Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-01-04
OBITUARY.

DAVID BLAKE, aged 90 years, died
onThe a2d ult., at the residence of An
selm T. Blake, Esq, his son, In Ohio
township.
The deceased was born in Massachu-
sets in the year 1852, and although a
youth of but thirteen years of age,
when the battle of Bunker Hill took
place, in June, 1775, he could not be
restrained, but shouldered his musket
and marched in defence of his country,
but from his inability to undergo the
hardships of camp life, had his musket
taken from him and sent home, but his
ardor was not abated, and was always
desiring his parents to let him enlist, but
as he was minor during the whole war
of the revolution, his parents prevented
him. In 1889, when the agents of the
Ohio Company were soliciting the men
of enterprise and daring fortitude to aid
and assist in forming settlement at the
mouth of the Muskingum, David Blake
embarked in the enterprise, and with
others came to Marietta in the spring of
1890. The year following the Indian
war broke out, and from that time until
Wayne's treaty with the Indians, in
1895, he performed the duty of SOL
der under Captain Anselm Tupper.-
When the war ceased, he purchased a
valuable tract of land in Washington
county, which he highly improved, on
which he resided many years, raising
and educating a famiiy'ef nine sons and
daughters, and subsequently sold his
farm and purchased another in Ohio
township, Gallia county, to which he
removed in 1915, and with incredible
labor cleared farm in dense forest of
Ohio bottom, requiring to be ditched
and prepared for cultivation. Some
seven years since he lost the companion
of his youth, and with her all ambition
to attend to worldly concerns, and so
dividing and arranging his estate, that
he continued to reside in his own domi-
ell with his son until he received the
summons to prepare for the change he
was to undergo.
Instead of complaining and fault-fnd-
inghe was always cheerful and pleasant,
ready to amuse his friends with the
scenes of by-gone days. His life has
been a time Of the most interesting
events; he has seen his country pass
from state of yassalage and colonial
government to the enjoyment Of the in
estimable blessing of self-government;
to see his country with population of
some four millions, contending success
fully with one of the most gigantic pow
ers of Europe, and establishing upon an
indestructible basis the only free gov
ernment upon the globe. He has seen
his country grow as by magic from four
to twenty-five milhons of inhabitants;
to see her form a confederacy of but
thirteen States, and to see them expan-
ded and extending until she numbers
thirty one and some seven or eight ter
Tftories; to see her extending her COM
merce into every quarter of the globe,
and causing her power TO be respected
by all nations of the earth, to see civil
and religious liberty enjoyed BY the in
habitants Of her widely extended do.
main. While the mind Of David Blake
kent pace with the Improvements OF bis
country. he did, not forget his spiritual
concerns-he kept his Bible upon hi;
table, which was his constant compan,
ion, and religion was his only solace and
comfort in the trying hour of death, and
his last words were-''Lord, into thy
hands I commit my soul" Amen.
AEsELN T. BLAKE.