September 13, 1903, in East Providence Twp. Bedford Co., PA; Died December 14, 1975, in Altoona, Blair Co., PA (age 72).
  6. Helen Virginia Blake: Born August 27, 1912, in Liberty Twp., Bedford Co., PA; Died Unknown



TIMELINE


My father, Samuel Blake, was a plasterer by trade. He married Mary Putt at Martinsburg about the year 1864 after he had come home from the Civil War. They had nine children; six boys and three girls.

There was Frank, Oliver, (myself -- Miles), Simon, Charles, Samuel, Savilla, Margaret and Elizabeth. Of the six boys only two had children. The elder one, Frank, had two girls, no boys; and myself, Miles, five girls and one
boy, Ralph, who is married to Arvilla Frederick. My son has no children, so you see, of the William Blake that migrated from England, Ralph Blake is the last of his descendants in this line
.


Elizabeth M. Wilson was born September 1872 in Pennsylvania.

Miles Marion Blake was born March 4, 1873, in Pennsylvania.

The 1880 U. S. Census taken on June 17, 1880 shows Samuel Blake (age 40) born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents Works on the Rail Road, is Disabled, and living in Hopewell Twp., Huntington Co., PA. Living with him is his wife Mary A. Blake (age 34) born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents, who is Keeping House. Also living there are their unmarried children, all born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents: Franklin Blake (age 15), a Laborer; Oliver Blake (age 13), a Laborer; Margaret A. Blake (age 10); Miles M. Blake (age 7); and Simon Blake (age 4). Also living there is Samuel's unmarried brother, Simon Blake (age 50) born in Pennsylvania, who Works on the Rail Road.

Miles Marion Blake and Elizabeth M. "Lizzie" Wilson were married February 6, 1896, in Huntingdon, Blair Co., PA.

The 1900 U. S. Census taken on June 26, 1910 shows Miles Blake (age 27) born March 1873 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents is a Carpenter renting his home in the Saxton, Saxton Borough, Bedford Co., PA. Living with him is his wife of 5 years, Lizzie Blake (age 27) born September 1872 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents, with both of the children born to her still living.  Children living at home, both born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents: Elsie Blake (age 4) born May 1896; and Evva Blake (age 2) born August 1897. Somu Putt families live nearby.

The 1900 U. S. Census taken on June 5, 1900 shows Bascom M. Blake (age 54) born November 1845 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents is a Contractor and Builder renting his home at 1300 5th Avenue, 4th Ward, City of Altoona, Blair Co., PA. Living with him is his wife of 32 years, Margaret J. Blake (age 54) born September 1845 in Pennsylvania to Irish and Pennsylvania-born parents, with all 8 of the children born to her still living. Also living there are their unmarried children, all born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents: Minnie E. Blake (age 27) born September 1872; Anna L. Blake (age 17) born May 1883; and Laticia Blake (age 12) born July 1887. Also living there is his unmarried cousin, Margaret K. Brown (age 35) born August 1864 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents, who is a Stenographer for a Lawyer. Harry E. Blake lives next door.

The 1900 U. S. Census taken on June 5, 1900 shows Angeline Thompson (age 69) born August 1830 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents is a widow renting her home at 1302 5th Avenue, 4th Ward, City of Altoona, Blair Co., PA. Living with her is her unmarried son Milton S. Thompson (age 41) born December 1858 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents, who is a Machine Shop Laborer. Also living there are her son-in-law, Harry E. Blake (age 31) born November 1868 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents, who is a Machinist. Also her daughter who has been married 1 year with the only child born to her living, Mary E. Blake (age 26) born September 1875 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents. Also her grand-daughter, Edna M. Blake (age 2/12) born April 1900 in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents. A boarder also lives in the house.


   


The WWI Draft Registration Report dated September 11, 1918, shows Miles Marion Blake (age 45) born March 24, 1873, is a married Car Repairman for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and is living at 605 Jones Street, Hollidaysburg, PA.


The 1920 U. S. Census taken on January 5, 1920 shows Bascomb M. Blake (age 44) born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents is a Contractor Own Home who owns his home free of a mortgage at 1306 5th Avenue, 4th Ward, City of Altoona, Blair Co., PA. Living with him is his wife, Mary M. Blake (age 44) born in Pennsylvania to German and Pennsylvania-born parents. Also living there are his unmarried children, all born in Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania-born parents: Josephine E. Blake (age 21); a Wholesale Broker Stenographer; Collins R. Blake (age 16), a Shoe Store Clerk; Charles E. Blake (age 14), a Shoe Store Delivery Boy; Audrey N. Blake (age 10); and Margaret R. Blake (age 7).


The Daily News, Huntingdon, PA, Huntingdon and Mount Union, PA, Wednesday, April 23, 1954

Family Has Not Had Death In Past 56 Years

A Cassville native is the wife of an Altoona man, 79 years of age, and the couple today reports there has not been a death in their family for 56 years. The former Miss Elizabeth Wilson is the wife of Miles M. Blake and their home is at 549 Wharton Avenue, Lakemont, Blair County. The couple has resided in Altoona since 1916, and he will be 80 years old on March 4, 1953. There are six children in the family, all of whom are married. They have 29 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Mr. Blake's father, Samuel Blake, enlisted in the Union Army's 110th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, at Loysburg, Bedford County. Four brothers served in the Union Army, and two made the supreme sacrifice. Mr. Blake, a retired contractor, has in his possession a $50 bill which his father received from a Confederate soldier for a plug of tobacco right after Gen. Robert E. Lee put his signature on the surrender papers at Appomatox in 1865. Mr. Blake's father witnessed the ceremonies which ended the war between the states. The Confederate soldier who sold the Union soldier the tobacco apparently had little respect for the inscription on the piece of Confederate currency. The inscription read: "Two years after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United States, the Confederate States of America will pay to the bearer, on demand, fifty dollars." The Blake family is well known in Trough Creek Valley, where they have relatives living today.


Miles M. Blake, 549 Wharton Ave. Lakemont, Altoona, PA, 1954

My great grandfather on my Father's side, instead of coming from Holland, was from England. His name was William Blake and he was the son of Sir William Blake, who once was a great warrior and played an important part in saving England from Invaders who might have conquered England but for the good generalship of Sir William Blake. He and his armies kept the country from being overrun by invaders, and he was rewarded by the Crown of England with a gift of a great amount of land, of which most of it lay where the city of London now stands. Sir William had two sons; William and Bascom. His son William was a minister, but he didn't like the ways of the Church of England and decided to come to the New Land and start a church to suit his way of thinking. He and his brother left England and came to the New Country about 1700. William settled in Massachusetts, while Bascom settled at Philadelphia.

William started a church in Massachusetts called the Quaker Church, of which there are several branches today; The dunkards, Mennonites, and others. William had learned all about the foundry business in England, so he decided to start a cast iron foundry in this country. He and a friend left Massachusetts and came to Pennsylvania and settled at what is now Woodbury, Bedford County, and there started a cast iron foundry, making stoves, iron kettles, ploughshares, and all kinds of cast iron implements that were needed in those early days. He continued preaching and helping to run the iron foundry until his death, about he year 1834. He had six sons; Thomas, William, Berdine, (who also became a preacher) Simon, Easton and Samuel; who was my Father. Five of these boys enlisted in the army during the Civil war and were mustered in at the place now called Loysburg, Bedford County, but at that time was the town of Pattonsville. Thomas and William never returned from the war. Whether they were killed in action, or what happened to them, no one ever knew. Easton had learned the foundry business in his Father's foundry, and on coming back from the war, decided to start a Foundry in Huntingdon. He built his foundry on the east bank, about 200 yards about the mouth of Stone Creek, which empties into the Juniata River. The foundry continued to run and turn out castings until Easton Blake's death, about the year 1888. when it was shut down, and some years later it was disbanded.

My father, Samuel Blake, was a plasterer by trade. He married Mary Putt at Martinsburg about the year 1864 after he had come home from the Civil War. They had nine children; six boys and three girls.

There was Frank, Oliver, (myself -- Miles), Simon, Charles, Samuel, Savilla, Margaret and Elizabeth. Of the six boys only two had children. The elder one, Frank, had two girls, no boys; and myself, Miles, five girls and one boy, Ralph, who is married to Arvilla Frederick. My son has no children, so you see, of the William Blake that migrated from England, Ralph Blake is the last of his descendants in this line.

There is supposedly a great fortune lying in the Bank of England form the sale of the property that was given to Sir William Blake for helping to save the Crown of England. This fortune is supposed to be as much as thirty-million dollars or more, and is laying there waiting for the Blake heirs to claim it, but up to the present time, no one has been aggressive enough to lay claim to it.

This ends my story of the rise and fall of a once thriving and prosperous community in the upper Juniata Valley. This is 1954 and is the hundredth year of the borough of Saxton, in the community of the once thriving place where I was born in the year of 1872. I am now in my 81st year.


Miles Marion Blake died after 1954 in Altoona, Blair Co., PA, at age Unknown.