BLEAKMORE, Michael M. 1820 - 1889

BLEAKMORE, MCGREW, UTTZ, WORKMAN

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/2/2006 at 11:23:14

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, September 4, 1889
Page 2, Column 5

... Wylie BLEAKMORE is in town, called here by the illness of his father. He hails from Guthrie, Oklahoma. ...

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Wednesday, September 11, 1889
Page 3, Columns 5 and 6

Death OF M. M. BLEAKMORE.

Monday at midnight M. M. BLEAKMORE, a man who has been identified with Fairfield business and business life since 1857, died at his home in this city from softening of the brain. He had been rapidly failing in health for two months or more past and fully realized that his end was approaching. Mr. BLEAKMORE was a native of Marshall county, Virginia, and was in the 70th year of his age. He grew to manhood in the vicinity of Wheeling, learned the trade of printer there, and in early life was engaged in the newspaper business at Moundsville. Thence he came directly to Fairfield, and for a number of years was engaged in mercantile pursuits. A staunch Democrat, in 1865, finding his party without a paper in this county, he established The Iowa Democrat, which he continued to publish until 1874, when it was sold and transformed into a grange organ. He revived the paper in 1875, continuing its publication until 1877, when it was again disposed of and after various changes appeared as The Tribune. Later he was also engaged in the newspaper business at Ottawa, Kan., and Morris, Ill. Late in life Mr. BLEAKMMORE was admitted to the bar in this county, and for several years past he had devoted himself to the practice of his profession. In his twenty-first year deceased was married to Julia A. McGREW, who survives him. Six children were born to them, all but one of whom are now living--J.B. at Wichita, Kan.; W. H., Guthrie, Oklahoma; F. F. and Mrs. W. W. UTTZ, Washington, D. C., and Mrs. John WORKMAN, Omaha, Neb. With the exception of F. F. all will be in this city today. Deceased was a man of considerable natural ability and of unusual social powers. He was a shrewd business man, a strong writer and speaker, and did his party effective service when engaged in politics. He was a man who made many warm friendships by his congenial companionship, despite his radical views on many questions and his strong manner of expressing them. The funeral occurs in this city tomorrow at 10 a.m.

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"The Fairfield Tribune"
Wednesday, September 11, 1889
Page 4, Column 4

Death of M. M. BLEAKMORE.

A figure familiar upon the streets of Fairfield for more than a quarter of a century will be seen there no more. A character conspicuous in this community for thirty years has passed from it and into no other on earth. M. M. BLEAKMORE died at his beautiful home on First North street, west, at 11:50 p.m., Sept. 9, 1889. He had shown signs of failing health for many months, years, in fact. Some two months ago he was thrown from a buggy, receiving injuries about the head and chest. Three weeks ago he was prostrated by a general failure of physical and mental powers, and sank rapidly from that time. He was unconscious much of the time and entirely so during the last two days. His son, Wiley H., arrived from Guthrie, Oklahoma, in answer to a telegram Aug. 29, and with his daughter, Mrs. UTTZ, and the faithful and devoted wife, watched till (sic) the end. Mrs. Laura WORKMAN, the other daughter, came from Omaha last night, and John B., from Wichita, is expected to-day. The other son, Frank F., Washington, D. C., will not be able to reach here for the funeral, which occurs from the residence at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning.

It is plain from letters written to his sons, that Mr. BLEAKMORE realized as early as August 20, that he could not long survive. He wrote to Wiley under that date, "My best judgment is that I am nearing the end. Be assured I shall pass away all right."

M. M. BLEAKMORE was born in Marshall County, Virginia, Aug. 26, 1820. He was wholly self-educated. He learned the printing trade in the office of the Wheeling Intelligencer, and edited his first newspaper in Moundville, Virginia. At twenty-one he married Miss Julia A. McGREW, who survives him. In the fall of 1857 they came to Fairfield and Mr. BLEAKMORE engaged in general mercantile business till (sic) 1865, when he established the Iowa Democrat. The office of the Democratic paper, under an extremely partizan editorship, had been destroyed by extreme partisans of the other side under the excitement of war times; and it was probably, or to some extent at least, Mr. BLEAKMORE's radical disposition, his love of extremes, which led him togather (sic) up the fragments and start the paper again. He made it ultra in politics, as was his nature in all things. These circumstances and characteristics brought him into more than local notice, and once he was made a candidate on the Democratic ticket for elector at large, and stumped the state, preaching the most ultra doctrines of that party in the most radical manner. During the Grange excitement at the close of 1873 he sold his paper to Flint & Kent. But early in 1875 he bought a new outfit and recommenced the publication of the Iowa Democrat. He continued it till (sic) August, 1877, when it passed into the hands of Woodward & Edwards. This closed Mr. BLEAKMORE's newspaper work, with the exception of a few months at Ottawa, Kansas, and again a few months at Morris, Ill. He was admitted to the bar at Washington, Iowa. about this time (sic).

As a man Mr. BLEAKMORE was tenderly and earnestly devoted to his family. He made a beautiful home, adorning it with flowers, and vines and trees, and keeping it in perfect order. The homes of his dead were as tenderly cared for, all the graves kept covered with flowers. He mourned deeply the loss of his little grand-children. Although not a church member, Mr. BLEAKMORE, often expressed himself a firm believer in the cardinal doctrines of Christianity, and relied, as he wrote to his son, upon the hope which they gave him for the future.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot Old.P.317 with wife Julia, who died in 1912.