Thomas Wakefield Blackburn (1913 - 1992)

Born 23 Jun 1913 in Raton, Colfax, New Mexico, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Juanita Hazel (Alsdorf) Blackburn — married 6 Jul 1937 in Los Angeles, California, United States

Descendants

Died 2 Aug 1992 at age 79 in Glenwood Springs, Garfield, Colorado, United States

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Biography

Thomas Blackburn is Notable.

This profile is part of the Raton, New Mexico One Place Study.

Thomas was born to Howard Wakefield Blackburn and Edith Pervine Herrington on 23 June 1913.^[1][2][3]

Tom is notable for being a lyricist, screenwriter, and author of novels in the westerns genre.^[3] In the mid-1950s, Blackburn worked in the story department at Walt Disney's studio and it was there that, in addition to working on the Davy Crockett films and teleplays, he became a composer. Most notably for composing the hit title song "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" for the television show.^[3]

In 1937, Tom married Juanita Alsdorf.^[4][5][3]

1. Stephanie^[5][3]
2. Gary^[3]
3. Tom^[3]

In 1940, he was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best First Novel for Tumbleweed with Spurs, a non-Western mystery book that starred Sam Spade, a detective.

Thomas received approximately 30 Spur awards for his novels. His non-Western novel "A Good Day to Die", which takes place during the American Revolution, Tom W. Blackburn was awarded one of the 1967 Western Writers of America Spur Awards for Best Historical Novel.

Thomas credits his mother Juanita as a literary hero.

Tom passed away on 2 August 1992.^[6][3]

His literary works include: (a non-exhaustive list)

• Tumbleweed with Spurs (1940)
• Range War (1949)
• Raton Pass (1950) (novel & screenplay)
• Short Grass (1950) (novel & screenplay)
• Broken Arrow Range (1951)
• Navajo Canyon (1953)
• Sierra Baron (1955)
• Buckskin Man (1958)
• A Good Day to Die (1967)
• Compañeros (1978)
• The Trail of Whitened Skulls (2006) (collected works)
• Castle Town (1952)
• Johnny Tremaine (1957)
• Yanqui (1973)^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLF-LC3 : 31 January 2021), Thomas W Blackburn in entry for Howard W Blackburn, 1920.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7WT-QRY : accessed 3 August 2021), Thomas W Blackburn in household of Howard W Blackburn, Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 79, sheet 6B, line 71, family 29, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 235; FHL microfilm 2,339,970.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} "Obituaries - Thomas Blackburn" database w/images (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 20 Apr 2021) The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado) 04 Aug 1992, Tue Page 8
4. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8J1-JM8 : 9 March 2021), Thomas Wakefield Blackburn and Juanita Alsdorf, 06 Jul 1937; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 2,114,024.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9WG-468 : 5 January 2021), Thomas Blackburn, Santa Monica Judicial Township, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 19-756, sheet 62A, line 2, family 404, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 256.
6. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V95J-Y3Y : 11 January 2021), Thomas W Blackburn, 02 Aug 1992; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
7. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Tom_W._Blackburn

• Wikidata: Item Q3525642, en:Wikipedia
• Thomas W. Blackburn on IMDb
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 08 April 2020, 01:29), entry for Thomas Wakefield Blackburn (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LTPS-XWZ ); contributed by various users.