BLAKLEY, FRED O.

BLAKLEY, SILVERSON, MATTHEWS, DENNY, MOORE, SHARP, LYLE

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 5/24/2004 at 13:44:15

Biography reproduced from page 512 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Fred O. Blakley is one of the more recent acquisitions to the business circles of Algona, where he is conducting a livery stable. He was born in Hoopeston, Illinois, on the 18th of July, 1881, and is a son of Thomas and Isabella Blakley, both of whom are of Scotch-Irish extraction. The parents are living and continued to make their home in Hoopeston. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Blakley, our subject being the fifth in order of birth. Lewis, who is a brick mason at Fort Smith, Arkansas, married Nell Silverson, of Hoopeston, and they have three children. Charles, who is a foreman in a canning factory at Hoopeston, married Pearl Matthews of Hoopeston and they have four children. Lizzie, the eldest daughter, married Frank Denny, and they also live at Hoopeston. Carl, who is farming at Bancroft, married Mary Moore and they have five children. Ralph, who is the sixth in order of birth, is a veterinary surgeon at Hoopeston. Thomas, the youngest member of the family, is the foreman of a paving company at Bancroft.

Fred O. Blakley was reared and educated in his native town and resided there until five years ago, when he became a resident of La Salle, Illinois. In 1911 he came to Kossuth county, settling in Bancroft, where he remained until the 14th of January, 1912. He then came to Algona and purchased the livery stable of A. L. Cheney, which he has since been conducting. Mr. Blakley has a well equipped barn and as he is a man of pleasing manner and enterprising methods, will unquestionably make a success of his undertaking.

At. La Salle, Illinois, on the 24th of June, 1907, Mr. Blakley was united in marriage to Miss May Sharp, a daughter of John and Mary Anne (Lyle) Sharp, of La Salle, where the father is now living retired.

Mr. and Mrs. Blakley attend the local churches and he votes the republican ticket. Although he has been a resident of this city for only a brief period, Mr. Blakley had made a most favorable impression on all who have had transactions with him, and the policy he has adopted in the conduct of his business would seem to assure his success.