Prosser, William Farrand.  "A History of the Puget Sound Country."  Vol. 2. New
York: Lewis Pub. Co., 1903. p. 363-364.

Almon Clyde Blake

On the business register of Whatcom appears te name of Almon Clyde Blake, for he
has became well known in commercial circles here, and his mercantile ventures
have been attended with success until now, as a member of the firm Munro, Blake
& Haskell, he is controlling a business of importance.

Mr. Blake was born in Tuscola, Illinois, on the 2d of January, 1867, a son of
Austin and Nina (Brooks) Blake. The father was born in Ohio, and the mother was
a native if Illinois. She died in 1868, during the early infancy of our subject,
and the father afterward married again. There were also children of the second
union, and of these are the following: Elwood L., John Edwin, Eugene Austin,
Maud and Inez. Eugene A. is now the foreman of te steam fitting department of te
hardware house of Munro, Blake & Haskell. The father is a miller, and through
the greater part of his life has engaged in the manufacture of flour. He is now
living in Springdale, Arkansas.

During his early childhood Almon, C. Blake was taken to Kansas, where he was
reared and educated, attending school in Coffeyville and in Oxford, that state,
until sixteen years of age. For a short time he engaged in teaching in a country
school, and then accepted the position of bookkeeper for the firm of Davis &
Glass, at Coffeyville, where he remained for a year. During the time he was in
school he had assisted his father in the mill in the early morning and evening
hours and on Saturday, so that his life has always been one of industry and
activity. In 1886 he entered the service of the Adam Express Company, as a
messenger between Coffeyville and Sherryville, Kansas, and was afterward cashier
for the same company at Wichita, until 1889. In that year he became a fireman on
the yard locomotive of the Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad Company, and was
associated with the railroad service until 1892, when on account of his health
he gave up his position and became a bookkeeper in a hardware store at Baxter
Springs, Kansas, where he remained until 1895.

On the 22d of April of that year Mr. Blake became a resident of Whatcom, where
he has since made his home. Here he began working for the Bellingham Bay Iron
Company in the mill as an oiler, and later he was made night engineer at the
electric light plant. In 1896 he entered into partnership with Lewis Mayhew in a
plumbing business under the firm name of Mayhew & Blake, and was thus associated
until August, 1897, when he formed his present connection with Messrs. Munro and
Haskill under the firm style of Munro, Blake & Haskill. Their store is situated
at the corner of Elk and Chesnut streets, and they do a general plumbing
business, also carry a complete stock of shelf and heavy hardware, building
materials and furnaces. They install also steam and hot water heating plants,
and do sheet metal work, making specialty of cornices. In the various
departments they have built up a large business, and have considerable capital
invested in their extensive stock. Their store is well equipped and their
patronage is constantly increasing.

Mr. Blake was married on the 3d of June, 1891, the lady of his choice being Miss
Mary Jane Nicholson, a native of Ohio and a daughter of W.O. and Melinda
Nicholson , who are residents of Whatcom. To Mr. and Mrs. Blake have been born
two children, Helen Alma, eleven years of age; and George, a little lad of four
summers. Mr. Blake votes with the Republican party and strongly endorses its
principles. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, and also has membership
relations with the Woodman of the World and the Knights of the Maccabes. Widely
and favorably known in Whatcom, where he has now made his home for eight years,
he well deserved representation in this volume, and it is with pleasure we
present to our readers the record of one whose enterprise and diligence have
enabled him to overcome all obstacles in his path and gain for himself a
creditable position in the business world.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios. Project in September 2005 by Teressa Lenkey.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.