John D. Blaine (1847 - 1926)

BLAINE, BOURNE, HUNTINGTON, THOADS, LANE, ROTHROCK, HANGER, KEITH

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 7/18/2025 at 21:27:04

J. D. BLAINE, FORMER STAGECOACH DRIVER, CITY OFFICIAL, DEAD

John D. Blaine, one of the last of the Iowa stagecoach drivers and for many years city recorder and weighmaster, died at the home of his son-in-law, N. P. Bourne, 813 Fourth Avenue, at 10 a.m. today, after an illness of several years. He had made his home at 119 South Twenty-fourth street.

Mr. Blaine was born June 6, 1847, on the south line of Franklin township, Linn County. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Archibald W. Blaine, his father coming to Iowa when it was a territory. John Blaine lived on a farm with his father until Aug. 6, 1861, when he ran away from home and became a stage driver for Col. Ellsworth who operated a stage line. The Northwestern railroad at that time ended at Marshalltown. The stage route ran from that point northwest. Mr. Blaine carried the mail, collected the passenger fares and looked after the baggage and express which was strapped on the rear of the coach.

In 1861, while assisting in thrashing, his left arm was caught in the gears. His arm was crushed so severely that amputation near the shoulder was necessary. He later attended district school until late in 1864, when he entered Western college for the fall term. At the close of the term, he became a teacher. From 1864 to 1869 he engaged in various enterprises and taught school in Bertram and Franklin townships in Linn County.

Mr. Blaine entered the service of the North Western railroad in 18669 as telegraph operator, working at Lisbon, Tipton, Nevada, Cedar Rapids, Quarry and Marshalltown. In the fall of 1875, he took possession of the Cramlet farm, four miles south of Ames, remaining there until the spring of 1879. He then purchased a farm near Colo, Story County, where he remained until October of the same year, when he sold the property and came to Cedar Rapids to make his home.

On March 3, 1884, he was elected city recorder, which carried with it the office of clerk of the superior court, clerk of the board of health and city assessor. He held this office until March 3, 1903, and then engaged in other enterprises until 1910 during which time he carried mail on rural route No. 2 out of Mt. Vernon for three years. He again entered the service of the city Nov. 15, 1910, as weighmaster, serving for thirteen years.

Mr. Blaine was married in November 1872, to Miss Annie Huntington Thoads. She died Jan 8, 1888, leaving four children. John Blaine, Jr., died at the age of six weeks in 1881. Surviving are Mrs. Mary Lane of California; Mrs. J. H. Rothrock of Colorado Springs; Laura R. Blaine of Cedar Rapids; Fred A. Blaine of Mount Vernon, and a stepdaughter, Mrs. Grace Huntington Hanger of Dubuque. On Feb. 20, 1911, Mr. Blaine and Mrs. Fronia Keith were married. Funeral arrangements have not been made. (Source: The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, Fri, Nov 12, 1926, pg. 1)