The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 292
A portrait of Samuel G. Blackburne appears in this publication.

SAMUEL G. BLACKBURNE.

The experiences of Samuel G. Blackburne have been most varied and his
reminiscences are thoroughly interesting. He is a native son of the Emerald
Isle, his birth having occurred at Fenagh in County Carlow, Ireland, January 30,
1865, his parents being Thomas and Elizabeth Sarah (Murphy) Blackburne, both of
whom passed away in Ireland, where the father had followed the profession of
school teaching.

At the age of eighteen years Samuel G. Blackburne left his native country and
went to Australia, remaining there for sixteen years in all, during which time
he followed gold mining and also traveled extensively over that country. As he
passed to and fro over the dry deserts he was many times near death, for intense
heat prevailed in those and districts, where there was no water. However, he
found much of interest in the country and as the years passed on he continued
his prospecting for placer gold. He also spent two years in New Zealand, where
he engaged in timber cutting under contract. He was likewise for six months in
Tasmania, where he was engaged in the artillery service. He also served for two
years as a member of an artillery company in Australia. He was through that
period a young man enjoying adventure and excitement and he gained much of both.
In February, 1898, he left Australia, and in April of that year landed at
Skagway, Alaska, where he engaged in prospecting during the summer. In the fall
of the year he returned to Dawson and through the winter worked for wages. In
the fall of 1899 he bought a claim on Last Chance, which he operated for eight
months and then engaged in prospecting during the summer of 1900 in connection
with three others. They went down the Yukon river and then up the Hosianna river
to a point one hundred and fifty miles north of the Arctic circle and found some
gold but not in paying quantities. In the fall of that year Mr. Blackburne made
his way to Rampart, where he worked a claim through the winter. In March, 1901,
he took four dogs and made a trip of four hundred miles up the Yukon river with
one companion. They were caught in a blizzard and were almost frozen to death
but at length Mr. Blackburne succeeded in reaching Fort Hamlin. The other man,
however, could not stand up to the severe hardships and quit, but Mr. Blackburne
proceeded on his way to the fort and then sent others hack from the fort to
bring in his companion, which they successfully accomplished. Nine days later
they went on to Circle City and purchased two claims sixty miles out. There
they remained for two years. In 1903 Mr. Blackburne went to Fairbanks and
purchased several claims in that vicinity, there residing until the fall of
1907, when he came to the United States. He visited New York and Chicago,
Minneapolis and other cities, after which he returned to Ireland, where he spent
three months and also one month in London. He then again came to the United
States, making his way, to Washington, D. C., to Philadelphia and other points
in the east. He had prospered in his Alaskan venture and with the money thus
earned he made a most pleasurable and enjoyable trip in various parts of this
country as well as in Great Britain.

In March, 1908, he arrived in Seattle with the intention of returning to Alaska
but came to the Yakima valley to look over the district, having met a number of
other Alaskan men who had purchased land in this section. Mr. Blackburne became
interested in the valley and its prospects and invested in eighty acres of land
on Selah Heights, which at that time was all covered with sagebrush. He was one
of the first to locate in that locality, taking tip pioneer world in the
development and improvement of the district. His labors have since brought about
wonderful results. He has planted sixty-five acres to apples, pears, peaches and
grapes and his orchards and vineyards are in excellent bearing condition. Its
fact he has one of the finest ranches to be found in the valley, supplied and
equipped with every modern improvement and commanding a beautiful view of the
surrounding country.

In 1909 Mr. Blackburne was united in marriage to Miss Kathe Werley, a native of
Allentown, Pennsylvania. Mr. Blackburne belongs to Yakima Lodge No. 318, B. P.
O. E., also to the Grange and to the Sour Doughs, a society made up of former
residents of Alaska. In politics he maintains an independent course, voting for
men and measures rather than party yet giving deep and earnest consideration to
all vital and significant problems affecting the welfare of community,
commonwealth or country. He is a big man physically and mentally, has seen much
of life and from each experience has learned the lessons therein contained. He
is a strong man, strong in his honor and his good name, strong in his ability to
plan and perform and, moreover, his marked characteristics are such as make for
personal popularity among all who know him.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.