I was re reading some of the old family letters. Two of my cousin spoke of a John Blake who was a son of Josh or Joshua White. Joshua was the son of Andrew and Julia White.
According to my cousins, Josh White had three daughters and a son named John. Joshua died. John was raised by a large family with the BLAKE surname. The cousins didn't mention about Josh's three daughters.
I searched the census looking for this John Blake. I believe that I've found him. I saw at least to coincidences. I first notice on the 1910 census that there was a John Blake with wife Arrette. There was a Mattie White listed with them.
This Mattie was born about 1877 in MO. Mattie was a widow. She had 5 children. Only 4 were living at the time the census was taken. However, the children's names were not listed with Mattie.
I searched to back track and to find out who was this Mattie White?. I saw that this Mattie may have been counted twice on the 1910 in Howard County. I came across a Mattie White who was a widow with 5 children with one deceased. She was listed with her 4 children.
I searched records to find out; who was John Blake? I came across one John who fits the description on what my cousins spoke about. John was raised in a large family. This John was listed on the 1900 census with Louis and Mary Blake. John was Louis' step son.
As I continued to search for John Blake, I saw some similarities. He was the same John listed with Mattie on the 1910 census. John later was divorce some time before 1930. Louis was listed as John's father on the 1920 and 1930 census. Also on the WW II draft Louis was listed as John's father. John was born in 1880.
In my later search, I discovered more about John. I located his death record and pieced together who John Blake could have been. John H. Blakey was born on May 29, 1880 in Fayette, MO. His mother was Mary Anna Johnson or Potte.
Mary was born on Dec 4, 1865 and passed away on April 15, 1918 in Howard County MO. Her parents were Merritt Potte and Becky Bentley. Mary married Louis Blake in 1885.
John's the father's first name on John's death is a ? It appears to start with the letter J. It appears to James not Louis Blake. John's surname was listed as Blake. Louis was the son of Ceaser and Trusty Blake
Mary had about 12 children: John her first born then Merritt, William, Nellie, Rector, Oscar, George , Frank, Eleanor, Maggie, Corine, (1907 - 1967) and Swetzie Blake.
I'm not for sure if this John had any children. He was listed with a son named Cortez Jaco, He was born about 1926 in Missouri. and Harold Valentine born about 1927 in MO. Cortez and Harold could have been his nephews. But I'm not for sure.
It appeared that John carried the BLAKE surname through out his life. His surname wasn't BLAKEY. John may have never know that Josh White was his father.
John passed away on Oct 5, 1930 in Hannibal, Missouri. He was listed as a widow and a barber. Nettie Black was the informant on John's death record. I reached for Nettie Black. She was John's sister.
Perhaps some one will come across this website and clarify some things.
Thanks for reading.
Family Connections: Gathering The Generations
