My Father's Family Surname

Entry dated Dec 5, 1983
My father said "that when he was young, he heard that the name Blakey was taken off a billboard. Old timers said this (when Isaac was passing on his way south to Mississippi?)

Some thoughts and research info

I asked my father, why the family surname was spelled Blakey? He said that he didn't know why. But, that was what he heard the older relatives said how to spell the family surname. My father said that he was taught to spell the family surname Blakley.

As I've done some research, a cousin told me some thing similar to what my father said. Also this cousin said that it was a barber shop billboard. There was a story behind it. But, my cousin didn't get to share that story with me. 

While I kept searching on my family history, I discovered something interesting bout the family history. Some of the former slave family members took the White surname. But, Isaac took the Blakey surname. It's interesting to know that the former slave-owner Frances Blakey's maiden name was WHITE.

The slave family was divided before the Civil War broke out. Then after the war, the former slaves gathered as a family. Only Isaac took the Blakey surname. Perhaps it was because Isaac became a free man and joined the Union Army in Natchez, MS in 1863.

Another twist to the story about the family surname. It's ironic that Isaac's surname in the Civil War was  BLAKER.  How he came up with that surname a mystery. That's odd.

Perhaps he couldn't use his former surname as a slave. So the R was replace the Y. Isaac stated that his name was Isaac Blakey as he applied to pension benefits. There was no record of Isaac Blakey on file. Though Isaac did prove that he was Isaac Blaker.

As for the blakey surname, the name could have been how people thought  it should have been spelled. Or it's how it sound when people heard it.  It's so with the Blakley surname. My Grandpa John Blakey changed the surname to Blakley. Indeed that surname has been spelled Blakely and  other ways as well. 

I ordered a birthday 🎂. Here's my last name I saw on the box.
 I had a smile on my face...and said I'm here for the BLAKEY 🎂. Yes, I calmed it. 

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley