Last fall while I was looking at and for headstone photos and entries on Find A Grave, I decided to put in a request for photos of my great-grandparents’ graves in Pendleton, Indiana. A very kind lady answered my request immediately. Not only did she take photos of the graves of Melissa (Goul) and Frank Blazer but several of Melissa Goul’s family members. She also went to the library and dug up some information to send to me.
A Pendleton newspaper account from October 1873 mentioned that my 2nd g-grandfather, John Blazer (father of the Franklin Blazer from above), died on August 27, 1873 being between 69 and 70 years old. Remarks by family members that were overheard by John’s brother, Samuel Blazer, caused him to approach the coroner, G.W. Maynard, with his suspicions that John was poisoned. The newspaper did not reveal the first name of the Blazer who Samuel accused. That accusation led the coroner to request an exhumation of John’s remains. After which the contents of the stomach were sent away for testing. At some point later, another Pendleton newspaper account mentioned that no poison had been found. The officials did have a problem though – who was going to pay the $350 for the doctor’s bill?
Analysis: The information giving the name of Samuel as the brother of John Blazer was one more piece of corroboration that I had been researching the “correct” Blazer family.
Another Pendleton newspaper article dated September 25, 1903 reported that Franklin’s brother, George Blazer, committed suicide by ingesting poison. (Note: the article has misspelled the surname as “Blazier” – however, even my maternal grandfather, whose mother’s maiden name was Blazer, often spelled her relatives’ names with an “i”.) This article gave several pertinent pieces of information:
- George’s residence: 610 West 12th Street in Pendleton, Indiana.
- Past occupation: Drayman.
- Character: he had taken to drinking “hard” and become despondent.
- He was married and had “several” children.
Apparently, as reported, George had purchased 10 cents’ worth of carbolic acid from a drug store after he had gone to the meat market for steaks. It was also mentioned that he had threatened suicide a number of times due to his despondency. On the day of the suicide, he and his son had an argument while his wife went to cook the steaks. It was during the disagreement that he took out the bottle and “threw the acid down his throat before he could be prevented.” The dr. was called right away but George could not be saved.
Documented information about George:
- George is 5 years old, living in his parents’ household (John and Mary Ann Blazer) in the 1850 US Census. They are residing in Fall Creek, Madison County, Indiana. The record shows that George attended school within the year.
- In the 1860 US Census he is found at age 14 living in his parents’ household (John and Mary A. Blazer) in Fall Creek Twp, Madison County, Indiana and had been in school within the past year.
- The 1870 US Census shows G.W. Blazer living in Anderson Twp, Madison County, Indiana. He is age 26, a Farmer, lists a value of real estate as $1200 but nothing for personal estate, born in Indiana, and a male citizen age 21 years or over. Living in the household are wife Amanda, daughters E.J. and M.M., son J.W., and three other people (M. Judd, A.M. Judd, and Jas Webb).
- Two headstones in Grovelawn Cemetery in Madison County, Indiana list sons of G.W. and Amanda Blazer. One is for John W. Blazer who died on December 24, 1874 age 4 years, 10 months, 6 days. The other is for James Albert Blazer who died on June 3, 1876.
- The family is still residing in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana for the 1880 US Census. George W. Blazer is 35 and married. His listed occupation is Teamster. Also in the household is wife, Amanda, daughters Estella and Margaret, and a boarder, William Caton.
- In the 1900 US Census, George Blazer continues to reside in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana. He is 55 years old and lists his birth as Sep 1844 in Indiana. He has been married 37 years. His occupation is Day Laborer but he has been unemployed for 2 months. His wife Amanda lists her birth as March 1845, age 55, mother of 4 with only one surviving. Also in their household is their grandson, Willie, age 15 born June 1884 in Indiana. He is also a day laborer but had been unemployed for 3 months.
- His headstone is located in Grovelawn Cemetery in Pendleton, Madison County, Indiana.
A Pendleton newspaper (handwritten on the copy was 7-30-97) lists the account of the suicide of John Blazer. He was the oldest son of Franklin and Melissa, born on September 17, 1859. He married Sarah Manis on January 2, 1897 in Madison County, Indiana. The newspaper account states that his wife sent a telegram from Knighstown, Indiana – where they resided – to a family named “Lawson” that “Johnny shot and killed himself” that morning. The short article concludes with the information that he was “well known. He was an erratic fellow” and had “considerable trouble in court.”
Documented evidence for John Blazer:
- He was listed in the 1870 US Census living in his mother’s household (who was a widow by then), in Fall Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana at age 11. He was listed as born in Indiana.
- At age 21 he is still living in Melissa’s household in the 1880 US Census in Stony Creek Township, Madison County, Indiana with his birth listed as Indiana. His occupation is a farmer.
- The index to the Marriage Record of Madison County for the years 1880-1920 lists the marriage of John F. Blazier (notice the “i” in the surname again) to Sarah E. Manis as January 2, 1897 on page 352 of book 6.
- His headstone is located in Grovelawn Cemetery in Pendleton, Madison County, Indiana.
Observation: John and Sarah were married not quite 7 months when he committed suicide. No children were born of this union.
It is very sad that two members of this family chose to end their lives rather than face whatever caused them such turmoil and despair and a third member was thought to have been poisoned by another family member. I often wonder what circumstances surrounded this branch of the Blazer family that created such suspicions and desperation.
So much sadness for one family. You’ll probably never know why but it’s a question that I’d want an answer for too.
[…] William? Three years after the 1900 census was taken, George died from ingesting carbolic acid (see The Deaths of Blazers”) and three years after that, Amanda died. With tragedy swirling around William from the time of his […]