William Blackwood
William Blackwood, retired farmer and stock-dealer, Orrville, Ohio, is a native of Perry County, Penn., and is a son of Joseph and Hester Blackwood, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Lancaster County, Penn. They were married in Perry County, Penn., and lived there until 1817, when they immigrated to the then western State of Ohio, locating first in Miami County, but a few years after buying a farm in Shelby County, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Joseph Blackwood was an industrious man, was well-educated for those times, and for many years was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, of which all the family were members. He was born March 17, 1779, and died December 23, 1851, aged seventy-two years and nine months. His wife was born in February, 1784, and died September 22, 1865, aged eighty-one years and nine months. They were married June 25, 1805, and were the parents of eight children, of whom William is the eldest; next came Polly Ann, born October 18, 1808, who died in Pennsylvania; John, born May 25, 1810, immigrated to Iowa, and died there; Mary, born October 25, 1813, is the wife of David Dey, and lives in Iowa; Margaret, born February 11, 1816, is the wife of Thomas Skillen, and lives in Shelby County, Ohio; Robert, born May 26, 1819, was killed October 31, 1874, by a runaway team; Eliza Ann, born April 2, 1822, is the wife of Henry Young, and lives in Quincy, Mich.; Sarah Jane, born December 3, 1826, became the wife of John Lawrence, and died in Shelby County, Ohio, September 20, 1854.
William Blackwood was born near Landisburgh, Penn., April 29, 1806, and was eleven years old when his parents came to Ohio. He worked at home until he was twenty-two years old, when he went back to Pennsylvania, stopping in Cumberland County the first year, and then going to work on the canal, subsequently teaming between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and again on the canal, and at various kinds of work. In the fall of 1831 he returned to Ohio, visiting a few weeks with his future wife's people, who had a short time before emigrated from Cumberland County, Penn. On February 16, 1832, he was married at Wooster, Wayne Co., Ohio, to Miss Hannah, daughter of David and Elizabeth Gardner. She was born in Cumberland County, Penn., June 5, 1812, and died in Orrville, September 23, 1882. They were the parents of seven children, viz.: Elizabeth, born February 3, 1833, wife of Samuel Taggart, Joseph, born August 28, 1835, Mary, born October 8, 1837, all living in Orrville; Sarah, born December 13, 1839, is the wife of James Brown, of Akron, Ohio; John, of whom further mention is made below; William, born October 21, 1844, lives on his father's farm in East Union Township, Wayne County; and David G., born October 30, 1850, is a resident of Orrville. After his marriage Mr. Blackwood worked around for three years, when he leased a farm near the site of the village of Orrville, on which he lived for five years, then going to Sugar Creek Township for two years; thence to Stark County, Ohio, for three years, and then to the farm of 226 acres which he yet owns in East Union Township. There he lived until 1872, when he removed to his present home in Orrville, which he built. For twelve years while on the farm he followed threshing, also dealing in stock, continuing the latter business several years after his removal to Orrville. He was of too active a temperament to be contented on the farm, and travled extensively in pursuit of his business, visiting many parts of the country and the principal cities. He is a self-made man, active and industrious, well thought of by his neighbors, and well known among the older residents of the county. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics is a stalwart Democrat, as are all of his sons.
John Blackwood, the second son of William, was born in Stark County, June 5, 1842. He was brought upon the farm in this county, living there until his marriage, which took place May 25, 1865. His wife's maiden name was Eliza Kling, a daughter of David and Matilda Kling, residents of Greene Township, where her father died January 21, 1876, aged sixty-five years and twelve days. Her mother is still living in that township, within a mile of where she was born and reared, and is now (1888) in her seventy-fifth year. Her parents were among the earliest pioneers of that part of the State, as were also the Klings. Mrs. Blackwood was born April 6, 1844. John Blackwood continued on his father's farm until two years after his marriage, when he removed to Orrville, and carried on the Mansion House Hotel for two years, then engaged in the livery business, which he carried on until 1884, when he sold business, building, and stock, and has since been dealing in horses. Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood have two sons, named Guy D. (born January 6, 1867) and Eugene Leslie (born June 2, 1870). The former is express messenger on the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad, and the latter is a pupil in the high-school at Orrville. While a strong Democrat in political opinion, Mr. Blackwood has never sought political office. He is an active, stirring man, and stands well in the community.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889