James Blanchard 1810-1890

BLANCHARD, BROWNSON, HICKLIN, MCKAY, CLARK

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 2/23/2024 at 14:04:03

The Wapello Republic, Wapello, Iowa
Thursday, October 16, 1890
Page 4

This morning at ten minutes past three James Blanchard passed away at his home in Wapello. He has been rapidly declining for two or three months past, and for about three or four weeks had been confined to his room. He was a man, though not large in stature, possessed of a vigorous constitution, without which he would not have been able to withstand the hardships of pioneer life and attain so good an age. James Blanchard was born in the state of New York in Feb'y 1810. When a young man he set out to make his fortune in the then far west. He and the late Joel Brownson came together to Michigan, where they separated for a time, both desiring to go farther west but each without the knowledge of the other, set out on foot and by mere accident met on the road, coming to the then territory of Iowa. They arrived here early in the year 1837 and taking claims in this township near together, began the making for themselves homes on the frontier.

Mr. Blanchard afterward married Mary Hicklin and Mrs. McKay (who died in May 1866). He was again married to Mrs. Clark who still survives him. Besides his widow, he leaves a son by his first wife; Edwin, whose home is in Brainard, Minn., and a son and daughter, Harry and Fannie by his second wife. Harry is now in Utah. He helped to subdue the wilderness of fifty years ago and convert it into a fruitful land. May the memory of those pioneers be always held in high esteem. The time for the funeral will not be fixed until the arrival of the son Edwin, who has telegraphed that he will be here tonight.