[or-roots] Felix Blakely

[Cecil Houk]

Felix Blakely was a brother of my gr gr grandfather, Capt. James Blakely who laid out and named Brownsville, Oregon.

Felix Blakely, son of Joseph Martin & Jency Ann Blakely, was born 15 Mar 1821 in Jefferson Co., TN and died 13 Dec 1915. He came west when he was 17 years old. Seven men in the vicinity built a flatboat and floated down to the Ohio river, where they took a steamboat to Blue Landing, MO. His father, Joseph Martin, took up a claim near Platt City, and Felix worked for him until he was 20. He found that life too monotonous so he went to Nodaway County, MO and bought 80 acres of land for $105, but sold this and took up another claim. 
He married Ann Lackey 4 Jan 1844 in Andrew, MO and settled on a farm in Nodaway Co., MO. Between that time and the Civil War he made a fortune at cards, and lost much of it and was a saloon operator. For 40 years he was said to have had a hand in every big game on the Missouri River, and never lost his nerve. On one occasion he won $ 5,000 in three hours.  His wife, Ann, was a very careful manager, and took care of the large plantation, which had grown to 700 acres, with a large number of slaves. Felix was one of the best judges of horse flesh, mules, cattle and hogs in Missouri. There was an 1845 deed recorded between Felix and Ann Blakely and Martin and Sarah (Blakely) Noland.  Felix and Ann had nine children, all born in New Market, Platte County, MIssouri. 
Their children were: 

1. Joseph Andrew - 1825 
2. James - 1847 
3. Jency Ann - (11 Aug 1848 - 30 Oct 1938) 
4. Sarah Eveline - 1851 
5. Jesse - 1853 
6. Mary Catherine 1855, m G. W. Wells 
7. John Callaway 27 Apr 1857 - 1896 at election 
8. Felix 1861 
9. Unknown 

At the outbreak of the war, Felix enlisted with the South in 1861, was made a Captain, and saw four years of hard service, with battles at Lexington and Pea Ridge, although he came through without a scratch. He is said to have won $30,000 of Confederate money, which wasn't worth thirty cents after the war. Besides his place was all run down on his return, and the greater part of his fortune gone. 

Ann Lackey Blakely died before Sep 1868 from a rattlesnake bite, leaving Felix with 9 children. She went to gather lettuce in the garden one Sunday morning, did not see the rattlesnake coiled in the bed until it struck her. Their daughter Jincy Ann Blakely b 11 Aug 1848 in New Market, Platte Co., MO was the great great grandmother of Wanda ( Land )Joyce. 

Felix was later married to Sarah Jane Shough, who bore him 6 more children. 
Their children were: 

10. Eva Esther 4 Sep 1870 
11. Charles 2 Dec 1872 - 4 Sep 1873 
12. Lulu May 15 Dec 1874 - 3 Dec 1950 m Mr. Zeeman resided St. Joseph 1915 
13. Captolia Eugene - 20 Oct 1876, Mound City Hold Co., MO d 17 Mar 1930 
14. George Washington 5 Sep 1879 resided in St. Joseph, MO 1915 
15. David Watson - 2 Mar 1883 resided in Portland OR in 1915 

He was a great smoker for years and had no notion of quitting on the theory that it might prolong life. Even in his nineties he was an avid reader, requiring no glasses. He remained very independent and self sufficient. He did have great trouble with his feet. They got so hot he could hardly stand it and would soak his feet in a bucket of cold and icy water and smoke his pipe until his feet were comfortable. In the summer his loafing place in the orchard could be found through a pile of shavings made with his knife. "Possibly he whittled and thought of the "good old days" when he was known as one of the greatest gamblers along the Missouri River & reflected that he was the only one of them left. 

Enjoy,
Cecil

Cecil Houk, ET1 USN Ret.
PO Box 530833
San Diego CA 92153
FAX 619-428-6434
mailto:cchouk at cox.net
ANDERSON - BLAKLEY - FORD - HOUK - KIMSEY - MOE - RULAFORD - SIMPSON
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