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1037
James Knox Blish, (***) 8 [m]
8th Generation

Personal Details
Born May 2nd, 1843
James Knox Blish
Birthplace Wethersfield, IL, USA
Baptized No Entry
Baptized at... No Entry
Baptized by... No Entry
Baptized in... No Entry
Occupation(s) Thespian, farmer, stationary, attorney, genealogist, bank vice president and president
Died February 22nd, 1920, aged about 77 years
Died at... No Entry
Cause of Death Pernicious Anemeia
Burial Place Old Cemetery, Kewanee, IL, USA
Disposition No Entry

Parents
Father [669]Charles Cheney Blish, (***) 7
Mother [669_sa]Elizabeth Potter (Bonar) Blish 7

Spouses, Mates & Children
Wife #1
[1037_sa] - Mary Eliza (McManus) Blish 8

Married by: No Entry
Married at: Chicago, IL, USA

Children by this spouse:
I [1319] Carrie Elizabeth Blish 9 b. February 7th, 1869 c. May No Image On File
II [1320]+ James Louis Blish 9 b. July 18th, 1871 c. October
III [1321] Bertha Belle Blish 9 b. September 19th, 1871 c. December No Image On File

Image courtesy Sarah R Skinner
Wife #2
[1037_sb] - Amy Mason (Rhodes) Blish 8

Married by: No Entry
Married at: Cambridge, county of Henry, IL, USA

Children by this spouse:
I [1322]+ Elizabeth (Blish) Brookfield 9 b. March 22nd, 1888 c. June
II [1323]+ Matthew Rhodes Blish, M.S., E.E. 9 b. April 28th, 1889 c. July
III [1324]+ Asa Rhodes Blish, (***) 9 b. June 8th, 1893 c. September

Immediate Family Tree
Gen. 8 Gen. 7 Gen. 6 Gen. 5 Gen. 4
James Knox Blish, (***)Charles Cheney Blish, (***)Colonel Sylvester Blish, (***)Deacon Thomas Blish, (***)David Blish, (***)
Zeruiah (Skinner) Blish
Prudence (Hubbard) BlishElizur Hubbard
Abigail (Hollister) Hubbard
Rhoda (Cheney) BlishTimothy Cheney? Cheney
? (?) Cheney
Rhoda (Skinner) Cheney? Skinner
? (?) Skinner
Elizabeth Potter (Bonar) BlishMatthew Bonar? BonarNo Entry
No Entry
? (?) BonarNo Entry
No Entry
Catharine (Cosner) Bonar? CosnerNo Entry
No Entry
? (?) CosnerNo Entry
No Entry

Personalized History Timeline, 1843 to 1920
1829-1851:
2nd Cholera pandemic from before birth until age 8
1830-1860:
Underground railroad leads 100,000+ slaves to freedom in US from before birth until age 17
1837-1901:
Reign of Queen Victoria (Hanover) from before birth until age 58
1841-1844:
John Tyler president of US from before birth until age 1
1844:
1st telegraph line message, Washington to New York at age 1
1845-1848:
James K Polk president of US from age 2 to age 5
1845-1849:
Irish Potato Famine from age 2 to age 6
1845:
Florida enters the union - 27th at age 2
1845:
Texas enters the union - 28th at age 2
1846:
Iowa enters the union - 29th at age 3
1846-1848:
The Mexican-US War from age 3 to age 5
1848:
Oregon organized as a territory at age 5
1848:
Wisconsin enters the union - 30th at age 5
1848:
NY allows women to own real estate at age 5
1848-1856:
1st gold rush in California -- Sutters Mill from age 5 to age 13
1849-1852:
Zachary Taylor president of the US from age 6 to age 9
1849:
Fizeau measures speed of light at age 6
1850:
US pop reaches 23 million at age 7
1850:
California enters the union - 31st at age 7
1850:
World pop. est. at 1.1 billion at age 7
1850:
Utah (included Nevada) organized as a territory at age 7
1850:
New Mexico organized as a territory at age 7
1851:
Gold rush in Australia at age 8
1852-1859:
3rd Cholera pandemic from age 9 to age 16
1853-1856:
Franklin Pierce president of US from age 10 to age 13
1853:
Washington (included pt. of Idaho) organized as a territory at age 10
1854:
Nebraska organized as a territory at age 11
1854-1856:
Crimean War from age 11 to age 13
1854:
Kansas organized as a territory at age 11
1857-1860:
James Buchanan president of US from age 14 to age 17
1857-1866:
Transatlantic cable laid from age 14 to age 23
1857:
Dred Scott decision: Blacks could not be US citizens at age 14
1858:
India bill transfers government of India to England at age 15
1858:
Minnesota enters the union - 32nd at age 15
1859:
Oregon enters the union - 33rd at age 16
1859:
Oil Well at age 16
1859:
Darwin pub. Origin Of Species at age 16
1860:
South Carolina Secedes from the Union at age 17
1860:
Rifled barrel invented at age 17
1861-1865:
Civil War from age 18 to age 22
1861:
Colorado organized as a territory at age 18
1861:
South Dakota organized as a territory at age 18
1861:
Kansas enters the union - 34th at age 18
1861:
Gold rush in New Zealand at age 18
1861-1865:
Confederate States of America Exist from age 18 to age 22
1861:
North Dakota organized as a territory at age 18
1861:
The Apache Declare War on the US at age 18
1861-1865:
Abraham Lincoln president of US from age 18 to age 22
1861:
Transcontinental Telegraph completed at age 18
1861:
Nevada organized as a territory at age 18
1862:
US Homestead act at age 19
1863:
Arizona organized as a territory at age 20
1863:
Idaho organized as a territory at age 20
1863-1879:
4th Cholera pandemic from age 20 to age 36
1863:
Emancipation Proclamation frees southern slaves at age 20
1863:
West Virginia enters the union - 35th at age 20
1863:
Battle of Gettysburg at age 20
1864:
Louisiana organized as a territory at age 21
1864:
Nevada enters the union - 36th at age 21
1865:
President Lincoln assassinated at age 22
1865:
Lister invents Disinfection at age 22
1865:
Ku Klux Klan founded at age 22
1866-1868:
Andrew Johnson president of US from age 23 to age 25
1866:
Walker, Mitchell 1st elected US black officials (Massachusetts) at age 23
1867:
Alaska purchased from Russia at age 24
1867:
Dynamite at age 24
1867:
Diamonds discovered in South Africa at age 24
1867:
Nebraska enters the union - 37th at age 24
1867:
Confederation of Canada at age 24
1868-1878:
War between Cuba and Spain from age 25 to age 35
1869:
Suez canal opened at age 26
1869:
Cutty Sark built at age 26
1869:
Financial black friday caused by attempt to corner gold at age 26
1869:
Trans-continental railroad completed at age 26
1869-1876:
Ulysses S Grant president of US from age 26 to age 33
1870:
US black men can vote at age 27
1870:
1st black US senator (Hiram Revels) at age 27
1870-1871:
Franco-Prussian war from age 27 to age 28
1871:
Great Fire destroys Chicago at age 28
1873-1878:
Depression, banks fail from age 30 to age 35
1873:
Color Photographs at age 30
1876:
Telephone (Bell, Latimer) at age 33
1876:
Little Big Horn - Battle at age 33
1876:
Colorado enters the union - 38th at age 33
1876:
American Centennial at age 33
1877:
Wax Cylinder Musical Recordings at age 34
1877-1880:
Ruthorford B Hayes president of US from age 34 to age 37
1878:
1st commercial telephone exchange in US at age 35
1879:
Zulu war at age 36
1879:
Electric Light Bulb (Edison) at age 36
1881:
James A Garfield president of US at age 38
1881:
President Garfield assassinated (dies of med. care) at age 38
1881-1896:
5th Cholera pandemic from age 38 to age 53
1881-1885:
Chester Arthur president of US from age 38 to age 42
1884:
1st subway at age 41
1884:
Motorcycle at age 41
1885:
Automobile at age 42
1885-1888:
Grover Cleveland president of US from age 42 to age 45
1886:
Induction Telegraph (Grandville T. Woods) at age 43
1887:
X-Rays (Tesla, not Rontgen!) at age 44
1888:
Great Blizzard of 1888 - 400+ deaths at age 45
1888:
70...77 rpm musical records at age 45
1889:
Washington enters the union - 42nd at age 46
1889:
North Dakota enters the union - 39th at age 46
1889-1892:
Benjamin Harrison president of US from age 46 to age 49
1889:
South Dakota enters the union - 40th at age 46
1889:
Montana enters the union - 41st at age 46
1889:
Holerith invents the punch card at age 46
1890:
Wyoming enters the union - 44th at age 47
1890:
Idaho enters the union - 43rd at age 47
1890:
Oklahoma organized as a territory at age 47
1890:
Battle of Wounded Knee at age 47
1891:
Mormon prophesy of 'coming of lord' by 1891 unfulfilled at age 48
1893:
Nikola Tesla invents Radio (not Marconi!) at age 50
1893:
Movies at age 50
1893:
New Zealand is 1st to grant women right to vote at age 50
1893-1897:
US Financial panic, depression from age 50 to age 54
1893-1896:
Grover Cleveland president of US from age 50 to age 53
1894-1895:
Chinese-Japanese war (1) from age 51 to age 52
1894:
Plague in Hong Kong and China - 1 million die at age 51
1896:
Supreme court approves separate but equal segregation at age 53
1896:
Utah enters the union - 45th at age 53
1897-1901:
William McKinley president of US from age 54 to age 58
1898:
Spanish American 1-year war at age 55
1899-1902:
Boer war from age 56 to age 59
1899-1923:
6th Cholera pandemic from age 56 until after line end
1900:
Hawaii organized as a territory at age 57
1900:
Galveston Hurricane - 8,000 killed at age 57
1900:
Boxer rebellion in China at age 57
1901:
First British submarine launched at age 58
1901:
Max Planck formulates the Laws of Radiation at age 58
1901:
US President William McKinley assassinated at age 58
1901:
Oil discovered in Texas in significant amounts at age 58
1901:
Third law of thermodynamics postulated (W. H. Nernst) at age 58
1901:
Commonwealth of Australia founded at age 58
1901-1910:
Reign of King Edward VII (Saxe-Coburg) from age 58 to age 67
1901-1908:
Theodore Roosevelt president of US from age 58 to age 65
1903:
Nikola Tesla patents logic gates at age 60
1903:
Airplane at age 60
1904:
Radar at age 61
1904-1905:
Russian-Japanese war from age 61 to age 62
1907:
Plastic at age 64
1907:
Oklahoma enters the union - 46th at age 64
1908:
Tunguska atmospheric object explosion at age 65
1909:
Union of South Africa formed at age 66
1909-1912:
William Howard Taft president of US from age 66 to age 69
1909:
North pole reached by Matthew Henson of Robert Peary's exp. at age 66
1910:
Halley's Comet at age 67
1910-1936:
Reign of King George V (Windsor) from age 67 until after line end
1910:
Japan annexes Korea at age 67
1911:
South pole reached by Roald Amundsen at age 68
1912:
Alaska organized as a territory at age 69
1912:
Titanic sinks at age 69
1912:
New Mexico enters the union - 47th at age 69
1912:
Arizona enters the union - 48th at age 69
1913-1920:
Woodrow Wilson president of US from age 70 to age 77
1914:
The Bra at age 71
1914-1919:
World War I from age 71 to age 76
1915:
Einstein's Theory of Relativity at age 72
1916:
Irish Easter Rebellion at age 73
1916:
Sonar at age 73
1917:
US enters WWI at age 74
1917:
Russian revolution at age 74
1918-1920:
Flu epidemic - 25 million plus die from age 75 to age 77
1918-1933:
Prohibition from age 75 until after line end
1919:
Shortwave Radio at age 76
1919:
League of Nations instantiated at age 76
1920-1929:
Roaring 20's from age 77 until after line end
1920:
Palestine established at age 77
1920:
Women receive right to vote in USA at age 77

Schooling
  1. Institution: Local Schools
    Location: Wethersfield, Illinois, USA
    Curriculum:
    Degree:
  2. Institution: Ann Arbor High School
    Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
    Curriculum:
    Degree:
  3. Institution: University of Michigan
    Location: Michigan, USA
    Curriculum:
    Degree: B.A.
  4. Institution: University of Michigan
    Location: Michigan, USA
    Curriculum:
    Degree: M.A.

Additional Information
James Knox Blish spent his boyhood on his father's farm in Weathersfield, attending the local schools. He was one year in the Ann Arbor, Michigan High School, and in 1862 entered the university of Michigan, graduating in 1866 with the degree of M. A. from the same institution.

After leaving college, having a natural aptitude for theatricals, he spent one year at Leavenworth, Kansas, in the opera house, which was sufficient to convince him that it was not the life he wished to follow, and he returned to Wethersfield, was married and engaged in farming for two years.

He then went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, and engaged in the blank book and stationary business for two years, and later followed the same business in Chicago, until after the great fire of 1871, when he returned to Kewanee, Illinois, and entered the office of Judge John H. Howe and began the study of law.

Judge Howe, a year later, was appointed by President Grant as Chief Justice of the Territory of Wyoming and left Keewanee, and Mr. Blish's studies were completed with Honorable Levi North, a former law partner of Judge Howe's.

While pursuing his law course he was elected Justice of the Peace and was the youngest man who ever filled the position in Kewanee. In 1873, he was admitted to practice law, on examination before the Judges of the Supreme Court of Illinois, at Springfield, among whom was the venerable Sidney Breese. He at once opened a law office in Kewanee, and has since followed that profession.

He has taken an active interest in the institutions of his city, having been one of the organizers, and for ten years one of the directors of the Kewanee Public Library, Supervisor for four years, and one of the building committee which supervised the erection of the Henry County Court House; member of the Board of Education of Kewanee for eighteen years; one of the organizers and for twelve years President of the Kewanee fair association; organizer of the Kewanee Building & Loan association, which has had twenty-two years successful existence; member of the city council, and other local offices. He was for two years Vice-President of the First National Bank of Kewanee, and has been for ten years last past its President. In 1902 he was elected as Minority Representative to the general assembly of Illinois, for the thirty-seventh district, composed of Bureau, Henry and Stark counties.

From the collection of Charles Benjamin Blish (1402B)


Blish Genealogy Formatting, Timeline Concept and Structure, Database Source and Structure
are all copyright © 1999-2006 Charles Benjamin Blish
Genealogy data is free of copyright restrictions
Generated by BenGen V0.R32