Marcus O. Blackmore
Among the resident farmers of Fertile township is Marcus 0. Blackmore, who makes his home on section 36 and who is busily engaged in cultivating an excellent tract of land, which he has converted into one of the valuable farm properties of the community. He was born in Cattaraugus county, New York,. on the 25th of December, 1849, and is a son of Edwin Howard and Cynthia (Wetmore) Blackmore. The parents were both natives of Massachusetts but were married in Steuben county, New York. The father was a prominent farmer and lumberman of that locality, where lie made his home until his removal westward to Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin, where he purchased land and carried on general farming to the time of his death. After his demise his widow removed to Fertile, where she passed away. In his political views Mr. Blackmore was a. republican and was called upon to serve in various local offices while residing in the state of New York. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Edwin H. Blackmore numbered six children: Almyra, now the wife of Charles Phillips of Clear Lake, Iowa; Frederick. who was married and died in New York; A. C., living in Northwood, Iowa; Marcus O., of this review; Nelson, who died while serving in the United States army during the Civil war; and Lydia, a resident of Clear Lake, Iowa.
Marcus 0. Blackmore spent his boyhood days in New York, where he remained to the age of fourteen years and then accompanied his parents to Wisconsin. After his father's death he removed with the mother and the other members of the family to Fertile, Iowa, where he rented land. He cultivated leased land until he had saved from his earnings a sufficient sum to enable him to purchase property. Eventually he invested in two hundred and eighty acres, which he still owns, and the time and care which he has devoted to the property has made it an excellent farm, supplied with many modern improvements and equipment. It presents a neat and thrifty appearance and everything about the place indicates his careful supervision. He is a man of sound business judgment and of unfailing enterprise and he has never feared to venture where favoring opportunity has led the way but has taken many forward steps and each one has brought him a broader outlook. Extending his efforts into many fields, he has become a director of the Fertile Bank, is the president of the Fertile Lumber Company of Fertile and at one time was president of the Farmers' Creamery, at Hanlontown. He is also interested in the Farmers' Elevator, a corporation of Fertile. His sagacity is keen, his discrimination sound and his enterprise unfaltering.
In 1872 Mr. Blackmore was united in marriage to Miss Lois Fankel. Mrs. Blackmore was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, where her parents were farming people. Her father, however, was a native of England, while her mother was born in Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Blackmore were born five children: Francis; Nelson; Ned, who is now operating his father's farm: Mary, who became the wife of Charles Lee Cobb and died in April, 1918, at the age of forty-six years; and Maud. The wife and mother passed away May I5, 1914, at the age of sixty-four years.
In his political views Mr. Blackmore has always been a republican and has given earnest support to the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias. He has held several local offices and at all times has manifested a marked devotion to the general welfare, cooperating in various well defined plans and movements for the general good. When he came to Worth county the town of Fertile had not been established. The site of the city was a tract of wild prairie and the first residence of the family in the county was a log cabin, which was later replaced by a modern frame residence. Mason City was at that time the nearest market. There was plenty of wild game, so that it was not a difficult thing for the early settler to supply his table with meat. Mr. Blackmore has lived to witness many notable changes as the years have passed on and has contributed in no small measure to the development and progress of his section of the state. His memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present and his reminiscences of the early days are most interesting. He has lived to witness the transformation of wild prairie tracts into cultivated farms, the development of tiny villages and hamlets into thriving towns and cities and in many ways has contributed to the desirable results brought about.
SOURCE: HISTORY OF MITCHELL AND WORTH COUNTIES, IOWA, 1918, VOL. II; Page 422
Transcribed by Gordon Felland, October 2, 2005