The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-03-15
BENJAMIN BOND BLACKWELL.

Dubuque, Iowa, October 1886. He
was son of Sidney Blackwell, who
did so much for the improvement of
Lambertville in his early days, aud a
great grandson of Jonathan Black
well, who is said to have been an Off
Ger in the Army of the Revolution.
His grandmother, Hannah Blackwell,
was daughter of General Daniel
Bray, of Kingwood, and of Revolu-
tionary fame in connection with
Washington crossing of the Della
ware. His mother was Elizabeth
Bond, of Philadelphia. His parents
were married in Philadelphia and
started West with party who expect
ed to make their fortunes in exploring
and mining, but when they had gotten
rs far as Iowa the party divided, and
the Blackwell family remained there,
taking up land along the Maquokoto
Creek. In 1910 the family returned
East and for short time made their
home with Mr.. Blaekwell's grand
mother, Hannah Blackwell who WAS
conducting n millinery business i'll
the house now occupied by John X.
LaBaw. The father then commenced
his business of cabinet making and
carpentering, and many of the better
class of houses of that period were
built by him. Among them what was
known as Commercial Row" on
Union Street and the adjoining build
ing now known as the Hooker Build
ing; also the frame building occupied
by A. b. Holcombe, which was then
known as Telegraph Hail. aud said
to have taken its name from the fact
that it was completed about the time
the telegraph line was built through
Lambertville.
Bond Blackwell at the axe of thir-
teen years entered the printing office
of Large X Clark, publishers Of "The
Delaware Valley Diarest then printed
in small building standing on Union
street where the Holcombe building
now stands. He served his appren-
ticeship for -four years, and then in u
spirit of adventure went to New York
and afterwards to New Bedford and
shipped ON the whaling barque Malta,
Capt. King, for a cruise to the Med
iterranean On this trip Thos. Horn
was his companion. He was gone
about two years when he returned to
Lambertville with the intention of
again shipping and had his arrange
ments made to go ON another vessel
which, however, on account of some
financial difficulties was sold in 1856,
and he remained at home.
In July 1858 he married Kate Ian
dis, sister of Samuel q. Iaadis, for
msrly one of our we'll known citizens.
In 1859 he started printing office
with his fathers assistance aud loca-
tod in the Fisher Building Mt the cor
ner of Union and Bridge streets. and
there published tho Lambertville
Press. About this time his father
completed the bnilding at the south
east corner of Union and Coryell
ST. eets and the printing office was
moved to that building which was
then known as the Press Building.
lie continued to publish the paper
for about four years aud then finding
it Improbable, he closed out the
business and went to New York. At
first he fonnd work in Paterson but
shortly returned to New York aud en-
tered into the prin ting business with
man by the name of Carr, and con.
tinued i'll that business in various
ways mp to the time that his health
compelled him to give mp business
entirely.
He moved his family to Jamaica.
l.. !. in 1867 where he purchased a
home At times he did large bust
ness and at other times the business
was not SO successful.
He was u man Of great ingenuity
aud an inventor of many useful things
IN connection with his business; and
in this way, while he rendered a valu-
able service to the business. he failed
to reap much of the financial reward.
He held forty eight different pat
ents. Among the articles Of his in
vention are combination shooting
ender press without cogs, cams or
springs. But his most useful service
to the word was probably the inven-
ton of what is now known MS "ready-
set" matter. His first experiment in
this line being for A. j. II. Duganne,
of the New York Sunday Despatch"
by which he was entitled to use GER
tain book plates in the printing of
his paper and from this idea drew the
plan of furnishing plates Of ready
set" matter for other newspapers.
The details have been improved upon,
but to the professional mind it il
the same AS his He also claimed to
have originated the Bureau of Politi-
cal Information by which news items
were furnished from Headquarters
to the press throughout the country.
The managers Of Samuel ]. Tilden' s.
campaign availed themselves of this
idea, but instead of furnishing plates
with the news to he distributed, they
printed slips to be sent ont to the
various papers to be set up in the Off
ces. But the managers of the Nc.
Kinley campaign used Mr.. BLACKWELL
idea by sending out stereotypsd plates
direct to the various newspapers.
He is survived by his wife and four
daughters and son, Bertram Black
well, who is now engaged in the
printing business at Jamaica.
The following item may be OF in
terest in connection with the publica
ton OF the newspapers of Lambert