There is no man more worthy of a place in the history of Rice county than Samuel C. BLACKMORE, a representative farmer and stock-raiser of that locality. His paternal grandfather, Thomas BLACKMORE, was a native of Pennsylvania, but of English and Irish descent. He was a farmer by occupation, and at an early day came to Ohio, making his home with a son until he died at a ripe old age. He was the father of three children, namely: Benjamin; Samuel, the father of our subject; and Betsey, who died in Pennsylvania. His son, Samuel, the father of our subject, was a native of Pennsylvania, where he was married and later moved to Ohio. There he became one of the pioneers of Ashland county, where he bought and improved a good farm in the midst of the forest, and there he reared his family and remained for many years. In 1862 he sold out and moved to Iowa, settling in Ringgold county, where he bought and improved a farm, upon which he remained until his death, which occurred in 1881. He was a prominent and successful farmer, commanding the highest respect of the people where he lived, was a kind and good neighbor and very generous to friends, which often proved very expensive to him, but he prospered and accumulated a competency for old age. He was reared a Democrat and voted with that party until the opening of the Civil war, when he became a Republican, and held many positions of trust while in Ohio. He was a Universalist in religious faith, and in his life and daily conduct manifested the principles of his Christian belief. His integrity was above reproach, his word being as good as his bond.

He married Miss Elizabeth THOMPSON, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of William THOMPSON, a native of Scotland. After emigrating to America he settled in Pennsylvania, where he died. His children were: Alexander, William Jr, Patty and Elizabeth, the latter the mother of our subject. Unto Samuel BLACKMORE, Sr, and his wife were born the following children: Alexander, who died in Iowa; Martha, who became the wife of I[saac]. OLIVER; Jane, who married J. SMITH; Elizabeth, now Mrs. J, McCLURE; and Samuel C. Jr., our subject.

Samuel C. BLACKMORE, Jr., whose name introduces this record, was born in Ashland county, Ohio, June 7, 1842. He was reared to the honest toil of the farm and was educated in the common schools. In 1862, when twenty years of age, he accompanied his parents to Iowa and remained under the parental roof, assisting his father on the farm, until 1864, when he enlisted [as a Private on August 6, 1864] for one hundred days' service in Company G, Forty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, which was consigned to the Army of the Tennessee. At Holly Springs, Mississippi, where only a part of the regiment took part, many of his comrades fell by rebel bullets, and their bodies were buried in southern soil, but our subject was never wounded or captured. However, from hard marching and exposure in southern swamps, he contracted rheumatism and was compelled to use crutches. He also contracted chronic diarrhea, from which he was a great sufferer. He continued with his command until the expiration of his term of enlistment, when he was sent to Davenport, Iowa, where he received an honorable discharge [on September 23, 1864] and then returned home to his father’s house, where he recovered from the diarrhea, but the rheumatism will continue to torture him as long as he lives. As soon as he had sufficiently regained his health to allow him to do so he resumed farm work, which he continued until 1870 upon his father’s farm. In that year he was married and settled upon a farm of his own, there remaining until 1873, when he left the farm and came to Kansas. Here he located on the homestead in Rice county which he yet owns. Having small means he moved his family and household goods across the country by wagon and team, built a small frame house and was soon ready to begin farming on a small scale.

The herd law enabled him to plant a crop without fencing, and he planted corn and oats with good prospect for a harvest, but the grasshoppers came and destroyed everything that was green upon the place. However, he had planted some wheat the fall before, which he harvested before the grasshoppers appeared, and by strict economy he managed to continue his farming operations, realizing more from his crops each year, which enabled him to get his farm fenced and add some more rooms to his small house, thus adding greatly to the comfort of the family. When he came to Kansas the country was very sparsely settled, buffaloes and antelopes were plentiful, furnishing the table of the pioneers with fresh meat, wild beasts roamed at will in the forests and little of the land had been placed under cultivation. As soon as Mr. BLACKMORE felt assured that this section of the country would develop and become a prosperous commonwealth he traded his Iowa farm for a vacant quarter adjoining his farm, fenced and placed it under cultivation and carried on farming quite extensively, raising some stock also. Later he sold one quarter, but still owns the original homestead and hires it cultivated. He ran a threshing machine for three years and prospered in his undertakings.

In 1870 Mr. BLACKMORE was united in marriage to Miss Hattie WATSON, a well educated and cultured lady, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, October 27, 1839, a daughter of James and Jane (HAWTHORN) WATSON, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they were married. They were both of Irish descent and he was a railroad man and followed that line of business in Pennsylvania until his death, which occurred in 1850. He left a wife and two children in limited circumstances, but the mother kept the children together and moved to Illinois in 1856, locating in McLean county, where she remained until 1868, when she removed to Iowa, remaining there until both daughters married, and then in 1875 came to Kansas, where she finds a good home with her two daughters. She is a consistent member of the Presbyterian church, but her husband was a Lutheran. They were the parents of eight children, but all died in childhood with the exception of the two daughters, Hattie, the wife of our subject; and Maggie, who married William HISER, and moved from Iowa in 1875, and is now living in Anderson county, Kansas. Both were school teachers, the former having taught for ten years, and the latter for six years. The maternal grandmother of this family, Mrs. HAWTHORN, had five children, namely: Jane, the mother of Mrs. BLACKMORE; John; Nancy, who married D. SNIVELY; George; and Eliza.

Unto our subject and his wife were born six children, namely: Jennie, who was married June 19, 1901, to C. B. WATSON, living in Meade county, Kansas; Samuel, a farmer; Pearl, who is successfully engaged in teaching; James, who is conducting the homestead farm; Hattie, who died at the age of sixteen years; and Katie, who is still with her parents.

Mr. BLACKMORE is a man of strong character, practical, energetic, enterprising and the soul of honor, commanding the highest respect and esteem of all with whom he is associated. He is very social in his nature, kind and benevolent, ever lending a helping hand to those in need, and by go-(?) in security for his financially embarrassed friends has lost considerable money. In his political affiliations he is a stanch Republican and does all in his power to insure the success of the party, but has never sought or desired political preferment. He is deeply interested in all movements for the progress and advancement of the community in which he makes his home, and is a loyal and substantial citizen, well worthy of representation in this volume.

NOTE: Samuel died at the age of 77 years on May 12, 1880 and was interred at Johnston Cemetery, Liberty Township of Ringgold County, Iowa.

SOURCES:
A Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. II, p. 1067. Lewis Publishing Co. Chicago & New York. 1902.

American Civil War Soldiers Database, ancestry.com

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2009