The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-29
Was Leader Of Bar.

| Mr.. Blake was one of the leaders Of
the bar of southeastern Iowa. He en-
tered upon the practice of his profes-
sion here in 1870, the firm being New
man & Blake. Later it was Blake &
Blake, and after the death of his
brother Melville z. Blake, the firm
name was changed to Blake & Wilson.
OF his work in his chosen profession,
Others will speak at length. i He was.
alike successful in office work and in
the court room. where he proved d
dangerous opponent even for the great
est Of the men of the law. He left the
mace and the broadsword and the
battleaxe to others and his work in
the court room recalled the Damascene
blade. He was the Saladin Of debate.
Always very busy man, he always
took time to advise those who came to
him for information and the young
men, who went to him for counsel. will
ever hold him in loving remembrance
for he was one of the kindliest Of men
and what he gave them was better
/ than mere geld.
| Away an ardent republican he had
never been seeker after political
honors, but he found the time to give
the people of Burlington a number of
years of most valuable service as pres
ident of the school board and it was
during his administration that the new
high school was financed and built.
! He was faithful member of the
First Presbyterian church and through
fair weather as well as when pros
poets were far from alluring, he was
ever the steadfast friend of and an
earnest and effective worker in the.
Young Mems Christian Association.
There as elsewhere. his interest in
Young men was made manifest to
? marked degree.
Eorn in ohio.
! w. e. Blake was born in Morning
Sun Preble county, Ohio, June q,
1874. and came to Iowa with his pa
rents in 1S45, the family locating in
Louisa county. He was graduated
from Monmouth college in 1867, and
completed his law studies at the State
University OF Iowa in 1863 Or rather
he laid the foundation for those studies
at Iowa City He continued student
to the very end. On July 4, 1867, Mr.
Blake was united in marriage to Miss
Sarah Lucretia fIurd, who died in
September. 1902. In November, 1903.
he welded Mrs. Susan q. Jaeger, Of
this city. He is survived by the widow
and two daughters, Mrs. w. B. Swan,
Of Memphis, Tenn. and Mrs. Lucretia
b. Wilson. of this city. A brother, w.
w. Blake, a former Burlington news
paperman, has long been making his
tba 1jtv pf Mexico.
Mr.. Blake had wide acquaintance
throughout Iowa and neighborlng
states, and many of those who had
come to know him became his warm
friends. He was faithful to every trust
that he assumed. man or strong con-
yictions and of untiring energy. a
worker who seemed to know no great
e- Measure than hard work. His home
life was a very happy one, and when not
husy at his tasks he was generally TO
no found at his comfortable home, en-
iovinn the comnany Of his family and
friends and the rest that had been SO
fotrlv earned. While he had been IN
the harness almost half century the
idea of retiring probably never enter
oa his head: he was still in his very
nrime still growing in fact, and ne
newer considered the idea OF rustlns
o,,t He ought TO have been good for
van wears of useful work. but 1t haa
neon willed otherwise. But 1t Will De
M easy matter to replace this Leader
- +be har Of the state. which had
Seen his home from early Childhood.