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.

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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.