N. N. BLAKE, farmer P.O Johnsonville, was born in Vermont January 27, 1832, to Samuel and Maria (Wood) Blake, natives of Vermont. The Blake family from which our subject sprang came from England in 1756, and settled in Salem, Mass. One branch of the family moved to New Hampshire, and Samuel Blake, our subject's grandfather, moved to Vermont from New Hampshire. Jasper Blake, the original in the country, was a Colonel in the army during the Revolutionary war.
Our subject's ancestry on his mother's side were of Scotch descent. Settling first in Massachusetts, but afterward in Vermont, and his grandfather Wood was a "minuteman" in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Lake Champlain.
In 1834, Samuel Blake and family moved from Vermont to Licking County, Ohio, and it was there he and wife died. They were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom yet survive.
Our subject was reared and educated in Ohio, first in the common schools, then he attended Denison University, at Granville, Ohio, also Oberlin College, of Oberlin, Ohio; but, on account of ill health, did not complete the full course. For a number of years, he made teaching his profession --- teachng in Ohio, Iowa and Illinois.
April 5, 1860, he was married, in Ohio, to Miss Mary P. Gardner, a native of Pennsylvania, and daughter of Aaron and Elizabeth Gardner, who came to Wayne County, Ill., in 1867, and died here.
Mr. and Mrs. Blake have ten children, nine of whom are living, viz.,
May 5, 1864, he entered the service of his country in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteeer Infantry, and served till August 30, 1864. He was detailed as carpenter, and was engaged in the building of Fort Ellsworth, Va., and while in the service contracted disease, which has affected his health since.
In November, 1867, he moved to Wayne County, Ill., and settled on his present farm of 120 acres.
He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In politics he is Republican.
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