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

Family Surname: It Was Blakey Not Blakley, Sorta

Enter dated: In the year 1985: My father's brother, Isaac and his wife, Anna moved to South Dakota in the 1930's. They discovered that the family surname was BLAKEY not BLAKLEY.


Photo of Isaac and Anna Charlotte (Lankford) Blakley

Some of my thoughts:

I think it was during the 1970's or early 1980's when I learn about the spelling of my family surname. It was spelled BLAKEY. Back then, I didn't know the reason why our surname was changed. But through family searching I made some discovers.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

My Father Working On A Farm

I was thinking about my father.
The following enters are about the same subject.
The years were 1926 and 1929.
I'm not for sure how long my father was on the farm.

Enter Dated August 5, 1978:

 (I added words)

(My ) Dad, age 13, Great Bend, Kansas, 1926.

(He) worked for a 1 year on a farm driving horse while men would sacked hay.

Enter Dated Dec 26, 1984:
When (my) father was 16, when (he) went to Great Bend, Kansas

....for a summer to work on a farm to drove horses.
(The year would have been in 1929.)

My father in Dec of 1976

Some of my thoughts.
My father's father passed when my father was about 5.

My father's mother passed when my  father was about 13.

My father's older siblings cared from him.

I just had a thought.

My dad was only 13 and 16 living in Kansas.
I didn't ask my father who he stayed with in Great Bend, Kansas.
He could have been with some of his brothers.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

My Father's Brother, Faris

Entry (Story) Told in 1984 (I added info)
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Father told me that he last saw his half brother, Faris (LYLE) when Faris was in the Air Force about in the 1940's. All he, (my father) remembered (was) that Faris wanted  him, (my daddy) to join the army etc. He , ( Faris) was 16 at the time. After serving his time, he got a job in NY and made his home (there). He married and had ? 8 children.
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Faris and Catherine LYLE

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 Research  And Some Thoughts
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Faris Chilton Lyle  was the son of  Chilton LYLE /  LYLES and Jennie (BARTLETT) BLAKEY / BLAKLEY LYLE / LYLES. Faris was born in  St. Joseph, Missouri in 1923. He enlisted in Kansas into the army  Fort Riley Branch Cavalry in 1941
He was a Sergeant. Faris married Catherine M. STRANGE in 1954.

They had 7 children and they lived in NY.
Tahir R. LYLE
Nejla LYLE (1955-1961)
Amer  Nazife LYLE
Kamal A. LYLE
Hamid Omar LYLE
Benjamin Hassan LYLE (1962-1994)
Abdel  H. LYLE

Faris  passed in Feb 2008 at the age of 84. He and his wife were buried in Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York. Their daughter, Nejla LYLE was buried there also.

I'm thankful that I had to honor to correspond and speak with my Uncle Faris on the phone. Also I have contacts with some of their grandchildren. I'm glad that we connected.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

Some Of My Father's Siblings

Entry Dated: Dec 27, 1983 ( I added the photos and info) On my father's side: Brothers / Sister



(Elder / Pastor John Blakley Jr.)
"Junior" John Jr. was a talker.



(Rev. Olbrey Pierson Blakley )
Pierson was  1 1/2 years older than my father, David.



(Mrs. Mary Jane (Blakley) Richardson)
Mary Jane was 1 1/2 years older than Pierson

 

(Mr. D.W. Blakley Sr. )
My father

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Some of my thoughts: Research

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I don't remember meeting my Uncle Junior.

He became a  Pastor/ Elder after his first wife, Lottie passed in 1961.

 

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Uncle Pierson passed on 20 years before I was born.
He was ordain as a reverend in 1939.

 

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I remember Aunt Mary.

She was a small woman. 

She was baked a lot.
We loved her cookies.

Aunt Mary sung in the church choir .

 There are so much that we don't know about our relatives.

I hope to make more discoveries.

Thanks for reading.

S.A. Blakley

Notes On My Parent's Parents

Entry date: November 5, 1982:  And Added (Info)

Father's side: Back in 1976, my father, (David) told me that he heard stories from old timers about his parents (John and Jennie)...that they were half Indians.

My father heard stories about his father's father, (Isaac BLAKEY) who lived in Forest Green, (MO). He knew little about his grandpa, (Isaac, who was a Civil War Veteran in MS and a former slave from MO.)

Entry date: August 5, 1977

My father told me "his mother, (Jennie) told him, (when he was young), that he was an little Indian boy."

Additional notes:
Cherokee on my father's side --- (my) Grandfather, (John)
Blackfoot on my mother's side-- (my) Grandmother (Mary)

My Grandmother, Mary and her daughter, my mother Lula.

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Some Thoughts and Research
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I have always be fascinated about who my ancestors were. My parents told what they heard. I've been trying to trace the Indian stories. I couldn't find any found any connections. I do have cousins on my father's side who are and have Indian ancestors.

I did searched census records, death records and what resources that were available that stated their race in their lifetime. Most stated that they were black or negro. There were some time mulatto was mention on my Grandmother, Mary's mother's family.

It's strange. Oral history states that their was Indians in our family lineage. Yet, they stated that they were black or negro.

Perhaps, there were ancestors who didn't want their descendants to know that there was some white ancestors in the family. So they said that they were American Indians. I didn't know. It's strange. I'll share my DNA results in October of 2015. 

Thanks for reading
S.A.Blakley

Tuesday's Treasure: My Father's Sister Geneva

Geneva (Lyle) Jones

Entry: Dated June 22, 1980
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My father was speaking to me about his sister Geneva. He said that Geneva was in a orphans home when she was growing up. The home was somewhere in the Lafayette street area.
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Some family connections  thoughts and research.
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I remember Aunt Geneva coming to visit my father. She was a short woman.  She attended some of our Blakley Blakey White Family Reunion. My father and Aunt Geneva had the same mother, Jennie Bartlett Blakley Lyle / Lyles.

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On the 1930 census. Aunt Geneva lived with others in the Northwestern Orphanage and Hospital  in St. Joseph, Missouri. Her brother Faris Lyle was there too.

Their mother passed on Dec of 1926. One can assume that their father wasn't able to care for his children. And other relatives couldn't help in raising them. Geneva was born on Sept 2, 1924. and her brother Faris was born on Sept 6, 1923. Geneva was about 2 and Faris was 3 when their mother passed.

On the 1940 census. Aunt Geneva and Uncle Faris were listed with brother O.P. Blakley and sister Mary Blakley.  Aunt Geneva married Carl Jones in 1944. They had 7 children. Carl William Jones Jr. Lawrence "Larry" Clayton Jones, Kenneth Leroy Jones, Clinton Lyle Jones, Marcella M. Jones, Floyd David Jones and Phillip Eugene Jones.

Geneva passed on December 12, 2005 in St. Paul, Minnesota at the age of 81. I'm thankful that I got to meet her and some of her children. Recently, I have come across some of her grandchildren. I hope come across more of my Lyle / Lyles Family Connections.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

My Father's Early School Days

This blog info was taken for my entry date July 5, 1982.
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My dad told me that he used to walk 5 miles to school.
He got up at about 5am. There were 5 blacks in school.
There was about 20 people in all.

The teacher eat a lot, made them work, read out loud.
My father mentioned that the teacher had a ball "of hair" on her head.

They had to bring their own lunch, if your didn't, you wouldn't to eat.
The school was from 8 am to 3 pm.
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Some thoughts:
I can't recall which school my dad said he went too.
There were only 5 blacks in this class...
This was well before desegregation.

Thanks for reading.
S.A.Blakley

Treasures: Jennie / Geneva (Bartlett) Blakley Lyles

Entry date: June 27, 1981

Notes: Grandmother on father's side... said to have died at age 41 years old. She had a number of children (20). Some were twins which died at birth.  She (Jennie) had to work odd jobs...to care for her family.

I've done some research on my Grandma Jennie.
I have searched the censuses, city directories, children's birth and death records and so forth. I was trying to find documents of Jennie's children. Here's some info I have discovered over the years. She came from a large family.

She went by Jennie. But, I have seen a few records mentioning her as Jeneva / Geneva. She was believe to have been born in May of 1883 to Elias and Harriett Bartlett in Carrolton, Missouri.  Her first husband was John Blakey / Blakley. They were married from 1902 to 1918.

Jennie became a widow. Her 2nd husband was Chilton Lyle / Lyles. They were married from 1920 - 1926. Jennie passed in December 29, 1926 at the age of 43.

My mother's mother Mary was a friend of Jennie. They were neighbors. Their children went to school together. And two of Mary's daughters would married into the Blakley family. From what my mother told me; from what her mother told her; Mrs. Blakley (Lyles) had 20 children.

I have come across records of all but three of her children. Jennie did have twin daughters. Some of Jennie's children died as infants. Only one known stillborn daughter.  Here's the order of birth of Jennie's children with the surnames spelled on birth or death records.

 Children born from 1902 to 1917
  Father: John Blakey / Blakley

 1.  Stillborn girl Blakey
 2.  Edna Blakley 

 

 3.  John Blakley Jr.  

 4.  Isaac Blakley 
 5.  Paul Blakley

 

 6.  Cecil Blakey  (female)

 7.  Juanita / Wanita Blakey

 

 8.  Mary Jane (Blakley) Richardson

 9.  Olbery Pierson Blakley

10. David W. Blakley

 

11. Hazel V. Blakley

12. Baby Boy Blakley

 

Children born 1920 - 1925

Father: Chilton Lyle / Lyles

13 Doris LYLES

14. Dorothy LYLES (Twin of Doris)

 

15 Faris Chilton LYLE 

16. Geneva (LYLE)  Jones

17. Edgar LYLE 

I was thinking.

I believe that my Grandmother Jennie did have 20 children. And that she told my Grandmother Mary... It could have been that Jennie had miscarriages. Or her 3 other children's death wasn't recorded.

 

(I found some of Jennie's children's birth or death recorded before 1909. I checked the index for births and death before 1909 at the city library.... )

 

It's sad to see that only 9 of Jennie's children lived to be at least 18. The others 11 lived less than a year:  from a stillborn, two days old, 6 to 11 months.

 

Jennie's child who lived the longest was Mary Blakley Richardson at age 89. She passed 2 months before her 90th birthday in 2001. Jennie's last surviving child, Faris C. Lyle lived to be 84. He passed on Feb 1, 2008.

 In Remembrance of my Grandmother Jennie.

Thank for reading.

S.A. Blakley

Tuesday's Treasures: My Dad Saw "Petty Boy" Floyd

Photo of my father.
It's the oldest photo I have of him.
I don't know he old he was in this photo.

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Entry dated Feb 4, 1985:
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My father was speaking to me about where he worked as a janitor in St. Joseph, Missouri.  And one day while he was working, he said he saw "Petty Boy" Floyd. My father was working in an apartment house on 22 St in the early 1930's.

I asked my father, was he for sure that the man he saw was Petty Boy Floyd? My father raised his voice and said, "YES!" He said he knew what "Pretty Boy" Floyd looked like! He said he recognized him by the newspapers. My father convinced me that the man he saw was "Pretty Boy" Floyd.
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I did google about "Petty Boy" Floyd.  His hang outs were in the Missouri area. There were rumors that Floyd was in St. Joseph, Missouri. ?? Well, according to my father, it appears that Mr. Charles Arthur Floyd made his way to Joetown, MO one day. 

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

My Father's Step Father, Chilton Lyles

In Remembrance of Chilton Lyles: My Step-Grandpa

Tuesday's Treasure:
This entry was  dated on  April 28, 1980. And on this day, I was speaking with my father. He was sharing  with me some things about his step father, Chilton Lyles.

My dad said, Mr. Lyles was from Troy, Kansas. And that his mother, (my father's mother, Jennie (Bartlett) Blakley Lyles) and his step father lived in the house where  my father's brother in law, Addison "Ad" Lankford use to live. It was a green house on Locust.

Mr. Lyles had some chickens etc...people stole some of them. The Lyles lived where the old Sears and Roebuck store use to be. My father's mother passed in her home. Mr. Lyles died on his farm in Troy, Kansas.
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Some research: The Chilton Lyles Family Connections
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I've been searching for info on Chilton Lyles. In the beginning, I couldn't find much on him. But, through the years, I've been coming across some things. According to the censuses, city directories and the Lyles children's' birth and or death records, I can assume the following.

Chilton Lyle was born about 1874 in Missouri. Another source states he was born about 1884. Another source states he was born in Kansas.  As I was searching, I noticed that his first name was spelled three ways; Chelton, Clinton or Chilton.

I believe he spelled his name Chilton. As for his surname it was spelled LYLE and LYLES. But, I'm not for sure which was the correct spelling.  I have come across his surname spelled as LYLES than LYLE.

This is Chelton / Chilton LYLES' name. I'm not for sure if it's his signature.

I don't know when Chilton married Jennie (Bartlett) Blakley. It could have been about 1919 or 1920. My father was about 7 or 8.  Jennie passed on in 1926. I have not located Chilton's death record. The last time he was listed in   Troy, Kansas' City directory on March 1, 1948. Perhaps 1948  or 1949 was the year he passed.
When Chilton passed away, my father said Mr. Lyles had a will. He left one of his guns to my father. However, he never received it.

I'm not for sure where Mr. Lyles  was laid to rest. He could have been buried in Troy, KS, Wathena, Kansas or White Cloud, Kansas. On the 1940 census he was living in Center, Doniphan, Kansas. Chilton was listed as single and was unable to work.

I'm not for sure, but I may have come across Chilton listed with his father, siblings or sons with the LYLES surname. I came across a Chilton LYLES with others in the same house in St. Joseph, Missouri as F. Chilton LYLES, Isaac LYLES,  and John LYLES. On another city directory, there was a Chilton LYLES,  Farris LYLES, Gilbert LYLES and John LYLES in the same household in Kansas City.

I hope to find more clues on my Lyles Family Connections. Also, I need to update some of my findings on  the Jennie (Bartlett) Blakley Lyles Family Connection. I have made some more discoveries.  I've over looked . My journey continues.

Tuesday's Treasure:
Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

My Mother's Grandmother: Maw

Tuesday's Treasure: 

One day my mother share with me something about her Grandmother Anna Laura (Washington) Allen Walters. I don't recall how the conversation came about. But, my mother told me that I walked like her Grandma. I laughed and said what? My mother said  to me, "You walk liked my Maw." In other works, my mother's mother was pigeon toed.
 
Some of the above information was taken from my notes; written on Leap Day, February 29 1980.

 Photo above the name of my  mother's Grandmother who was called Maw!
 This was taken from Anna's obituary February of 1947.

I have no photos of my Great Grandmother, Anna. Oh, how I wished I did. I do believe that there were photos of her. My mother's parents had photos. There are some much we can get out of photos.

I wonder. What other things that I (and others) do that reminds others of other relatives. It's nice to know. I'm thankful to know that I walked like my mother's grandma.

Thanks for reading.
S.A. Blakley

How Did My Parents Meet?

Photo of my parents in my mother's mother front room in the 1960's.

Tuesday's Treasures:

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The info below was taken from my notebook entry: October 19, 1980. I added and reworded of this entry. There were some things from my notes I didn't share. I choose to omit some.
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One day, I was talking to my mother about how she met my father. "My mother told me the story of a guy that liked her. He liked her so much he asked my father to date my mother and put in some good words for him. This guy was serious.

This guy paid my father to go out with my mother. Yes! My father took the money and dated my mother...And the rest is history.

My parent went together for 2 years....My father made arrangements to get married....And they eloped in Kansas in 1937. My  father's step father, Chilton F. Lyle was a witness to the marriage. Rev Bell married my parents in his home in Kansas.
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I recall that my mother said that she met my father in her father's house. The same house that's in the picture above. My parents' parents knew each other. They didn't live to far from each other.

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I'm thankful for the parents that the Lord blessed me with.

Thanks for reading,
S.A.Blakley

Tracing My Parents' Ancestors

 Photo of the front cover of my Family History notebook,
There are some notes I took on what my parents shared with me about their ancestors.

Tuesday's Treasures: 

 My first entry: My father's father Blakey / White family connections came from Africa in 1843 and my mother's mother family connections were in St. Joseph, MO in the 1860's and maybe before this.

My Great Grandmother was Anna Laura Washington (Allen) Walters. She was born in St. Joseph, Missouri on June 13, 1867.  She was the daughter of William / John Washington and Susan (Leach) Washington.

I have come a long ways from this first entry...

As look back over this entry, I can say that I can trace my ancestors on my father's side back to Mrs. Hannah Hooper who was born about 1767 and on my mother's side back to Mrs. Delilah "Lillie" Lewis was born about 1785.

I thank God that I've come as far as I have. So thankful for family connections. And for those who past down what they know about their ancestors. Thank You, Jesus!

Thanks for reading,
S.A. Blakley