An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company, Spokane, WA. 1905, pages 300-301. JESSE W. BLAKENEY, engaged in the transfer and draying business, at The Dalles, Wasco county, was born at Georgetown, Danville county, Illinois, November 21, 1850, the son of John W. and Nancy J. (Phelps) Blakeney, the father a native of Kentucky: the mother of Illinois. John W. Blakeney died at The Dalles, in 1900. The mother at present resides twelve miles from The Dalles, with her daughter, Mrs. Emma J. McClure. The parents of our subject crossed the plains to Oregon in 1852. Starting from Georgetown, Illinois, they were nine months on the road, and though amply provisioned at the inception of their long journey they ran short of food before gaining their destination, through dividing with others less fortunate. They paid as high as one dollar apiece for biscuits with which to feed our subject and the other children. Following great hardships they arrived in the Cowlitz country, where the father of our subject filed on a donation claim. In 1862 they came to The Dalles, bringing their furniture and household effects and twenty-five head of cattle on a scow, from the Cowlitz river, to the Lower Cascades. Above the Cascades, they took a river steamer to The Dalles. Our subject had attended school three months in the Cowlitz country, and when he came to The Dalles he continued his studies in the public schools. His first employment was driving a yoke of oxen in the brick yards. He, also, went to North Yakima and worked in the hay fields. Following this he was engaged in a variety of employments, and for twelve years he was in the shops of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company and for six years on the boats. He began teaming in The Dalles in 1889 and has continued it ever since. In March, 1883, at The Dalles, he was married to Ianthe A. Jones, born in Lane county, Oregon. She died fifteen months later. His second marriage took place at Antelope, Wasco county, when he was united to Laura F. Smith, born in California. Her father, Milton Smith, is a native of Pennsylvania, of Dutch ancestry, and now resides in the Puget Sound country. Mr. Blakeney has three brothers and two sisters: Hugh T., of Baker City, Oregon; James Henry, a dealer in horses, at Portland and The Dalles; Decatur A., a mining man at Baker City; Mary A., wife of Frank Thompson, of Baker City; and Emma J., married to William T. McClure, a farmer living near Mosier, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Blakeney have three children, Jessie F., Thomas W. and Cedric A. Mr. Blakeney is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 9, K. of P., of which he has served two terms as C.C., the I.O.O.F., and the W.O.W. He and his wife are members of the Rathbone Sisters. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.