BLANDIN, Lavona Amelia "Minnie" 1867-1940

BLANDIN, HELM, SMALLEY, DUDLEY, CHILDS, THOMAS, TOWNSEND

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/14/2010 at 22:29:06

Minnie Amelia Blandin 1867-1940 (wife of Mahlon Blandin)

Her birth name was: Lavona Amelia "Minnie" Dudley

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#1 of 4 items:

"Lavona Amelia Dudley was born March 29, 1867 to Robert and Livona Childs Dudley in Cedar township, Mitchell county, Iowa. At the age of 5 years, she with eight brothers and sisters were orphaned.

She and her twin sister, Lavina Amanda, were placed in the home of John Townsend, near Charles City, but later were adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Thomas, living near Mona, Iowa. The Thomases changed their names to Minnie and Vinnie. Mrs. Thomas lived only a year and a half after making a home for the girls.

They were later taken by Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Ferguson, who lived northwest of Osage. They lived with the Fergusons seven years. When the family moved to South Dakota, Minnie remained in Osage to learn the dress-making trade, later going to Riceville, where she met Mahlon Blandin.

She and Mr. Blandin wer married May 29, 1886, living for a year and a half in Riceville then moving to Bailey, where Mr. Blandin was buttermaker for twelve years.

They tried farming a few years before moving to Orchard, where Mr. Blandin was buttermaker for eleven years, then moved to the present home on New Years day 1915. Mr. Blandin passed away April 9, 1936.

Twelve children were born to Mrs. Blandin, six of whom have preceded her in death. Those are Belle (Mrs. Herbert Knight), Mable (Mrs. Caroll Waters), Linton, James, Stanley, and a daughter who died at birth.

Those left to mourn her going are: Chester, Vincent, Harold Dudley, Kenneth and Veva (Mrs. Howard Smalley. There are also seventeen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren

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#2
WOMAN DIES AT ORCHARD HOME

ORCHARD, IOWA — Mrs. M. M. Blandin, 73 years old last Friday died early Wednesday morning at her farm home near here following an illness of two years.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 1 p.m. in the Champion Funeral Home at Osage and at 2 p.m. in the church at Orchard with the Rev. H. M. Grant, pastor of the Osage Methodist church, officiating. Burial will be in the Orchard Cemetery

Surviving are six children: Chester of Evanston, Illinois, Harold of Mandan, North Dakota, Kenneth of St. Louis, Missouri, Vincent and Dudley of Orchard, and Mrs. Howard Smalley of Osage; two sisters, Mrs. C. P. Helm of Marshalltown, and Mrs. Vinnie Prubey of Largo, Florida.

Her husband preceded her in death.

Mrs. Blandin was born in Cedar township, Mitchell county. She came to Orchard in 1904.

[Mason City Globe-Gazette, Wednesday, April 3, 1940]
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#3:
The Orchard Cemetery listing on IaGenWeb shows:
BLANDIN, Minnie A. 1867 -- 1940

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#4
1925 Iowa Census: West Lincoln, Mitchell, IA
M. M. Blandin 65 born Wisconsin;(parents listed for him are Wm. Blandin and Sybeenoln Knowlton)
Minnie Blandin, wife 58, born Iowa (parents listed for her are Robert Dudley and Lavona Childs); V. P. Blandin 32; D. K. Blandin 16; Kenneth Blandin 14.