Individual Details
Benjamin Franklin Blakeney
(21 Apr 1859 - 16 Jun 1947)
1860 Census. Choctaw Co AL, Bladen Springs P.O.
Frank Blakeney age 26, b. S. Carolina; Susan age 21, b. AL
Wm A. age 4 and Olivia A. age 2, both born in Mississippi. Benjamin F. age 1 & born Alabama.
In 1870. Choctaw Co AL, Butler P.O. Possibly the same man with a new wife and blended family. Household 280
Francis Blakeney, age 36, Farmer, born SC. M. J. age 45, Keeping house, b. AL
Wm age 15, b. MS. Austin 14, Annie 12 [Olivia A?], Laure 10 [female] and Banks age 10 [male, could this be B. F.?], James age 8. All born in Alabama. Hiram age 60, born in SC also lives with the family. James age 14, a Black boy, born in AL is also in the household. All are listed with the Blakeney surname.
FindAGrave lists Frank Blakeney as his father; says he died 1899 and is buried Kershaw City Cemetery, Kershae, Lancaster Co, SC. Seems more likely that he died in Alabama.
B. F.'s death certificate solved the problem of his parents. It did state his father was Frank and that B. F. was born in Charleston, SC. [it does seem likelier that his father was born in South Carolina, but Benjamin F. in Alabama.]
1880 Census. Fannin Co, TX. B. F. Blakeney, age 21 lived in the household of P. M. Green, wife Annie, and two sons. Blakeney was a brother-in-law. He was born in AL; his father born in SC and his mother born in AL
1900 Census. Listed in Bonham with all the children. He was born in AL, parents born in SC.
1910 Census. Lived at 306 10th Street, Bonham. Stated they had 7 children, 6 living. Mary, Myrtle, George listed in the Census. M. J. Haden, Olive's mother was also living with them.
Found in 1920 Census in Bonham. Myrtle and George still living at home, Daughter Grace Rountree and her child Mary Louise, age 8, also live with them. Grace is marked as "married" not widowed or divorced. There were probably other children.
1930 Census. Ben F. Blakeney, age 70, widowed, b. AL, father b. in SC, mother b. AL. Payne Roundtree, son-in-law, age 47, b. TX; his father b. GA, mother b. TX. Salesman in Retail Shoes. Grace Roundtree, daughter, age 44, 23 when married. Mary L. age 19, still at home.
On 21 April 1934, Joe B. Haden noted in his diary that it was "Mr. B. F. Blakeney's birthday".
"Fannin County Folks and Facts" says his ancestors came from Limerick County Ireland and was first de Blakeney. They settled in South Carolina, moving to Alabama and Missouri. Four of their seven children were born on W. 10th Street in Bonham. Ben was co-owner of a dry good store - White, Blakeney, and Fuller.
1900 Census shows a George Blakeney living in Ladonia, b. 1846, with 5 children still at home, Frank born 1872 with wife and young daughter. They were also in the dry goods business. George says he was born in SC as were his parents. Frank born in TX although he states his father born in NC.
Benjamin died in the Hospital in Bonham; he had lived there in Bonham for 63 years. The current address was 314 W. 10th St. He died of congestive Heart Failure and senility; son Joe B. Blakeney was informant for the death certificate [he lived in San Angelo, TX at that time]. Father listed as Frank; mother's name not given.
Buried Willow Wild Cemetery next to Olive and daughter Grace and her husband William Rountree. CEMETERY INSCRIPTIONS - FANNIN COUNTY TEXAS, Dean & Patrician Newhouse, Vol. 3, 1982.
Events
Birth | 21 Apr 1859 | Alabama | |||
Marriage | 15 Dec 1880 | Fannin County, Texas - Olive Marian "Ollie" Haden | |||
Death | 16 Jun 1947 | Bonham, Fannin County, Texas |
Families
Spouse | Olive Marian "Ollie" Haden (1855 - 1924) |
Child | Joe Ben Blakeney (1883 - 1971) |
Child | Grace Blakeney (1886 - 1945) |
Child | Thurman Allen Blakeney (1888 - 1933) |
Child | [Daughter] Blakeney (1890 - 1890) |
Child | Mary Alice Blakeney (1892 - 1958) |
Child | Myrtle Blakeney (1895 - ) |
Child | George Stuart Blakeney (1899 - 1956) |
Endnotes
1. US Census 1920 TX Fannin County (LDS Microfilm #1821803; NA T-625; Roll 1803), Bonham City, Ward 1; Household 102.
2. Rossiter Johnson, Editor, The 20th Century Biographical Distionary of Notable Americans; 10 Vol. Part of "American Biographical Library" from Ancestry Reference Library on CDRom, 1998 Edition. (Boston: The Biographical Society, 1904).
3. US Census 1900 TX, Fannin Co (LDS Microfilm #1241633 & #1241632), Bonham City, ED62; p.91b, Household 158.
4. Joseph Benjamin Haden (Personal writings).
5. Vital Records Index - North America Family History resource Fille: Marriages, Births, Christenings. Set of 7 CD Roms. (Latter Day Saints; c1998).
6. Texas Marriages 1837-1973; online; Historical Records; Family Seacrh; https://familysearch.org.
7. Fannin County Folks and Facts; A Collection of Historical Sketches and Family Histories Written by the Families and Friends of Fannin County. (Taylor Publishing; 1977) Microfiche #6050171, Family History Library [FHL], Salt Lake City, Utah., p.113-114.