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Do not overlook E W Blake family data and diary, which has been uploaded to Wikitree, and is essentially an Autobiography of his life.
Summarized here: Ebenezer W Blake was born in Cumberland Maine. His earliest memories were of soldiers parading in the street at the time of the War of 1812. He was apprenticed as a saddler, a trade which he didn't think he was very well trained for - most of his work life involved farming. Because he kept a lifelong diary we have a wealth of information about his daily life, and of people and places around him. He tried shopkeeping in Bridgton, Maine and owned property in nearby Harrison. He spent additional time in Bartlett (New Hampshire), Lovell, Sweden and Sacarappa (all in Maine) before moving with his wife, Maria G Nelson, to Lyman (soon to become Monroe) New Hampshire, where Maria's family lived. Even in that area he lived for a time in McIndoes Falls and St. Johnsbury Vermont, and owned more than one home and farm acreage in the Monroe area. He also made return visits to family in Maine.
He often felt put upon by life - he was always concerned about his health. He was involved in numerous law suits with neighborhood adversaries. He had a family of 5 children, but tragically lost 3 of them within a 14-month span, and another daughter at age 18. Even his son-in-law predeceased him, leaving only his wife and his daughter, Helen Angeline (Blake) Jones.
He wrote and recorded poetry in his diary, he was an ardent abolitionist, and he preserved memories of the final days of his children's illnesses - all of this wonderfully detailed in his diary. He and his family are buried in the North Monroe Cemetery, Monroe, New Hampshire.
See details at: Diary of Ebenezer W Blake
Ebenezer Blake continued his diary up to June 1874. He died 27 Oct 1874[1] His final entry in his 137 page diary on June 1, 1874 is: "It is a litle cooler to day. My strength is still failing; books feel twice as heavey as they did a few months ago. My hands are dry and feverish. Pulse raped and weak. I am compelled to take opiates to get rest, I must soon cross over to the other side. I desire the other side; but the crossing over is another thing" [2]
Ebenezer W Blake was b. 13 Jan 1810 in Bridgton, Cumberland, ME[3] Ebenezer gives this same date in his diary, p5: "I am the third son, and fourth child of seven children. I was born in Bridgton, State of Maine, on the thirteenth day of Jany 1810 I can well remember wearing my childes dress, the gown; and the last war with England is fresh in my recollection. " [all spelling is as given in his diary]
His middle name has not been noted in any records but it is probably "Whitney," his mother's maiden name.[4]
[All spelling from Blake's diary are as recorded by him in the original]
1823 - "At the age of 13 I went to Fryeburg to learn the saddlers trade of Eben How"[5]
1823-1829 Ebenezer returned to work with his brother James in Bridgton in the saddler's trade. Then "I worked a while in north Bridgton. I then set up in the town of Harrison and carried on saddleing and harness making in that place between two and three years, at which time my health became unusualy poor."[6]
1829 - 1834 "I then left my trade, and in the fall of 1829 engaged as clerk in a store under John Willett Bridgton, where I remained about two years at the end of which time I opened a small store in Bartlett N.H. AD 1831 where I remained in buisness untill April A.D. 1834"[7]
22 Apr 1829 Ebenezer of Harrison, saddler, buys from (his brother) James L Blake of Bridgton, land in Harrison beginning at the road on the NE corner of a lot Joel Whitman[8] bought of Lewis Smith from thence to the front of the range of buildings belonging to Otis Carter and others, thence NE’rly 17 feet, then E to aforesaid road, thence on said road 17 feet. [9]
1830 Census, "Eben Blake" living in Harrison, Cumberland, Maine, 1M 20-30[10]
30 Jun 1830 Ebenezer, of Harrison, saddler, buys of James L Blake of Bridgton, saddler, land in Harrison with all buildings thereon, same premises Thomas J Carter sold to me 30 Nov 1829 (on the road from Otis Carter’s Inn to Portland, NE of Joel Whitmore’s lot, which he purchased of Lewis Smith, to Long Pond, then N 6 rods then parallel to aforesaid line to highway aforesaid, on road 6 rods to beginning, ~3/4 acre.) [11]
(aft 1831) - Ebenezer of Bartlett, Carroll, New Hampshire, trader, and Jonathon Seavey of Bridgton, Cumberland, ME, blacksmith, and Ezra C Kilgore of Lovell, Oxford...paid by Cyrus K Conant of Harrison in Cumberland, physician....sell him land in Harrison with house, barn, saddler’s shop, formerly occupied by James L Blake in Harrison Village that James L sold to Ebenezer W Blake by 2 deeds. [12]
1831-1833. "Eben W Blake" is mentioned in the Town records of Bartlett, New Hampshire for those years, mentioning a store, stock, horse and carriage for assessment purposes[13]
1834 Ebenezer sold his small store in Bartlett, New Hampshire, to E C Kilgore[14]
1836 Lovell, Oxford, Maine, spent “about one year”[15]
Blake tavern at Nevers Corner. |
1838 in Sweden, Oxford, Maine, with a tavern and 30 acres of land. [17]
1838 14 Oct - Ebenezer, of Sweden, Maine, sells to Sarah Perley 1/2 acre of lot #2 3rd division, adjoining dist #7 school, land he bought of Ezra Kilgore in 1834[18]
1841 March - Ebenezer and Maria were still living in Sweden, Maine when daughter Ann Augusta was born: "In March 21st 1841 at Sweden was born to us our second child, Ann Augusta Gibson." [19]
1842 He was back in Bridgton Maine, living with his father Freeman Blake [20]
Dec 1842 The Blakes moved to Sacarappa Maine. His youngest brother was practicing law there. Eben engaged in business with Wm Bailey, in the harness business. [21]
May 1843 moved back to father’s in Bridgton for the summer. "In June 1st 1843 at Bridgton was born our third child, Lima Mohalba. " [22]
Oct 1843 bought brother Stephen’s farm in Sweden, Maine 1.5 miles “from my father’s”[23]
Jul 1844 of Sweden, Eben and his wife receive $60 for Maria’s right in 1/4 acre of land in Lyman, New Hampshire, North east of “Blodget and Bufum Store” on west side of river road, (sold to Daniel Blodget, Jr[24]
Sep 1845 Eben sold the farm in Sweden Maine back to his brother Stephen[25]
15 Nov 1845 the Blakes bought 90 acres in Lyman New Hampshire of Richard M and Margaret Nelson "We now being situated on the same land that my wife's father used to own and live on, and near by her brother Richard Nelson, and a friend of mine, and in the amediate neighbourhood of two other brothers of hers and many of her old acquaintance, we felt more like being at home than we had for a long time before." [26][27] This parcel was then sold to Noah Moulton[28] in 1855 [29], and then once again repurchased by John B Jones, with a mortgage held by Maria G Blake.[30]
1850 census: Lyman, New Hampshire. Ebenezer W Blake, age 40, farmer. Maria G Blake, 38, 4 children[31]
Apr 1856 moved to McIndoe Falls, Vermont, about 4 miles away. "At McIndoes, I hired of one Moses L. Duncan house rent at 75 dollars per year in connexion with store and shop rent in the same building at 25 dollars per year, makeing my rent 100 dollars."[32]
Sep 1857 moved back to Monroe, moving in to rent Orrin Ferguson’s house.[33]
Oct 1857 "In Oct of this automn, I, in company with Mr John Jones determoned to visit my native state, to once more see my Father, Mother, brother and friends in that reigeon."[34]
1860 census, Monroe, Grafton, New Hampshire, dwelling 458[39]
• Ebenezer W, age 50, b. Maine.
• "Mariah G" age 45, born New Hampshire
• Adda M age 10, born in Maine
• Fremont Wright age 12, born Vermont. (not a child of Blake)
John B Jones and his family were also living in the same dwelling.
Aug 1866 "20th, Sold our farm to J.B. Jones, for 1625 dollars." [40]
Sep 1867 bought a home in Lower Waterford, Vermont. "Dec 3d [1867] Commenced Harness work in this Place, Lower Waterford, Vt. with H.H. Gordon as principle workman, at two dollars per day."[41]
"Feby 20th 1870 We have sold out here at Waterford. We think of going down to Monroe to Angelines. It seems most like home to us - now.
John B and Helen Jones were living on current Rt 135, about halfway between the Barnett Bridge and the McIndoes Falls bridge[42]
"March 2d We are now at Anges, just got moved."[43]
1870 Federal Census, Monroe, Grafton, New Hampshire. [44]
• John B Jones, 35, farmer, born Vermont
• Helen A Jones, 33, born Maine
• Kate A Jones, 10, b. New Hampshire
• Addie M Jones, 10/12, born New Hampshire
• Eben W Blake, 60, "no occupation", born Maine
• Maria G Blake, 55, b. New Hampshire
• George Haslett, farm laborer, born Canada
See also:
Ebenezer W Blake Family Diary, Compiled by Seale, Robert Henry and Seale, Robert H., MD, Diary of Ebenezer W Blake, © 2018
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