George Washington Blackwell (1833 - 1912)

Born 1833 in New York City, New York, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Emelia Sophia (Lawrence) Blackwell — married 28 Oct 1875 in Gardner, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Died 29 May 1912 at about age 79 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

George Washington Blackwell, called "Wash" by family, was a businessman and real estate investor in New Jersey, United States. Born in 1833 in New York City, New York,^[1] George was the youngest child of Samuel Blackwell, a sugar refiner, and Hannah Lane,^[2] who emigrated from Bristol, United Kingdom in 1832.^[3] The family first settled In New York, then in 1838 moved to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio.

His siblings who lived to adulthood were Anna, Marian, Elizabeth, Samuel Charles, Henry Browne, Emily, Sarah "Ellen", and John "Howard" Blackwell. His sister, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, M.D., was the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States, followed soon by another sister, Dr. Emily Blackwell, M.D.^[4]

George moved to New York City,^[5] and then embarked upon a highly successful real estate business in New Jersey.^[6]

Marriage

George married Emelia "Emma" Sophia Lawrence on 28 October 1875 in her hometown of Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts.^[7] Born 28 Jan 1851 in Gardner,^[8] Emma was the daughter of Henry Lawrence and Sarah Witt Stone.^[9] Emma was active in women's suffrage ogranizations in New Jersey and Massachusetts throughout her life. She was close to her aunt, Lucy Stone, the orator, abolitionist, and suffragist who was the wife of George's brother Henry.^[6]

George and Emma lived in East Orange, Essex County, New Jersey,^[10] where George worked in the real estate business for 40 years.^[11]

Children

George and Emma's children included:^[6]

1. Howard Lane Blackwell (1876–1972), married Helen Electa Thomas (1880-1972)^[12]
2. George Lawrence Blackwell (1879–1886), died young^[13]
3. Anna Merriam Blackwell (1883–1978), married Charles Francis Dorr Belden^[14]
4. George Kenyon Blackwell (aft. 1883), died aged 10 months^[6]
5. Frances Millette (1886-), adopted^[6]

After George's retirement about 1906, George and Emma moved to Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.^[15] Also living in Cambridge were their daughter, Anna, her husband, Charles Belden, and family; and their son, Howard, his wife Helen, and family, where Howard was a distinguished research physicist and comptroller at Harvard University.

Death

George, aged 79-80, died on 29 May 1912 in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and was buried there in Mount Auburn Cemetery.^[16] At his side was buried Emma,^[17] who died 8 years later on 5 Feb 1920, aged 69, in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.^[9]

Obituary

UNCLE OF ALICE STONE BLACKWELL
George W. Blackwell Had Lived In New York, Cincinnati and Cambridge

George W. Blackwell, the last surviving brother of the late Henry B. Blackwell of Boston and Drs. Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell, formerly of New York, Is dead at Cambridge, aged eighty.

Mr. Blackwell was born at Bristol, England, but in 1832 was brought an Infant to this country, [Correction from (Joan Stewart Smith): Passport application of 21 May 1866 contains affadavit, signed by George and his sister Elizabeth that he was born in New York City]^[1] when hard times led his father, a sugar refiner, to try his fortune across the Atlantic. The Blackwells first settled In New York, but in 1838 moved to Cincinnati, where the father died.

Mr. Blackwell established, himself In East Orange, New Jersey, where for forty years he conducted a successful business as a real estate operator. He came to Cambridge about six years ago after his retirement. Mr. Blackwell Is survived by his wife and two children, Howard L. of Cambridge, fellow for research in physics of Harvard, and Mrs. Charles F. D. Belden of Cambridge, wife of the State librarian, with whom he made hls home. Mrs. Alice Stone Blackwell of Dorchester Is his niece.

- Boston Evening Transcript, Boston, Massachusetts, Fri, May 31, 1912, Page 6 ^[18]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGKV-6M77 : 16 March 2018), George W Blackwell and his sister Elizabeth Blackwell sign affadavit, dated 21 May 1866, that he was born in New York City, New York; citing Passport Application, United States, source certificate #, Passport Applications, 10/31/1795 - 12/31/1905., 140, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ "Massachusetts Deaths, 1841-1915, 1921-1924," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4QF-Y7T : 6 April 2020), George Washington Blackwell, 29 May 1912; citing Cambridge, Massachusetts, 452, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,396,424.
3. ↑ "New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M1-QH64 : 2 August 2022), Manifest of Passengers, ship name Cosmo, from Bristol, England, arrived in New York City on 5 Oct 1832, Sam'l Blackwell, 42, merchant, Hannah, 39, Anna, 16, Mary Anne, 14, Elizabeth, 12, Samuel, 9, Henry, 7, Emily, 5, Ellen, 4, Mary, 39, Lucy, 32, Elisa Major, 24, governess, all from Great Britain, intending to live in the United States. [missing infant John Howard, less than a year old, and George, yet to be born]
4. ↑ "Hannah Lane Blackwell and Selected Daughters." By the People, Library of Congress. (https://crowd.loc.gov/campaigns/blackwells-extraordinary-family/hannah-lane-blackwell-and-selected-daughters/? : accessed 4 Aug 2023)
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC4Y-JYQ : Tue Jul 18 01:40:14 UTC 2023), New York City, New York, Georg W. Blakwell [sic] in household of sisters Emilia Blakwell and Eliza Blakwell
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4} Huelster, Danielle. "Biographical Sketch of Emma Stone Lawrence Blackwell." Included in Part III: Mainstream Suffragists—National American Woman Suffrage Association. (https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/d/1009932303 : accessed 5 Aug 2023)
7. ↑ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC6Z-JXM : 28 December 2022), George W. Blackwell and Emma S. Lawrence married on 28 October 1875 in Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts.
8. ↑ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXCS-W9M : 1 December 2022), Emelia Sophia Lawrence botn 28 January 1851 in Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts, parents Henry and Sarah
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KB8X-NY1 : 22 October 2019), Emma L Blackwell, aged 69, died on 5 Feb 1920 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, certificate number 1405, page 283, State Archives, Boston.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN83-DXH : Thu Aug 03 15:10:55 UTC 2023), East Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, household of George W. Blackwell and Emma L. Blackwell, 1880.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9JZ-JDH : Thu Aug 03 20:11:32 UTC 2023), Orange, Essex County, United States, household of George W Blackwell and Emma S Blackwell, 1900.
12. ↑ Obituary of Howard Lane Blackwell, The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, Fri., 8 Dec 1972 (issue)
13. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134946464/george-lawrence-blackwell: accessed 05 August 2023), memorial page for George Lawrence Blackwell (1879–22 Sep 1886), Find a Grave Memorial ID 134946464, citing Crystal Lake Cemetery, Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by Ryan-O (contributor 46886020).
14. ↑ Obituary of Anna B. Belden, The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, Sun., 9 Apr 1978 (issue)
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2V4-T4T : Tue Jul 18 18:33:18 UTC 2023), Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, household of George W Blackwell and Emma Blackwell, 1910.
16. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/221727640/george-washington-blackwell : accessed 23 March 2022), memorial page for George Washington Blackwell (1832–29 May 1912), Find a Grave Memorial ID 221727640, citing Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by BKGeni (contributor 46895980)
17. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/221727689/emma-blackwell: accessed 04 August 2023), memorial page for Emma Lawrence Blackwell (1851–5 Feb 1920), Find a Grave Memorial ID 221727689, citing Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA; Maintained by BKGeni (contributor 46895980).
18. ↑ Obituary of George W. Blackwell, Boston Evening Transcript, Boston, Massachusetts, Fri, May 31, 1912, Page 6