CHARLES B. BLAKESLEE, FORMER LAKE SKIPPER AND PIONEER, EXPIRES

CHARLES B. BLAKESLEE, 75, one-time Great Lakes captain and pioneer resident of Okem[o]s, died here Sunday at the home of his daughter, MRS. LENA POWELL, with whom he had resided seven years.

In former years Capt. Blakeslee ran a boat livery on the west side of Grand river, maintaining a service between Grand Rapids and Spring lake and hiring boats to the public. For 13 years he worked in the Pere Marquette shops, but about two years ago was forced to quit active work because of ill health.

Besides Mrs. Powell, Capt. Blakeslee is survived by another daughter, MRS. LUCILLE LANE, two sons, CLARENCE and FRED; a stepson, EDWARD MURPHY; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Tues., Oct. 29, 1929, Pg. 2, Col. 2, Art. 2

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CHARLES BLAKESLEE, age 75, passed away Sunday afternoon at the home of his daughter, MRS. LENA POWELL, 2201 Buchanan ave., SW. Surviving are another daughter, MRS. LUCILLE LANE, and two sons, FRED and CLARENCE, all of Grand Rapids. The body was removed to Greenhoe's home for funerals where services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:30. Burial in Garfield Park cemetery

THE GRAND RAPIDS HERALD, Grand Rapids, Mich., Mon., Oct. 28, 1929, Pg. 2, Col. 4, Obit. 2

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NOTE: According the Charles' 1906 marriage record to his second wife, Veronica S. Murphy Steinbach, his parents are RUEL BLAKSLEE & ANNE WASHBURN, and his 1929 obituary claims he was a pioneer resident of Okemos in Ingham Co. Therefore, I believe that FOREMAN BLAKESLEE latter adopted the name of CHARLES B. BLAKSLEE.

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1860 U.S. CENSUS, VEVAY, INGHAM CO., MI, 29 June 1860
Blakeslee, R., 45, Hotel Keeper, b. VT
Blakeslee, Ann E., 36, b. NY
Blakeslee, Maver, 18, Farm Laborer, b. NY
Blakeslee, Oscar, 16, Farm Laborer, b. NY
Blakeslee, Oliver, 14, b. NY
Blakeslee, Chauncey, 13, b. MI
Blakeslee, Milson, 10, b. MI
BLAKESLEE, FOREMAN, 6, b. MI
Blakeslee, Jas. P., 4, b. MI
Blakeslee, S.A., 1, b. MI
Live in Hotel.

1870 U.S. CENSUS, LESLIE, INGHAM CO., MI, 13 August 1870
Blakesley, Ruel, 56, Day Laborer, b. VT
Blakesley, Ann Eliza, 45, Keeping House, b. NY
BLAKESLEY, FOREMAN, 16, Farm Laborer, b. MI
Blakesley, S.A., 10, At School, b. MI
Blakesley, L.A., 4, b. MI

1880 U.S. CENSUS, PORTER, ROCK CO., WI, 10 & 16 June 1880
Mayhew, Joseph, 55, Farmer, b. England (Parents b. England)
Mayhew, Mary (Wife), 65, Keeping House, b. Scotland (Parents b. Scotland)
Pratt, Ellen (Adopted Dau.), 20, b. WI (Parents b. Scotland)
Towns, Bennie (Adopted Son), 12, b. England (Parents b. England)
Murphy, James (Servant), 30, Farm Laborer, b. WI (Parents b. Ireland)
BLAKESLEY, CHAS. (Servant), 25, Farm Laborer, b. WI (Parents b. NY)
NOTE: Charles' first wife, Mary, was born in Wisconsin and they were married around this time period. There is a possibility that this MIGHT be him in the 1880 U.S. Census (could find no Charles or Foreman Blakeslee in Michigan in the same census), allowing for the typical census errors...in this case, place of birth.

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GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN CITY DIRECTORIES, 1889-90
Name: CHARLES B BLAKESLEE
Location 2: 6 S Front
Business Name: G R Stave Co
Occupation: teamster
Year: 1889
City: Grand Rapids
State: MI

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KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN, DEATH RECORDS, PG. 93
Record No. 5454 - CHARLES B. BLAKESLEE, d. 26 April 1890, Grand Rapids (9th Ward), 9 Yrs., b. MI. Charles died of Diphtheria. He is the son of Charles B. & Mary Blakeslee, of Grand Rapids.
Record No. 5455 - SARAH BLAKESLEE, d. 28 Sept. 1890, Grand Rapids (9th Ward), 7 Yrs., b. MI. Sarah died of Diphtheria. She is the dau. of Charles B. & Mary Blakeslee, of Grand Rapids.
Record No. 5456 - TRACY BLAKESLEE, d. 13 May 1890, Grand Rapids (9th Ward), 2 Yrs., b. MI. Tracy died of Diphtheria. He is the son of Charles B. & Mary Blakeslee, of Grand Rapids.
NOTE: Of the three children, I only find a record for Charles' burial in the PGS Section of Oakhill Cemetery in Grand Rapids.

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1900 U.S. CENSUS, GRAND RAPIDS (9th Ward), KENT CO., MI, 2 June 1900
BLAKESLEY, CHAS. B. (Head), 46, b. Aug. 1854, MI (Parents b. NY), Married 20 Yrs., Boat Liveryman
Blakesley, Mary (Wife), 37, b. Aug. 1862, WI (Parents b. Germany), Married 20 Yrs., Mother of 5 Children - 2 Living
Blakesley, Frederick (Son), 15, b. May 1885, MI (Father b. MI / Mother b. WI), At School
Blakesley, Mary M. (Daughter), 10, b. Apr. 1890, MI (Father b. MI / Mother b. WI), At School
Mertes, Mary (Mother-in-Law), 67, b. Feb. 1823, Germany (Parents b. Germany), Widow, Mother of 9 Children - 5 Living, Came to U.S. in 1847
Hoenika, Lois (Boarder), 2, b. July 1897, MI (Parents b. Germany)
Hoenika, Edward (Boarder), 11/12, b. Jun. 1899, MI (Parents b. Germany)
Live at 590 So. Front.

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MUSKEGON COUNTY, MICHIGAN, MARRIAGE RECORDS (1906), Pgs. No. 268-269, Record No. 6038 – CHAS. B. BLAKSLEE & VERONICA S. MURPHY STEINBACH, married 12 September 1906, Muskegon, [Muskegon Co., MI]. CHARLES (Boat Livery), 43, b. Michigan, is the son of RUEL BLAKSLEE & ANNE WASHBURN. VERONICA, 33, b. Michigan, is the daughter of JOSEPH STEINBACH & MARY VOGT. Married by Elliott D. Prescott, Judge of Probate. Witnesses: Fred J. Blakslee & Alen or Aten J. Blakslee, Muskegon. Charles & Veronica had each been married once previously.

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1910 U.S. CENSUS, GRAND RAPIDS (9th Ward), KENT CO., MI, 22 April 1910
BLAKESLEE, CHARLES (Head), b. MI (Parents b. U.S.), 2nd Marriage, Married 4 Yrs., Driver - Gravel Wagon
Blakeslee, Verona (Wife), 34, b. MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. Canada), 2nd Marriage, Married 4 Yrs., Mother of 2 Children - Both Living
Blakeslee, Lena (Daughter), 20, b. MI (Parents b. MI), Single, Machine Hand - Fly Paper Co.
Blakeslee, Clarence (Son), 2, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Murphy, Edward W. (Step Son), 8, b. IL (Parents b. MI)
Live at 590 South Front St.

1920 U.S. CENSUS, GRAND RAPIDS (1st Ward), KENT CO., MI, 13 January 1920
BLAKESLEE, CHARLES (Head), 65, b. MI (Father b. NY / Mother b. PA), Machine Operator - Car Shops
Blakeslee, Varonica (Wife), 44, b. MI (Father b. Germany / Mother b. Canada-Eng.)
Blakeslee, Clarence (Son), 12, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Blakeslee, Lucille (Daughter), 9-9/12, b. MI (Parents b. MI)
Murphy, Edward (Step-Son), 18, b. IL (Parents b. MI), Airbreaker - Car Shops
Live at 760 Wealthy