Who Was Wesley Blalock’s Father?

Civil War veteran Wesley Blalock (1825-1895) was one of my father’s great-grandfathers.  (View him in the bottom right portion of my dad’s tree above.)  Wesley lived in Little Egypt before the war and in Clermont County, Ohio afterward.  His left knee was destroyed by a gunshot wound at the Battle of Ft. Donelson, maiming him for life.^[1]A previous post discussed his military history here.  He suffered pain and discomfort from the wound, a debilitating hernia, and partial deafness for over 30 years.  Poverty-stricken and barely able to work, his life after the Civil War was never the same.  He died of a strangulated bowel at age 70.^[2]“Physician’s Affidavit,” 1895, James J. Holden M.D., Williamsburg, Ohio, in Harriet Blalock’s widow pension application no. 610456,certificate no. 415476; service of Wesley Blalock (Pvt., Co. … Continue reading

Despite numerous Blalock-related DNA matches, Wesley’s ancestry largely remains a mystery.

Nonetheless, I have at least identified his father: William Blalock (abt 1790-1850), I believe.  The primary clue linking William to Wesley is an 1820 U.S. census record for Warren County, Kentucky.

Why Kentucky?  Although Wesley Blalock lived in Illinois and Ohio as an adult, he was born about 1825 in Bowling Green, Warren, Kentucky and probably lived there until he was 3, 4, or 5 years old.^[3]“Certificate of Disability for Discharge,” 25 July 1862, signed Capt. P.H. Breslin, Cincinnati, Ohio, in Wesley Blalock (Pvt., Co. K, 31st Ill. Vol. Inf.), pension no. 58388, Case Files of … Continue reading

Although no Blalocks are enumerated in the 1810, 1830, or 1840 U.S. censuses for Warren County, Kentucky – where Bowling Green is located – there is a William Blalock there in the 1820 U.S. census.^[4]1820 U.S. Census, Warren County, Kentucky, population schedule, township not stated, p. 70, William Blalock; digital image, Ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2018; citing NARA microfilm publication … Continue reading  The enumeration shows 8 family members in the household:

• One male 26-44 (William Blalock)
• One female 26-44 (wife)
• Two males under 10
• Three females under 10
• One female 16-25

This is a couple with 5 young children.  (The young lady aged 16-25 is possibly a younger sister or niece, or maybe a servant.)  Based on the ages of the children, we can calculate the marriage occurred between 1809 – 1813 and the children were born in quick succession up until the time of the census in August 1820.  Although Wesley Blalock was born approximately five years after this enumeration, it would not be inconceivable that more children were produced, considering the fecundity of the pairing.

I found six records that document William Blalock’s presence in Warren County, Kentucky from 1806 to 1827.  The earliest is a September 1806 court order binding William Blalock to William and Samuel Harris until he is 21 years old.^[5]Warren County, Kentucky, “Deeds, vol. 3-5, 1804-1812,” image 186, p. 307, William Blalock; consulted as “Deeds, 1797-1901,” images database, FamilySearch : accessed 30 April 2023; FHL … Continue reading  Furthermore, an historical database of Kentucky craftsmen includes a 1806 listing for William Blalock in Warren County, Kentucky, indicating he was bound as a house joiner and carpenter to William and Samuel Harris.^[6]“U.S., Craftperson Files, 1600-1995,” database, Ancestry.com : accessed 1 February 2018, entry for William Blalock, 1806, Warren County, Kentucky; citing E. T. Whitley, A Checklist of Kentucky … Continue reading  Thus, William was a carpenter’s apprentice as a teenage boy before 1810.  His absence from the 1810 U.S. census was likely due to not yet having obtained his majority.

Two land deeds further document William Blalock’s presence in Warren County, Kentucky.  On 19 December 1817, William Blalock purchased 100 acres of land from Green Graham .^[7]Warren County, Kentucky, “Deeds, vol. 6-8, 1812-1818,” image 769, p. 440, William Blalock; consulted as “Deeds, 1797-1901,” images database, FamilySearch : accessed 12 April 2023; FHL … Continue reading  Then on 4 May 1822, he and wife Katherine sold the same 100 acres to Thomas Horton.^[8]Warren County, Kentucky, “Deeds, vols. 9-10, 1818-1823,” image 433, p. 222, William Blalock; consulted as “Deeds, 1797-1901,” images database, FamilySearch : accessed 12 April 2023; FHL … Continue reading  (This is the only clue we have to the identity of William’s wife.  Her maiden name remains unknown.)  The excerpt below is a bit murky but shows the 1822 recorded deed, minus the property description.  Note “William Blalock and his wife Katherine” in line 3.

Lastly, on 3 December 1827, William Blalock was assigned to help repair a section of the road between Bowling Green and Scottsville.  This is the last date we can place William in Warren County.

“Ordered that Parnack George be appointed surveyor of that part of the road leading from Bowlinggreen to Scotsville which lies between the Allen County line to Willoughby Rose’s and that the following hands, to wit, Haywood Horton, James Horton, James Nanny, William Lambert, Tandy Campbell, Robert Mills, William Blalock, Lacy Meadows, Buckner Justice, Thomas Justice, and Tom Morgan, … in keeping said road in repair.”^[9]Warren County, Kentucky, “Order Books, vol. F, Feb 1824 – Sep 1832,” image 134, p. 186, William Blalock; consulted as “Records, 1796-1877,” images database, FamilySearch : accessed … Continue reading

Five Events for William Blalock in Warren County, Kentucky:

• 1806 = Bound to William & Samuel Harris as carpenter until 21 (two records)
• 1817 = Bought 100 acres of land
• 1820 = U.S. Census, 26-44, household of 8
• 1822 = Sold 100 acres of land
• 1827 Dec = Assigned to road work southeast of Bowling Green

There are no birth records for Wesley Blalock or indeed any of William Blalock’s children, although at least in Wesley’s case, his military file repeatedly states he was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky.^[10]“Certificate of Disability for Discharge,” 25 July 1862, in Wesley Blalock Civil War pension no. 58388, RG 15, NA – Washington.  There is a sister, though, who was also born in Kentucky.^[11]1850 U.S. census, Madison County, Illinois, population schedule, Collinsville, p. 533b, family 26, Rebecca Amison; digital image, Ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2018; citing NARA microfilm M432, … Continue reading  Rebecca Blalock married three times.^[12]Her three husbands were James Amerson, Charles Maguire, and William Taylor.  Her enumeration as Rebecca Taylor in the 1900 U.S. census provides a birth in Kentucky in March 1827.^[13]1900 U.S. census, Madison Co., Ill., pop. sched., p. 20A, Rebecca Taylor.

There is a gap from 1828 to 1837 when we cannot place William & Katherine’s family.  (More on this later.)  By 1837, however, the family had moved to St. Clair County, Illinois.  That’s where another sister, Elizabeth Blalock, married John M. Holts on 24 December 1837.^[14]“Illinois, Marriage Index, 1860-1920,” John Holts and Elizabeth Blalock, 24 December 1837, St. Clair County, Illinois; database, Ancestry : accessed 11 March 2022; citing Illinois State … Continue reading  She was probably one of the three females under 10 years old listed in William’s 1820 census.

More importantly, the 1840 U.S. census reveals a household headed by William Blalock in the north half of St. Clair County, Illinois.^[15]1840 U.S. Census, St. Clair County, Illinois, population schedule, township not stated, listed in “north half of St. Clair County,” p. 296, William Blalock; digital image, Ancestry.com : accessed … Continue reading

• One male 50-59 (William Blalock)
• One female 50-59
• Two males 15-19
• One female 5-9
• One female 15-19

The enumeration lists two males aged 15-19, one of whom would be Wesley.  One the other hand, the enumeration does not list any females aged 10-14 when Rebecca would have been 13 years old.  There is one female aged 5-9 and one aged 15-19, so maybe the wrong column was checked – or she was living with another family.

Elizabeth M. Holts died on 13 October 1846 in Edwardsville, Madison, Illinois.^[16]Madison County, Illinois Probate Case Files, Box 14, Tray 44, File 12, Images 39-69, Elizabeth Holts (1847); “Illinois, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1772-1999,” digital images, … Continue reading    St. Clair and Madison counties adjoin each other; Edwardsville is just a few miles north of Collinsville, Illinois.  Collinsville was listed as Wesley’s hometown in his Civil War pension file.^[17]“Certificate of Disability for Discharge,” 25 July 1862, in Wesley Blalock Civil War pension no. 58388, RG 15, NA – Washington.   It is apparent from Elizabeth’s probate file that her parents were both still alive in 1846.^[18]Madison Co., Ill. Probate Files, Box 14, Tray 44, File 12, Image 45, Elizabeth Holts (1847).

William Blalock died of winter fever in February 1850, listed age 70, occupation carpenter.^[19]“U.S., Federal Census Mortality Schedules Index, 1850-1880,” database, Ancestry.com : accessed 7 February 2018, entry for William Blalock, ID# 197_27173, Feb 1850, Madison County, Illinois; … Continue reading  This record is in a section designated for the south west part of Madison County.  Collinsville is located in the southwestern corner of Madison County, so this is the right location.

I don’t believe the stated age though.  William was more likely 60, not 70, when he died.  When bonded to William & Samuel Harris in 1806, William would not have been more than 18 years old and was probably 14, 15, or 16.  That would give a birth year between 1790 – 1792.  If so, William Blalock turned 21 in 1811 or 1812 and married about the same time, or shortly thereafter.  That fits well with the ages of the children enumerated in 1820.  He was probably about 30 in 1820 and 50 in 1840, also matching well to his cited age ranges in those censuses.  Unfortunately, William died in early 1850 and missed being enumerated in the more expansive 1850 U.S. census.

It is suggestive that both father and son were carpenters.  Wesley Blalock’s occupation was listed as “carpenter” on several military documents, including his discharge certificate in 1862.^[20]“Certificate of Disability for Discharge,” 25 July 1862, in Wesley Blalock Civil War pension no. Inv. 58388, RG 15, NA – Washington.  Also, Wesley’s son-in-law, Wilber Lukemire, reportedly learned wood-working skills from his father-in-law and “made and sold handles for axes, scythes,” etc. on the side.^[21]Nelson Jonnes, “Jonnes Family Record 1995,” 3^rd edition, unpublished manuscript, p. 26; bound copy #6 privately held by Steven Nelson Jonnes, Alexandria, Virginia, 2017.  In other words, Wesley Blalock was an accomplished woodworker, so it makes sense that he learned those skills from a carpenter father.

Full William Blalock timeline:

• abt 1790 = Born in North or South Carolina
• 1806 September = Bound to Wm & Samuel Harris as carpenter in Warren County KY
• abt 1812 = Marriage to Katherine
• abt 1815 = Daughter Elizabeth born
• 1817 December = Bought 100 acres of land in Warren County KY
• 1820 August = U.S. Census, 26-44, household of 8, in Warren County KY
• 1822 May = Sold 100 acres of land in Warren County KY
• abt 1825 = Son Wesley born in Bowling Green, Kentucky
• 1827 March = Daughter Rebecca born in Kentucky
• 1827 December = Assigned to road work southeast of Bowling Green
• 1830 census = Unknown
• 1837 March = Daughter Elizabeth marries John M Holts in St Clair County IL
• 1840 = U.S. Census, 50-59, household of 6, in St Clair County IL
• 1846 = Daughter Elizabeth Holts, dies in Madison County IL
• 1850 February = William Blalock died in Collinsville, Madison, IL