Frontier Currents -- part 4

... Chapter I (continued from part 3) ...

As, once again, the Blackley’s adjusted to a new family member, the tide of American efforts was about to shift. On February 6, 1778, French and American representatives signed a Treaty of Alliance strengthening the American rebel cause. A few weeks later, Prussian Baron Friedrich von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge (where Washington’s troops had been camped since mid-December) and began drilling the Continental Army. This badly needed training also promised to improve the patriots’ situation. Foreign support of the colonists provided additional incentive for Britain to negotiate a settlement so, by the middle of March, a British peace commission had been created and offered to grant all American demands, except independence. By this time, however, many Americans were committed to independence. The offer was rejected and warfare continued. Faced with prolonged warfare, Britain adopted a war strategy that relied on their Indian allies conducting a campaign of terror. From New York to Carolina, Indian attacks continued to menace American settlements. In April of 1779, troops from Virginia’s Washington and Montgomery counties joined Carolinians in a retaliatory campaign against Chickamauga villages in Tennessee. (1)

This long standing pattern of attack and retaliation followed by treaties signed and treaties broken continued and with it, the hostility between Indian and settler. The British had an obvious interest in keeping frontiersmen occupied in Indian engagements, and thereby unavailable to participate in battles against his Majesty’s troops. However, theirs was not the only contributor to the on-going conflict. Neither Indians nor settlers had a single voice who could speak for their interests. Although a chief might speak for his tribe, he could not guarantee his warriors would comply, and no single chief had the power to represent all tribes. Colonial settlers’ interests in the frontier settlements were similarly divided. Authority over the land in present-day Tennessee was claimed variously by Virginia, North Carolina and the Watauga Association. Land grants made by one authority might not be honored by another. Increasing the opportunity for land disputes was the historical practice of "tomahawk rights" or "corn rights" to claim frontier lands. This method consisted of staking a claim by blazing hatchet marks on tree trunks or planting and harvesting a crop of corn. These varied perceptions regarding who held legitimate claims coupled with the absence of a single, consistent authority, left settlers with little motivation to abide by treaties that limited or nullified personal holdings. Without a singular authority to negotiate and enforce the terms of a treaty, promises made continued to be promises breached and intensified the atmosphere of violence and misunderstanding between new settlers and native inhabitants.

As the western settlements continued to mount offensive and defensive measures directed at Indian tribes, warfare also continued between American patriots and British loyalists and Spain joined in declaring war on England. With the exception of Indian engagements and some Tory disturbances along the New River, most Revolutionary War battles were fought far from the Southwestern Virginia frontier, so her inhabitants were engaged less in defending and more in building their new nation. Holston families grew and harvested their crops, built roads and mills, raised their children, and responded to civic responsibilities as necessary. Some local men served in the Continental Army and others served extended periods in the local militia, but the majority remained on their farms taking up arms for brief spells only when threats drew close to home.

In this climate, Charles and Margaret continued to build their family with the addition of a daughter, Agnes, in 1779. Sarah, at four, was no longer the only girl in the Blackley clan. She probably helped her mother by tending to her youngest brother, Jesse, while Margaret was occupied with household chores and the care of her new infant. As a female child of the back country, Sarah would have been taught to be a caretaker and learned domestic skills such as weaving, felting, candlery, butter churning, and soap making. Even at her young age, she would have been expected to help her mother. Her brothers, James at eight to ten years old, and Alexander at six, were old enough to learn to use the tools they would need for survival on the frontier (hatchet, hoe, and rifle) and may have practiced their skills while helping their father and neighbors build and maintain roads near their land. (2)

Fathers and sons of the Holston Valley soon responded to a call to aid their fellow patriots in the Carolinas. The American rebellion had dragged on for nearly five years and the British, determined to gain ground in the war, developed a plan of attack focused on Charleston, South Carolina. Late in 1779, Lord Cornwallis and Sir Henry Clinton, along with more than 7,500 men, left New York for Charleston. To ensure the success of this military operation, troops from Georgia and New York were also dispatched to join the Tory force moving toward Charleston. Although General Washington reluctantly sent Continental soldiers to aid the southern American army and the militia of Charleston, there was little hope they would be able to successfully defend Charleston against the larger British force. By the middle of May, 1780, Charleston fell to the British, landing a painful blow to the rebel cause. (3)

Following the fall of Charleston, the British began a campaign intended to intimidate Carolinians into supporting the Tories. Lord Cornwallis, Colonel Patrick Ferguson, and other military leaders were dispatched to march through the Carolinas to ensure the subjugation of the people to the Royal authority. As they traveled through South Carolina, they organized militias, inspected supply stores, administered oaths of fealty and apprehended Rebel leaders where they were found. Joining in the fervor to eliminate rebel sympathizers, vindictive outlaws and zealous Loyalists ransacked and plundered patriot properties. With most of the rebels who were capable of bearing arms in North Carolina, the spree of destruction and intimidation proceeded with only limited opposition. (4)

By the summer of 1780, patriot Colonel Charles McDowell became alarmed that Ferguson’s troops posed a significant threat to the settlements near the border between the Carolinas. He sent messages to Colonels John Sevier and Isaac Shelby in the Holston country urging them to bring as many men as could be mustered and to come as quickly as possible. Both Sevier and Shelby responded and, over the course of the summer, they fought the British troops alongside the Carolinians. Before returning home to the Holston country, Shelby and his men contributed to the capture of Thicketty Fort. (5)

Colonel Ferguson was so irritated by the Patriot triumph at Thicketty Fort, that he taunted Shelby and the men of the Holston by sending a message that if they did not desist from their opposition to the British arms, he would march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword. Ferguson’s plan was to attack further into North Carolina and Virginia and to incite southern Indians to invade the Holston country as far into Southwest Virginia as Chiswell’s Lead Mines about twenty miles northeast of the Blackley’s home. (6)

The threat raised by Ferguson created an understandable stir along the Holston settlements. If he were successful, they would find themselves under Indian and British attack. Furthermore, if the Loyalists remained true to their pattern, families would be subjected to the same ravages being exacted on Patriot Carolinians. Though settlers were deeply motivated to rise against Ferguson’s challenge, the Indian menace on the home front was grave. Nonetheless, men under Isaac Shelby, John Sevier, and William Campbell gathered in late September and rendezvoused at Sycamore Shoals in the Watauga area bordering Virginia. They were joined by companies under Colonel McDowell and Colonel Arthur Campbell. Families also made the trip to remain at the fort under the protection of a small number of men while awaiting the return of the Holston soldiers. (7)  

Whether the Blackley family was among those who took refuge on the Watauga or remained at home on the Middle Fork of the Holston is unknown. Family legend says Charles fought alongside his neighbors in the famous battle that was about to be waged, but few historical records of the conflict exist to prove or disprove this claim. The Blackley children were too young to participate in the battle, though fathers did take sons as young as fourteen to fight alongside them. They also were too young to be left to provide the sole protection for the family. So, it may be that Charles remained at home to protect his family and his in-laws. Whatever he did, it is unlikely that Margaret and the children were left to deal with the threat alone. Frontier women and children were accustomed to the perils of the wilderness and were often resourceful in responding to Indian attacks, but they were also well aware of the dangers those threats represented. (8)

Endnotes:

1. Dates for French-American treaties and Baron von Steuben visit from: “An Unlikely Victory, 1777 to 1783”, The History Place: The American Revolution. Online: < http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/index.html > [3 May 2006].
Campaign of terror and Chickamauga village attack from: Summers, History of Southwest Virginia and Washington County, 294.
2. Image of Colonial butter churn: U. S. History Images online at: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ushistoryimages.com/images/colonial-life/fullsize/colonial-life-4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ushistoryimages.com/colonial-life.shtm&usg=__1J8TFUP9fVnntzvAgGcj_nz3ejw=&h=400&w=324&sz=28&hl=en&start=94&um=1&tbnid=aDmW1u3ro_ux_M:&tbnh=124&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dimages%2Bof%2Bcolonial%2Btools%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7DELA%26sa%3DN%26start%3D84%26um%3D1  [21 September 2009].
16 June 1779 Spain declared war against England from: “An Unlikely Victory, 1777 to 1783”, The History Place: The American Revolution. Online: http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/revwar-77.htm  [3 May 2006].
Agnes Blackley birth information from: Perry, The Charles Blackley family of Knox County, Tennessee, 15.
Charles Blackley was appointed overseer of the road from Alexander Wylies to the ford of Holston at Captain John Campbells from: Summers, Lewis Preston. Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1970), 706.
3. British siege of Charleston from: Draper, Lyman C. King’s Mountain and Its Heroes: History of the Battle of King’s Mountain. Johnson City, Tennessee: The Overmountain Press, 1881, (Reprint: 1996.), 20-36.
4. Ibid,68-83.
5. Ibid, 84-122.
6. Ibid, 169-171.
7. Ibid, 169-176.
Photo of Watauga marker: From dlrides album on SmugMug at: http://dlrides.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Overmountain-Victory-Trail-VA/5961896_SkFrT#372672197_DNCoY  [21 September 2009].
8. James Blakely is said to have told of his grandfather, Charles, fighting under Sevier at the Battle of Kings Mountain. Records the Blackley’s neighbors (James Crow and Robert Buchanan) and Margaret’s brothers (Robert and Samuel Davis) among those who fought in the Battle of King’s mountain. Included on that list, as well, is the name, Charles Bickley whom many believe is meant to read Charles Blackley. Records exist for a man named Charles Bickley living on the North Fork of the Holston at the time of the Blackley’s. He seems to be a separate individual and appears on other military lists. More research is required to resolve the question of Charles’ participation in the battle with Sevier, Campbell, Shelby and his Holston neighbors: Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800, 1387.

Bjs

Frontier Currents -- part 3

...  Chapter I   (continued from part 2) ...

Initially, life remained much as it had always been for the citizens of Southwest Virginia. Most citizens continued to work their farms dealing with Indian threats and other emergencies as they arose. A few, however, left their families to manage things at home and joined the colonial cause. Fincastle’s Committee of Safety answered a call for troops by sending a company of choice riflemen to join Virginia’s regiments east of the Allegheny Mountains. By early September of 1775, these Fincastle troops, under Captain William Campbell, were dispatched to assist in protecting Hampton, Virginia against a British attack. In response to the Virginians’ success in thwarting the British, Governor Dunmore issued a proclamation offering freedom to all slaves who would join the royal troops. In spite of the four hundred slaves who responded to this promise, in early December Dunmore’s men were once again defeated by the Virginia regiments at the Battle of Great Bridge. Captain Campbell and his troops continued to serve with those Virginia regiments east of the Allegheny’s for several more months. (1)

 

By the spring of 1776, families in the frontier settlements were once again threatened with aggressive Indian attacks. Agents for the Royal Government had enlisted the Creeks, Cherokee, Choctaws and Chickasaws as allies against American rebels who lived on the frontier borders. Traders and others who had close contact with Indian tribes were reporting this alliance to the settlers. As the Indians made plans to harass, backcountry families living in the Holston, Clinch and Powell River valleys of Virginia and present-day Tennessee, once again evacuated to the more settled areas north and east and to forts throughout the western lands. Militias were hastily formed and men serving with regiments east of the mountains, such as William Campbell, returned home to defend their families and neighbors. For the remainder of the Revolutionary War, the western settlements continued to be threatened by bands of Cherokee and Shawnee. Settlers who had not evacuated took shelter in their forts from early spring to late autumn. (2)

 

The Blackley family was living on the Middle Fork of the Holston River, north and east of the most intense Indian threats during this period. There is no evidence that they witnessed any attacks first hand, but threat of attack remained and news of the increased threat reached settlers throughout Fincastle County. Many of the families of the western frontiers (what is now eastern Tennessee, Kentucky and extreme southwest Virginia) had origins on the headwaters of the Holston and still had friends and family living there. For those who chose to evacuate from the western settlements, the Holston headwaters were a natural choice for their temporary relocation. Thus, any news of attack or new threats nearby or on the frontier fringe warranted heightened interest.  (3)

 

As the colonies declared their independence and began to form a fledgling nation, families along the frontier borders acted as agents of revolution in defending themselves against Britain’s Indian allies. By July 1776, Cherokees were considering plans to cut off people employed at the Lead Mines (in present-day Wythe County). In response to this information, the Virginia Council directed a stockade to be raised and garrisoned for the protection of the mines and ordered Colonel William Christian to march his troops into Cherokee country (Tennessee) to do what was necessary to stop future insults and ravages. A force of about 2,400 men, (Virginians, North and South Carolinians and Georgians) marched to the Cherokee towns along the Little Tennessee and Telico Rivers. After destroying their villages and property, Colonel Christian offered the chiefs a peace to be concluded in May of 1777 at Long Island on the Holston River. Although his offer was accepted and hostilities were to cease pending execution of the treaty, attacks (initiated by both Indians and white men) continued up to and beyond the conclusion of the treaty.  (4)

Fincastle’s population growth in the previous years in combination with the on-going threat presented by the Indians, intensified demands for government participation closer to the frontier farms. The county’s size posed hardships for backcountry families wanting to conduct government business. So, on January 1, 1777, as government shifted from its colonial origins to a government that derived its power from the consent of the governed, Fincastle County was broken into three counties: Montgomery, Washington and Kentucky. Following this reorganization, the Blackley family found themselves living in Montgomery County, presumably on 200 acres of land Charles had acquired in 1776. This property, on the middle fork of the Holston, adjoined that of James Davies (Charles’ father-in-law or brother-in-law), but it is unclear whether the property was acquired through Margaret’s family or purchased independently. The new land would be helpful in supporting a growing family; its proximity to kin made it convenient for sharing the joys and responsibilities of family life. One joyous occasion to be shared occurred on Christmas Day of 1777, when Margaret gave birth to another son, Jesse. Sarah, at nearly three years, was no longer the baby of the family. She, James, and Alexander had a new brother and the Blackley family now numbered six.  (5)

... to be continued in part 4 ...

Endnotes:

1.  Summers, History of Southwest Virginia and Washington County, 207, 208

2.  Ibid, 217, 219, 224.

3.  In 1769 Charles Blakely settled on 258 acres on Bare [Bear] Creek, a branch of the middle Fork of Holston: Kegley, Mary B. Early Adventures on the Western Waters, Vol. 2, The New River of Virginia in Pioneer Days, 1745-1800. (Orange, Virginia: Green Publishers Inc., 1982), 113.
Image captured from Google Maps online:  http://maps.google.com/

4.  Summers, History of Southwest Virginia and Washington County, 240 - 244. 

“Fort Patrick Henry”, The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture.  Online:  http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=F045, [7 May 2006].

5.  Image of land near headwaters of the middle fork of Holston River:  photograph by Bonnie Starkey, October 2008.
Crush, Charles W. Montgomery County Virginia: The First 100 Years, (unknown publisher, 1986), 5. 
4 January 1782 record in Montgomery county Entry Book A and Commissioner’s Certificate record indicate Charles Blakely settled on 200 acres on a branch of the Holston in 1776: Kegley, Early Adventurers on the Western Waters, Vol 2, 31 & 105.
31 August 1781 Montgomery County Deed Book A entry for land transfer from James Davies to Joseph Davies describes location on Middle Fork of Holston adjoining Charles Blakely land, so it seems likely the land Charles acquired in 1776 was located on the middle fork of Holston River. More research is required to confirm this refers to the 1776 purchase, not the land on Bear Creek or another parcel. Douthat, James L. Montgomery County Virginia Deed Book A 1773-1789. ( Signal Mountain, Tennessee: Mountain Press, 1987), 62.
Jesse Blackley birth information from: Perry, The Charles Blackley family of Knox County, Tennessee, 13.
Supporting birth information for Jesse Blackley from: 1850 U. S. census, Gentry County, Missouri, Schedule I, Howard Township, page 242, dwelling 659, family 659, Jesse Blakely; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com. < http://www.ancestry.com> [accessed 17 June 2006].

Frontier Currents -- part 2

... continued from part 1 ...

The second chapter of my class project tells the story of the Blackley's in present-day Rural Retreat, Virginia preceding, during, and immediately following the Revolutionary War. Their oldest daughter, Sarah, is the focus in telling, not only her story, but the story of her family and her country at that significant time. The chapter is incomplete, but contains enough information about the family that I'm posting it unfinished and will post the finished work whenever it is available:

Chapter 1

Sarah's Story: Building a family and a nation

In hunting frock, and Indian sandals trim,

O'er lengthening wastes, with nimble steps he ran

Nor was Appollo's dart more sure in aim;

Than in his skilled hand, the deadly gun. (1)

In 1910 Azariah Williams, grandson of Sarah Blackley Williams, recounted stories Sarah had told him of her life growing up in southwest Virginia in the last quarter of the 18th century. One of the stories was of an incident that occurred when she was about seventeen years old and underscores the hostility that remained between settlers and Indians following the Revolutionary War. She was on an overnight excursion in the wilderness with her brother and a neighbor when they came upon two Indians camped by a stream. They (presumably the brother and neighbor) killed the Indians and took their guns and blankets. The motive for the killings is unstated, but at best, they must have felt the Indian men posed a threat and, at worst, they felt they needed no justification to kill Indians. Sarah's attitude in telling the story is missing from Mr. Williams' account. Whether she expressed remorse, pride or indifference is unknown. However, even without benefit of motive and emotion, the story lends insight into the mores of a time long past and raises questions about the influences of pioneer life. (2)
 

Sarah was born at a time of great importance in our nation's history. Her parents, Charles and Margaret Blackley, were living in Fincastle County in the colony of Virginia when she was born on January 5, 1775. Peace negotiations at Camp Charlotte had concluded only two and a half months earlier bringing to a close a year of heightened Indian hostilities known as Dunmore's War. The new fort on her grandfather Davies' property served as a visual reminder of the past year's tensions. Although the population of the area had grown considerably over the past decade, it remained a colonial frontier and, as such, the people were required to be self-reliant. They joined their fellow colonists throughout America in opposition to recent Royal actions designed to undermine their rights, but the immediate threat presented by Dunmore's War had prevented them from actively participating in the First Continental Congress held in Philadelphia three months earlier. In answer to the resolves of that Congress, a committee of freeholders from Fincastle County met and declared their commitment to defend the free exercise of their religion and their liberties as British Subjects, at the expense of our lives. Sarah was only two weeks old, but events were already in motion that would change the course of American history and would engage her family and neighbors during her formative years. (3) 

As colonists from Massachusetts to Charles Town grew more determined to oppose the restrictions imposed upon them, the routines of daily life continued in the Blackley household and on neighboring farms of the Holston River Valley. After spending the past summer evacuated to inland areas or garrisoned in the Davies' fort, neighbors had returned to their farms and were enjoying the remaining weeks of winter. Though many of us today look upon winter as a gloomy time of year and yearn for the long, warm days of summer, winter on the colonial frontier was greatly anticipated for the rest it offered. As winter's cold descended into the valley, Indians headed to winter camps bringing a temporary cessation to the aggression between settlers and Indians. For several weeks, settlers could relax their guard and focus on seasonal chores. For the Blackley's, it meant they could enjoy the first few months of their daughter's life on their farm without an immediate threat of attack. (4)

In addition to their new daughter, Margaret and Charles had two, small sons. James, the oldest, is presumed to have been between four and six years old when Sarah was born, while Alexander was twenty-one months. As is the case with most young siblings, they must have been curious about this tiny creature who nursed at their mother's breast. They may have felt pangs of jealousy for the attention she received and wished she would disappear. Or, perhaps, they tried to play with her only to return to the rough and tumble play common to frontier sons when they discovered she did little more than eat and sleep. Whatever their reactions to their little sister, her arrival represented a marked change to their familiar world. Other changes, that they could not yet understand, would also alter that world. In courthouses, churches and taverns throughout the colonies currents of change were advancing which would profoundly affect James, Alexander, Sarah and thousands of children throughout America. (5)
 

At one meeting house, Richmond’s St. John’s Church, about 250 miles away, Patrick Henry gave an impassioned speech in late March. He urged his fellow colonial delegates to adopt a posture of defense and concluded his speech with words that would be remembered and quoted by generations to come, I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! By a narrow margin, his resolution was passed and Virginia joined the American rebellion. Within a month of that speech, shots were fired on Lexington Green in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and, by the middle of June, the Second Continental Congress had convened and appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief of a Continental Congress. The next seven years would be years of warfare in the American colonies. (6)

...to be continued in part 3 ...

Endnotes

1. Doddridge, Rev. Dr. Joseph, "An Ellegy on his Family's Vault". An American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of Broadsides and other Printed Ephemera. Digital Image. Library of Congress, American Memory. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem : 2006, stanza 11.

2. Azariah William's quote regarding Sarah's trip through the wilderness:

when she was 17 years old she traveled on foot with her brother and a neighboring man seventy miles through the Virginia wilderness, and they had to camp one night on the way. About sundown they halted at a creek to camp and the men noticed smoke coming through the break and they started to reconnoiter to see who was there and saw two Indians, and they deliberately raised their guns and fixed on the Indians, killing one Indian and wounding the other, and then rushed on the crippled one and finished him with their tomahawks; then got their guns and blankets and took them home and hid them for a time and afterward got them and sold them.

Williams, Sidelights on the Williams Family History, 41-42.
3. Sarah's bith date and location from: Williams, Carl, Sidelights on the Williams Family History, 41.

Governor Dunmore's peace treaty with the Shawnee was completed on 18 October, 1774: Martin, Barry, Stuart, "Dunmore's War, 1774", (Master's Thesis, Univesity of Washington, 1962), 96-97.

Captain Robert Doak, in a letter dated 12 July, 1774 refers to a fort built on James Davis' property. This most likely referred to James Davis, Sr., Margaret Blackley's father, but may have referred to a brother or grandfather.

The people were all in Garison from Fort Chiswell to the Head of Holston &  in great Confusion. They are feld from the Rich Valley & Walkers Creek. Some are Building forts they have Begun to build at my Father's, James Davis' & Gasper Kinders.

Pendleton, William C., History of Tazwell County & Southwest Virginia 1748-1920. (Richmond, Virginia: W. C. Hill Printing Company, 1920), 278.

Date and location of First Continental Congress from: "Prelude to Revolution 1763 to 1775:, The History Place: The American Revolution. Online: < http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/index.html > [3 May 2006].

Fincastle freeholders met 20 January, 1775 to address the resolves of the First Continental Congress: Lewis Preston Summers, History of Southwest Virginia and Washington County, 1746-1786, (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1966), 203.

4. Doddridge, Rev. Dr. Joseph, Notes on the Settlements and Indian Wars of Western Parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania from 1763 to 1783, inclusive. (Wellbaugh, Virginia: Printed by the Office of the Gazette for the author, 1824), 265-266.

5. James Blackley's birth date is unknown, but presumed to be sometime between 1768 and 1772. Alexander was born 3 April 1773 in Virginia: Perry, Gregory M, The Charles Blackley family in Knox County, Tennessee. (Decorah, Iowa: Amundsen Publishing Company, 1991), 8 and 11.

Families of the American backcountry tended to favor parenting practices that raised strongly independent, fiercely courageous sons. David Hackett Fischer, Albion's Seed. (New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), 687-690.

6. "Prelude to Revolution 1763 to 1775".
 

Frontier Currents

Although I was unable to complete my family history of Charles and Margaret Blakely during my Genealogy and Family History course at the University of Washington, I did make a start. I organized the material by telling a different individual's "story" in each chapter. The over-arching theme is of Frontier Currents -- referring to a key geographical element, the Holston River, the historically significant changes to which the family bore witness (and sometimes contributed), and the pioneering migrations of the family. Below is the introduction as written for my class project:

Introduction

James' Story: Pioneer Memories

History is the essence of innumerable biographies. (1)

A common migration pattern of many Oregon pioneer families began in Ireland and flowed through southwestern Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, and directly on to Oregon. This path from Ireland to Oregon spanned mulitple generations and each move along the way typically included extended family. As some family members moved on to the next frontier, others remained behind, resulting in a trail of cousins leading to the west. This was the path of my ancestors, the Blakely, or Blackley, family. In their case, it took three generations to move from Ireland to Oregon beginning with Charles Blackley, who is said to have been born in Ireland and who died in Tennessee; continuing with his son, Joseph, who was born in Virginia and died in Missouri; and culminating with Joseph's son, James, who was born in Tennessee and died in Oregon.(2)

When James Blakely and his uncle, Hugh Brown, arrived in Oregon, they founded a town called Brownsville and became well-respected citizens. In part because of James' stature and, in part, because of his longevity, stories of his life were widely reported in publications of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Included in some of those stories was information about his parents, Joseph and Jensia, and his grandparents, Charles and Margaret. Adding to the information available on James and his ancestors are interviews and other accounts reported by family historians. These reports did not, unfortunately, provide corroborating evidence concerning the elder Blackley's. This paper is the result of my attempt to find additional documentation and delve into the origins and lives of James' grandparents.(3)

The Blackley's lived in 18th century America. They lived through periods of colonial growth, revolution and the formation of an independent government. They were not leaders in the revolutionary cause and played, at most, a limited role in political plans and military operations. They are not remembered for extraordinary, heroic deeds, for persuasive speeches, or for political or military genius, but their names were recorded in the courthouses of a fledgling nation as they acquired land, paid taxes, pledged their loyalty, served in the militia, built roads and interacted with neighbors. These ordinary activities secured their place in history.

While government records provide glimpses into the Blackley's lives, the color of their lives (their physical characteristics, personalities, and family origins) are not found in these records. These coveted personal descriptors remain elusive. Although family histories and abstracted records have added some information such as children's birthdates and marriages, they tell little about the elder Blackley's physical traits and personalities. The family histories were written by fourth and later generations of Blakely's and allied families more than a century after Charles' death. The stories they relate were handed down by children, grandchildren or other family members and may have passed through several interpretations before reaching the authors. With no first-hand knowledge of the elder Blackley's, no photographs to study and, most likely, no family Bibles or other family records to reference, it is not surprising that the authors did not report on the couple's personal traits. It is, however, a disppointment that the color of their eyes and hair, their height, mannerisms and idiosyncrasies are unavailable to fill in the outline of their lives. (4)

To tell the story of Charles and Margaret Blackley is to tell the story of ordinary people living in a time and place of historical significance. Their history is interwoven with the history of the founding of our country. Their power to change history lay not in their individual traits, but in the collective strength of common dreams and desires shared among so many. Although individual goals may have differed among the colonists, they shared a common desire to improve their lives. As they claimed land for their families, they advanced the boundaries of the nation. As they engaged in warfare with Indians, they subdued the indigenous people's claim to their native land and resources. As they made improvements in crops, roads and buildings, they began the infrastructure that would support the new nation. Their rebellion against perceived injustice, contributed to the larger rebellion that secured their independence. In this way, the course of individual lives directed the course of American history.

Just as individual stories combined to form the history of our nation, her history provides a framework for personal biographies. In the pages that follow, the settlement of colonial frontiers, the struggles of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, and the formation of a new government, provide the context for the story of the Blackley family as they built their lives along the Holston River on the American Frontier.

... to be continued in part 2...

Endnotes

1. Thomas Carlyle quote from his Critical and Miscellaneous Essays found in: Webster's Compact Dictionary of Quotations. (Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1992.), 160.
2. Blakely is the spelling used by my great, great, great, great grandfather, James Blakely. Blackley was the spelling used most often in reference to Charles (James' grandfather and the subject of this paper.) Other surname variations include: Blakeley, Blakley, Blackly, Bleakley, Bleakly, Blaikley, and Blakesley.

Descendants of Charles Blackley stated Charles was born in Ireland and came to America with his parents and siblings: "Capt. James Blakely", Portrait and Biogaphical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon, (Chicago, Illinois: The Chapman Publishing Company, 1903.), 1213-1214.

Dates, locations and the given names of his parents and siblings were not included in the information passed down and proof of these claims still needs to be found.

3. "Capt. James Blakely", Portrait and Biogaphical Record of the Willamette Valley, Oregon, 1213-1214.

4. Family Bibles or other family records are not cited as sources in the family histories, but it is possible they were referenced and not mentioned since very few source citations were provided.

Wright, George William, The Wright Family. (Albany, Oregon: Privately printed, 1929.), 88-89.

Williams, Carl, Sidelights on the Williams Family History, (Fort Pierce, Florida: Privately printed, 1940), 41-42.

Bjs

What was Davies' Fancy?

When I began my research into the Blakely branch of my family tree, I was fortunate to have been given information that went back a few generations to Charles Blakely and his wife Margaret Davis.  Family lore says Charles was born in Ireland and came to America as a boy.  He is said to have fought in the Battle of King's Mountain.  He lived in eastern Tennessee (Knox and/or Jefferson counties) where his grandson, James C. Blakely was born.  Since James C. was known to be a Presbyterian, and the Battle of King's Mountain was fought largely by Scots-Irish frorntiersmen, it was presumed that Charles was also Scots-Irish.  Other than Margaret's name, there was no information on her heritage or origins.  Although it would have been nice to have primary sources beyond oral histories, having the information was enough to get me started.
 

Fairly early in my search, I uncovered a land record in Southwest Virginia that seemed to fit "our' Charles Blakely.  The land is located in present-day Smyth county near its border with Wythe.  The record described borders with land owned by men named Davis.  Though not conclusive, it seemed likely those borderirng neighbors were relatives of Margaret -- her father, brothers, uncles or cousins.  This discovery provided encouragement that I could find more about the Blakely's life in Colonial America, but, I needed a plan for proceeding with my research, especially given the fact that I live nearly 3000 miles away.  I decided to begin with studies of the Scots-Irish in Colonial America and noticed the migratory pattern of many Oregon pioneers (including the Blakely's) was common to Scots-Irish living in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Tennessee during and after the Revolutionary War.
 

Armed with the Virginia land record and a belief that Charles and Margaret were part of a Scots-Irish community, I started searching for more evidence of their life in Virginia and Tennessee.  It was a challenge at first to reconcile references to Blackly, Blacly, Bleakley, Blakely, Blakeley, and Bickley with "my" Blakely's.  But I soon learned precision in spelling names was not of great import in Colonial times.  Furthermore, the vagaries of penmanship and translation add to the variation of recorded names, so I learned to look for corroborating evidence to determine when the name was a variation on Blakely and when  it was another family's name.  One name, Charles Bickley, remains in question.  Some references to  Bickley seem to fit while others point to another individual.  Perhaps in time, other evidence will surface to clarify the identity of Mr. Bickley.  In the meantime, there is ample evidence that Charles and Margaret lived near families named Davis on the headwaters of the middle fork of the Holston River.
 

Land records provided the key to Margaret's ancestry.  Contained within one of the "metes and bounds" land descriptions was a reference to a parcel as part of a larger parcel known as "Davies' Fancy".  Locating information on this parcel was relatively easy.  The land (1300 acres) was purchased by James Davies (Davis) from Stephen Holston (after whom the Holston River is named) in 1748.  The middle fork of the river begins on this property and a branch of the Great Wagon Road transects the land.  James Davies' home served as a traveler's waystation on that migratory trail and, during the French and Indian War, a fort for the protection of settlers in the area was erected there.  Records of James' transfer of part of the parcel to his sons lend credibility to my theory that Charles and Margaret acquired their land through Margaret's relationship to James.  Proof of the connection remains elusive so the search will continue.  In the meantime, I consider the discovery of  "Davies' Fancy" one of the gems of my genealogical mining.

 

Last fall, while my sister and I were on a trip to Washington, DC, we took a side trip to Southwest Virginia to find "Davies' Fancy".  It was a beautiful, early October day.  The sun was shining, there was a gentle breeze and the trees were sporting their autumn colors of green, gold and crimson.  With the benefit of an Appalachian Trail guidebook, we were able to locate a marker commemorating Davies' Fancy and hike through a portion of the property.  One of the photos we took that day serves as the title photo for this blog.  With the help of a local museum volunteer, we were also able to locate the Davis' homesite.  Although the historic house now standing on the property was built circa 1800, likely after James had died, it stands on what is believed to have been the original homesite.  (Perhaps the location of the old fort, as well.)  It is a charming, well-maintained, brick colonial on the old Lee Highway (successor to the Great Wagon Road).  What a thrilll it was to walk the land and imagine the lives of those who came before.  That I was able to share it with my sister on such a magnificient autumn day put it on the short list of treasured experiences in my life.  For me, "Davies' Fancy" is a beautiful memory.
 

Bjs

(Check out my SmugMug link for more pictures of last year's trek to "Davies' Fancy".)

Beginnings

My purpose in starting this blog is to give voice to some of the stories of my ancestors.  A few years ago I decided to take a course at the University of Washington to improve my genealogical research skills and extend the named branches of my family tree.  I succeeded in my goal of learning new and improving old research techniques and began to collect anecdotes about my ancestors, the Blakely's.  I also began to write the story of their lives in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Tennessee before, during and after the Revolutionary War.  Since completing the program, I've continued to research the Blakely's and other branches of my family and have made a few exciting discoveries.  However, I have not been as successful in giving voice to those stories.  My hope is this blog will be a way to bring small pieces of those stories to life and, in the future, it may serve as the basis of a more complete family history.
    

When I began researching my ancestry many years ago I was most interested in the more romantic and heroic members of the family.  We had a number of Oregon pioneers in our line --some of whom had towns named after them; some who were sheriffs; and a few whose lives spanned more than a century allowing them to maintain memories of multiple generations.  As I learned more history, grew older, had children, and realized heroism may occur in quiet, everyday acts as well as in bold, daring ones, I found my curiosity grew and my subjects expanded.  Glimpses of everday life became treasures.  Rather than merely names within a family group sheet or photos in a family album, the lives of my ancestors took form in my imagination and I developed a measure of affection for them.  I haven't always approved of what I've discovered or agreed with choices they made, but understanding the context of their lives makes it easier to understand their choices and the more concrete they become to me, the easier it is to accept their human foibles.  In learning their stories the broader history of their times is enriched for me. 
   

I hope as I tell their stories, their lives will also capture your interest and add color to the black and white pages of history.

Bonnie