Martin Blake

1850 census

[1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Moyamensing, ward 2, microfilm series M432, film 809, page 280 verso = 98 handwritten]
[identification is probable; see the note on the 1860 census entry transcribed below]

line	10	11	12	13
Dwellings visited	667
Families visited	801
Name	Martin Blake	Hanna do	Elisabeth do	Edward do
Age	31	30	10	2
Sex	m	f	f	m
Color	w	w	w	w
Occupation of males over 15 years	Type founder
Real estate owned	none [?]
Birthplace	N. York	do	do	Pennsylvania
Married within year
Attended school within year			1
Over 20 & can't read/write
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc.

1860 census

[1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia City, ward 2, microfilm series M653, film 1152, page 254 = 254 handwritten]
[identification is probable, since (1) his occupation matches the company descriptive roll (entry 2 above), and (2) Hannah's and Emma's names and ages match Martin's spouse and daughter in the widow's pension certificate file abstract below]

line	37	38	39	40
Dwelling number	1771
Family number	1936
Name	Martin Blake	Hannah "	Edward "	Emma "
Age	42	41	13	9
Sex	M	F	M	F
Color
Occupation	Type Caster
Value of real estate owned
Value of personal estate
Place of birth	N.Y.	" "	Pa	"
Married within year
Attended school within year			1	1
Cannot read & write
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc.

1870 census

[1870 US census, 2nd enumeration, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 2, division 6, page 352 verso = 20 handwritten (FamilySearch)]
[lines 4-6 read: 'Sidmouth St South from Washington St to Wyatt St West of 7th St']
[identification is probable; see the note on the 1860 census entry transcribed above]

line	17	18	19
Dwelling-house number	4	"	"
Family number
Name	Blake Han.	" Emma	Keath Edward
Age	50	19	11
Sex	" [sc. F]	"	M
Color
Occupation
Real estate value
Personal estate value
Birthplace
Father foreign born
Mother foreign born
Birth month if born within year
Marriage month if married within year
Attended school past year
Can't read
Can't write
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc.
Male US citizen at least 21 years old
Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ...

1880 census

[1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 20, microfilm series T9, film 1167, page 304 = 36 D handwritten]
[identification is probable; see the note on the 1860 census entry transcribed above]

line	18	19	20
street name	Pearce Street
house number	1128
dwelling visit #	271
family visit #	296
name	Blake Hannah	Emma	Edward
color	W	W	W
sex	F	F	M
age	60	28	21 [?]
month born if born in year
relationship	Mother	Daughter	Nephew
single		1	1
married
widowed/divorced	1
married during year
occupation	Keeping house	Shoe Paster	Tinsmith
months unemployed
currently ill?
blind
deaf/dumb
idiotic
insane
disabled
school this year
can't read
can't write
birthplace	New York	Penna	Penna
father's birthplace	New York	New York	Penna
mother's birthplace	New York	New York	New York

1890 census, veterans schedule

[1890 US census, veterans' schedule, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 27, page 1 (image 125 of 2610 on Ancestry)]
[identification is speculative: although this refers to Blake as serving in the 110th Pennsylvania, the only Martin Blake in the Pennsylvania Archives cards (on ARIAS, viewed 10 March 2009) served in the 91st Pennsylvania, and Bates' History of Pennsylvania Volunteers does not have a Martin Blake in company E of the 110th Pennsylvania]
[line] 4
[house] 36
[family] 37
[name] Hannah Blake widow Corporal Blake
[rank] Corporal
[company] E
[unit] 110th Pa
[enlistment date] 1861
[discharge date] Nov 3 1864
[length of service]
[post office address] 1128 Pierce St
[disability incurred] killed
[remarks] killed 3rd Nov 1864

1900 census

[1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 24 [or 27?], microfilm series T623, film 1452, page 28 = 3 B handwritten]
[identification is probable; see the note on the 1860 census entry transcribed above]

line	74	75	76
street	Pierce [?]
house number	1128
dwelling number	57
family number	59
name	Blake Hanne	" Emma	Gibson [?], Elizabeth
relationship	Head	Daughter	Daughter
color	W	W	W
sex	F	F	F
birth date	[illegible month] 1830	Oct [?] 1851	Aug [??] 1840
age	80	48	59
married?	Wd [?]	S	Wd
# years married			20
mother of how many children?	6		2
# of children living	2		2
birthplace	New York	Pennsylvania	New York
father's birthplace	New York	New York	New York
mother's birthplace	New York	New York	New York
immigration year
# years in USA
naturalized citizen?
occupation
# months not employed
# months in school
can read	yes	yes	yes
can write	yes	yes	yes
speaks English	yes	yes	yes
owned/rented	R
free or mortgaged
farm/house	H
# of farm schedule

index to compiled service records

[index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania]
[transcribed 15 Mar 2014, from Fold3]

Blake Martin
Co. E, 91 Pennsylvania Inf.
Pvt | Pvt.
See also V.R.C

GENERAL INDEX CARD.

death certificate

[death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 3 November 1864, Martin Blake]
[source: www.familysearch.org (viewed 7 November 2008)]
This Certificate MUST accompany the remains to destination.
Body is embalmed by me [?]
H W [?] Holmes [?] Surgeon.
Washington Nov 4th 1864
This Certifies, That Martin Blake of Co. B Regt 24 VRC died on the 3d day of Nov 1864 aged 34 years
Cause of Death. Direct, Apoplexy
Indirect [blank]
H W [?] Holmes Surgeon

[Undertaker's certificate] [the title and first few lines are covered by the other form]
8. Occupation, Type [?] moulder [??]
9. Place of Birth, New York
10. When a Minor, [blank]
11. Ward, 2d
12. Street and Number, No 2 Sydmouth St
13. Date of Burial, Nov 7" 1864
14. Place of Burial Laffayette Cemetery
D H Bowers UNDERTAKER.
Residence, 815 S 2nd St

widow's death certificate

[death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 5 November 1901, #9933 [?], Hannah Blake]
9933 [?]
RETURN OF A DEATH
IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
Physician's Certificate.
1. Name of Deceased, Hannah Blake
2. Color, White
3. Sex, Female
4. Age, 80 yrs 6 months
5. Single (Widow)
6. Date of Death, November 5th
7. Cause of Death, Pneumonia Left Lung
E. B. Fanning [?] M.D.
Residence, 1544 So 3 St

Undertaker's Certificate in Relation to Deceased.
8. Occupation, -
9. Place of Birth, Phila
10. When a Minor, X
11. Ward, 1
12. Place of Death, Street and Number, 1128 Pierce St
13. Buried from, Street and Number, do
14. Date of Burial, Nov. 10th 1901
15. Place at Burial, Lafayette Cemetery
John J O'Rourke Undertaker.
Residence, 1600 [?] So 10th St.

death notice

[death notice, Public Ledger 7 November 1864, page 2, Martin Blake]
[see poems in death notices]
[some of this was very hard to read on GenealogyBank; I have restored it using the text of the poem in other sources]

BLAKE--Suddenly on the 3rd [?] at [?] [illegible] Hospital, Washington D.C., MARTIN BLAKE of Company B, Twenty fourth Regiment VRC, formerly of the [illegible number, beginning '1' and three digits long] and 91st Regiments P.V. in the 47th year of his age.

Another sacrifice at the altar of his country,
Unveil they bosom faithful tomb,
Take this new treasure to thy trust,
And give these sacred relics room
To slumber in the silent dust.

No pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear,
Invade thy bounds; no mortal woes
Can reach the peaceful sleeper here.
While angels watch the soft [?] repose.

It seems so strange that thou are dead,
We'll meet on earth no more;
That voice we loved so well has fled
Beyond the happy shore.

May the storms fall lightly
And the sun shine sweetly
On his grave.

The relatives [?] and friends of the family, also the [several illegible lines] to attend the funeral, from his [?] late [?] residence [illegible] Sydmouth Street [illegible line] at one o'clock [illegible] Lafayette Cemetery.

widow's pension certificate file

[widow's pension certificate file, National Archives and Records Administration, record group 15, Hannah Clemons widow of Martin Blake, widow's certificate 106,758]
[abstracted November 2012, from 65 pages on Fold3]

4 December 1836

Martin Blake married to Hannah Clemens by Rev John D Marshall (pp.6, 19)

recorded in the Ferry Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Albany NY (p.19)

3 children including one under 16: Emma Blake, born 7 October 1851 (pp.4, 5, 6 [8 Oct 50])

Martin Blake left no other children by any former marriage (p.5)

7 October 1851

Emma Blake born to Martin and Hannah Blake (p.4)

Martin Blake was a type founder, born in Albany, New York (p.4)

Hannah Blake nee Clemons was born in Carlisle, New York (p.4)

[Fold3 has her surname as 'Clemone']

16 Sep 1862

enrolled and mustered B 24 VRC, according to 2nd auditor (p.35)

also certified by Capt Stone B 24 VRC (p.38)

10 May 1863

wounded in action at Chancellorsville (p.9)

October 1863

transferred to VRC (p.9)

14 January 1864

Col E M Gregory ordered company E to drop Martin Blake (p.26)

the Jan-Feb 1864 muster roll does not state when he was last paid (p.26)

May-June 1864

muster roll of E 91 PA reports transferred to VRC (p.12)

fall 1864

did guard duty at Long Bridge Washington DC (pp.54 et al.)

became ill from malaria with fever, ending in congestion of brain or apoplexy from which he died (p.38)

23 Oct 1864

admitted to regimental hospital for treatment for intermittent fever (pp.15, 38 [a few days before death])

Nov-Dec 1864

E 91 PA muster roll for November + December 1864 reports him Present for duty May 10th 1863 transferred to VRC Oct 1863 (pp.9, 29)

last paid by Maj Dodge 31 June 1863 (p.29)

3 Nov 1864

died in Wisewell Barracks Hospital (regimental hospital), Washington DC, of apoplexy contracted in the service (p.6, 38)

muster roll of B 24 VRC reports him died of apoplexy at regimental hospital 3 Nov, transferred from E 91 (pp.9, 12, 26, 29)

Surgeon General has him dying 2 Nov 1864 of apoplexy at Wisewell Barracks, reported by Surgeon J F Frisbie (pp.15, 32; p.33 is circular 14 requesting information)

6 December 1864

Hannah Blake, 45 years old, widow of Martin Blake (B 24 VRC, transferred from E 91 PA) applied for a pension under the Act of 14 July 1862 (and later added the Act of 25 July 1866) (p.6)

post office address: 2 Sidmouth St, above 7th St, off Washington Avenue, Philadelphia (p.6)

attorney Joseph E Devitt & Company (p.6)

witnesses: Thomas Crilly, Elizabeth Whetstone (residents of Philadelphia) (p.7)

application 74,804 (pp.9, 11)

dated 14 November 1864 (p.6)

accepted, retroactive to 3 November 1864, for $8 per month with $2 additional for each child less than 16 (retroactive to 25 July 1866); approved 13 January 1868 (pp.3, 24)

certificate 106,758 dated 18 January 1868 (p.24)

24 Jan 1865

the Surgeon General's Office sent the above-summarized information to the Pension Office (p.15; p.16 is circular 14 requesting information)

11 Feb 1865

the Adjutant General's Office sent the above-summarized information to the Pension Office (p.12; p.13 is circular 16 requesting information; see also p.23)

10 May 1865

the Pension Office sent circular 16 to the Adjutant General's office (p.23)

22 July 1865

the Pension Office received circular 16 with evidence from the Adjutant General's Office (pp.23, 29; p.30 is circular 16 requesting information)

sent circulars 9 and 16 to 'PG' (p.23)

7 Aug 1865

the Adjutant General's office sent the above-summarized information to the Pension Office (p.26; see p.27 for circular 16 requesting information)

10 August 1865

the Pension Office again sent circular 16 to the P G (p.23)

9 Sep 1865

Capt James R Stone certified that he is captain of B 24th VRC, was acquainted with Martin Blake; see above for the other information (p.38)

the Pension Office apparently found this unsatisfactory: 'How does this officer know what he states. Did he visit the man when sick. was he present at his death. did a Surgeon report to him about apoplexy + congestion of the brain superinducing. What were the habits of the soldier' (p.39)

29 Dec 1865

the Second Auditor's Office (in the Treasury Department) sent the above-summarized information to the Pension Office (p.35)

17 January 1866

the Pension Office received a response to circular 16 from PG (p.23)

the Pension Office sent circular 9 to the attorney [?] and circular 14 to the Surgeon General's Office (p.23; p.43 is circular 9)

circular 9 asked for more information about the soldier's death, 'from his Regimental Surgeon, or from some other commissioned officer having personal knowledge of the facts, ...' (p.43)

20 Jan 1866

Joseph E Devitt & Co. asked Capt Stone to certify Stone's death etc. (p.50)

9 Feb 1866

Stone replied to Devitt & Co's letter of 20 January saying that he couldn't give a certificate because his records had been turned over (p.51)

'If I had date I might perhaps give one if you will forward form' (p.51)

he had already filed one in the Pension Office (p.51)

19 Feb 1866

J R Stone, bvt major, capt B 24th VRC, certified that he knew Martin Blake, that about 1 Nov 1864 he developed a fever and was sent to the hospital of Wisewell Barracks DC, and died there on 7 Nov 1864 of apoplexy or congestion of the brain, which was contracted in the service and line of duty, and was caused by exposure, and that he saw him dead in the hospital (p.47)

1 March 1866

the pension office received a response to circular 14 from the Surgeon General's Office (p.23; p.32 is the response)

the pension office sent a letter to the attorney informing him that he 'must show habits + to what special hardships + service soldier exposed about time of his death' (pp.23, 52)

26 May 1866

Stone sent a reply to Joseph E Devitt & Co's request for further information (prompted by the pension office's letter of 1 March) (pp.48, 49)

Blake was sentinel at Long Bridge before his death. malaria was prevelant there. 'I believe his habits were correct' (p.49)

31 May 1866

the Adjutant General's Office sent Hannah Blake the address of Bvt Major James R Stone 24 VRC, as Suffolk VA; he was an Assistant Commissioner of the Freedman's Bureau (p.37)

her address was 427 Walnut St, Philadelphia PA (p.37)

16 June 1866

J R Stone, bvt major, late cap 24th VRC, swore (in Nansemond County, VA) that before his final illness Martin Blake was a sentinel at Long Bridge, where the malaria was 'singularly destructive to health', that his habits were 'correct', that he was 'a good and faithful soldier', and 'not addicted to drink' (p.54)

12 Feb 1867

Hannah Blake, resident of Philadelphia, swore that she has not been able to find J R Stone, and submits the testimony of Jos Mitchell instead (p.60)

Joseph Mitchell, late private in B 24th VRC, resident of Philadelphia, swore that he knew Martin Blake, well, and that Blake was 'not addicted to the use of ardent [sic] spirits of any kind whatever', and 'was subjected to hard and long marches prior to his decease' (p.62)

both received 9 Nov 1867 (pp.61, 63)

16 Apr 1867

the Pension Office sent circular 16 to the Adjutant General (p.23)

19 Apr 1867

the Adjutant General's Office sent the above-summarized information to the Pension Office (p.9; p.10 is circular 16 requesting information)

received by the Pension Office 23 April 1867 (p.23)

23 April 1867

the Pension Office sent a letter [to the attorney asking] 'for habits soldier + to what particular hardships subjected in line of duty which could produce said disease', and sent circular 28 (p.23)

9 September 1867

Wm H Jeffries, late sgt E 91st PA, swore that Martin Blake was transferred to B 24 VRC from E 91, and was in E 91 when Jeffries was, as a private (pp.45m, 58)

Jeffries knew Blake for nine years before he enlisted, and Blake was always in good health during that period; he lived in the 'the same and immediate neighborhood' of Blake (p.58)

Blake was taken as a prisoner of war at the Battle of Chancellorsville, 3 May 1863; he was paroled and sent to Camp Convalescent after one week (p.45)

he became ill when he was a prisoner, and when paroled 'began to exhibit a severe decline of health, the exact nature of his ailings being unknown to deponent who has no particular knowledge of a matter of disease' (p.45)

he 'received severe and harsh treatment from the enemy during the short period he was a prisoner at the time of his capture he was hurried away by the rebels in a severe rainstorm one of the heaviest ever known to deponent' (p.45)

when he rejoined E 91st PA 'his health constantly declined and for that reason he was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps' (p.45)

Jeffries knew this because he was a non-commissioned officer of Blake's company, and 'he was taken a prisoner of war along with deceased released at the same time' (p.45)

2 November 1867

Hannah Blake, resident of Philadelphia, swore that she was Martin Blake's widow, etc., stressing that he left no children by a former marriage (pp.5, 57 [re his health])

witnesses: Amelia Pfeiffer and Rachel Fleming (both residents of Philadelphia) (pp.5, p.56 [their testimony])

4 November 1867

the city Health Office certified a copy of Emma Blake's birth record (p.4)

23 Dec 1867

the Pension Office sent circular 14 to the Surgeon General (p.23)

the Pension Office sent Hannah Blake a letter noting a discrepancy: the original declaration had Emma born 8 October 1850, but the supplementary affidavit for the increase in pension had her born 7 October 1851 (pp.20, 23)

'The discrepancies must be duly accounted for + harmonized' (p.20)

addressed to Mrs Hannah Blake, Care [?] Emma Dailey, West side Vanerere St +c Phila Pa (p.20)

28 [December] 1867

Hannah Blake swore that Emma Blake was born 7 October 1851 (and was 16 on 7 October 1867); the date of 8 Oct 1850 in her original declaration was incorrect, and the mistake occurred because she 'probably did not carefully consider the correct date and gave the same from memory without proper forethough and due consideration and no doubt gave it wrong or the person who made out her original claim may have misunderstood her and inserted the date wrong in the papers' (p.64)

although the document does not state the month, since it's a reply to the Pension Office's letter of 23 December 1867, it must have been executed in December

3 January 1868

the Pension Office received a response about the discrepancies in Emma's birthdate (p.23)

6 January 1868

Hannah Blake again wrote to the Pension Office, nothing that she was 'constantly suffering from the want of [her] money' (p.40)

post office address: care of her daughter Mrs Emma Dailey, West side of Venderveer St, below Locus near 10th St, Philada (p.40)

11 Sep 1869

John D Lentz, late major 91st PA, affirmed that he knew William D Jeffries well, that Jeffries was always a good and faithful soldier, and that 'he is satisfied that any statement made by said soldier can positively be relied upon as being correct' (p.59)

31 December 1901

the pension office received a letter from Robt Briggs about reimbursement, and sent to the Audior (p.25)

stamped: "Reimbursement Act Mar. 2, 1895. Accounting Officer's Certificate No. 34961 for $80 Appropriation 1902 Returned to Interior Department for filing JUN 28 1902 J.E.P.' (p.25)

6 January 1902

Hannah Blake was dropped from the pension rolls because of death (p.21)

last paid at $12 to 4 November 1901 (p.21)

Records of headstones for deceased Union veterans

[records of headstones for deceased Union veterans, 1879-1903] [see two cards, at FamilySearch and FamilySearch]

[card 1]
Blake Martin
Pvt Co. E, 91" Regt. Pa Infy
Cemetery -
at Phila Pa
Grave [blank]
Date of death Nov 3 - 1864
Headstone supplied by
Sheldon & Sons
West Rutland [?], Vermont,
Contract da[ted A]ug. 21, [illegible]

[card 2]
Blake Martin
Pvt Co E 91 Pa Inf
WAR [blank]
DIED Nov 4 1864
CEMETERY Lafayette
AT Phila Pa
GRAVE [blank] SEC [blank]
REMARKS
Lee Marble Works
Contract June 10, 1903.
C.R. [blank] FOLIO [blank] VERIFIED [blank]