Charles E. Blackwell

C. E. Blackwell of the firm of Edward and Blackwell, lumber dealers, was born in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in 1849 where he was brought up and received his early training in the common schools. At manhood he followed the lumber business, buying lumber at different places and shipping into Kansas, where he was connected with the Kansas Lumber Company for some time. In February, 1888, he came to Dakota and settled in Valley City. Mr. W. C. Edwards of St. Paul is the other member of the firm.

Bibliography: Atlas of Dakota, 1884, page 234.


Charles E. Blackwell, a lumber dealer at Cooperstown, was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin in November, 1849.

His father, Charles Blackwell born in New York, moved to Wisconsin in the early 1840’s and there married Jane Moon. Charles Sr. Followed the weheelwrights trade until May 1, 1864 when he enlisted in Company B, 39th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He went south with his company and died on active duty the following August.

Charles E. Blackwell also enlisted, on May 1, 1864, when less than 15 years old, as a drummer in the same regiment to which his father belonged. He was mustered in at Milwaukee and was sent to Memphis, Tennessee, where the regiment under command of Col. Butterick, remained until fall, when the troops were returned to Wisconsin and Mr. Blackwell was honorably discharged on September 1.

In November 1873 Mr. Blackwell was married to Miss Carolyn Ross, a native of Wisconsin and daughter of H. J. Ross. Their children: Charles H.,Ada married Alexander S. Anderson of Chicago, Hiram M., ad lumber merchant of Broadville, Montana.

Bibliography: Condensed from Lounsberry Volume III (1917) page 209


Charles E. Blackwell, a lumber dealer of Cooperstown, was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in November, 1849. His father, Charles Blackwell, a native of New York, removed to Wisconsin in the early 1840’s and there married Miss Jane Moon. He followed the wheelwright’s trade until the 1st of May, 1864, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming first Lieutenant of Company B, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. With his command he went south and died while engaged in active duty in the following August.

Charles E. Blackwell, the eldest in a family of four children, acquired his early education in the public schools of Waukon, Wisconsin, and on the 1st of May, 1864, when a youth of less than fifteen years, he too, offered his services to his country, joining the same regiment to which his father belonged, as a drummer. He was mustered in at Milwaukee and was sent to Memphis, Tennessee, where the regiment under command of Colonel Butterick remained until the fall, when the troops were returned Wisconsin and Mr. Blackwell was honorably discharged at Milwaukee on the 1st of September. His father had been of the organizers of the regiment and Mr. Blackwell was anxious to become a soldier, having played the drum at war meetings where recruiting was going on. He established a boys’ band of four drums and one of his companions enlisted at the same time as Mr. Blackwell, who at that date was a youth of but fourteen years and five months.

In November, 1873, Mr. Blackwell was married to Miss Carolyn Ross, a native of Wisconsin and a daughter of H. J. Ross. Their children are: Charles H., nor a resident of Seattle, Washington; Ada, the wife of Alexander S. Anderson of Chicago; and Hiram M., a lumber merchant of Broadville, Montana.

Mr. Blackwell is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic and there are few men of his years who have the right to wear the little bronze button that proclaims service in defense of the Union. He is both a York and Scottish Rite Mason, having been identified with the order for forty-three years, while for forty-two years he has been a Knight Templar. He has always been much interested in the cause of Masonry, exemplifying in his life the beneficent spirit and purpose of the craft.

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