Gilbert, Frank T.  "Historic Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia and
Garfield Counties, Washington Territory; and Umatilla County, Oregon."
Portland, OR: Print & Lithographing House of A. G. Walling, 1882. p. a4.
 
DR. N. G. BLALOCK

     In all animate life, there are grades of intelligence so plainly marked
that the difference is evident at a glance. Between men this gradation is so
distinguishable and universal that attention has only to be called to the fact,
to secure its unquestioned recognition. Among the Australian bushmen, or in the
court circle of Kings, the genius of a few men lead, while the many follow.
These are but truisms, facts old as the human family, still, it is not out of
place to call attention to them, and the additional truth that it is not
unfrequent for many, who follow some distance in the rear, to forget, when the
smoke of battle has passed, that they were not in the van. Nature designs some
men for active service, and for such to tall short of becoming an important
element, in the progressive operations of whatever sphere circumstances places
them, would be something they could not do. It would be impossible for
comprehensive minds to dwell upon that which failed to possess the charm of
intricacy or magnitude, something beyond the ordinary; and those possessing,
such faculties move off in the advance, plan and execute, where others hesitate,
and fail to act. Every community has within it characters of this kind, more or
less marked, who are termed the leading men or minds. East of the Cascades there
are two of this class, who stand so far in the van of progress, that their names
have but to be mentioned, to elicit a universal approval of the assertion from
all, except their personal enemies, or the envious whose opinions are of little
value. We refer, first, to Dr. D. S. Baker, second to Dr. N. G. Blalock both
residents of Walla Walla City. For evidence of the truthfulness of this
assertion, we refer the reader in Dr. Baker's case, to his biography and the
history of railroads and transportation in this book. Of Dr. Blalock, the reader
has but to learn what his operations in the country have been, to cheerfully
accord him the mead of approval. He has not derived as much personal benefit
from the result of his labors, as the people of the country have, and his
business efforts are all of a nature calculated to inure to the public advantage
more than to his private advancement.
     Dr. Blalock was born in Western North Carolina, February 17, 1836, was
educated in the common schools of his native state, spent one year at college in
Tennessee, and then entered the Jefferson Medical College, in 1859, from where
he graduated in 1861. He was a married man when he first entered the Jefferson
Medical College, and started upon his course in that institution with less than
money enough to pay his way. His wife, formerly Mrs. Pantha A. Durham of High
Shoals, North Carolina, whom he had married, August 1, 1858, was a lady of rare
qualities and attainments, one who was a helpmate in the hour of his trials.
Together they labored, together they economized, together they studied, and with
equal hopes and pleasures, they saw the day come when he could start from the
student's cloister out into the world, anti strive for success. After their fare
had been paid on the cars that were to take them to the new scene of labor in
Illinois, the Doctor had not money enough left to buy meals on the road, and
thus he started in his profession as a Doctor. It is only men with nerve and
courage and brain and will who win in life's struggle. The Doctor practiced in
the line of his profession until 1862, in Mt. Zion, Macon Co., Illinois, when he
became Regimental Surgeon of the 115th Illinois Infantry Volunteers, but was
forced to abandon the service in 1863, because of ill health.  In 1864, May 18,
his wife died, leaving two children of whom only one, Yancy C. is now living.
     December 10, 1865, Miss Marie E. Greenfield was married to the Doctor in
Mt. Zion, Illinois, and in May 1872, he left that state with teams for Walla
Walla valley, where he arrived in October, without a dollar of money at his
command.  He at once started his teams to hauling freight, and entered upon his
professional practice, and devoted every surplus dollar he could get to the
purchasing and improvement of cheap lands along the Blue mountain base, until he
has converted over 5,000 acres from its primitive sod into cultivated farms.
     In 1881, he harvested 90,000 bushels of wheat and barley, one thousand
acres of his land producing the unprecedented yield of fifty bushels of wheat to
the acre, and all this upon land deemed worthless for such purposes until tested
by him. A sketch of that farm accompanies this work. In 1874 he commenced the
construction of a flume, purposed to convey wood and lumber from the mountains
into the Walla Walla valley at rates that would enable farmers to improve their
land, and in 1880, twenty-eight miles of it had been completed at a cost of
$56,000. During the latter year, $160,000 were disbursed by him, in the
construction of this flume, building of mills, getting out timber, operating the
flume, etc., nearly all of which was paid for labor, and he lost $75,000 in the
operation; but the whole country was materially benefitted, and cheap
transportation from the mountains has been established as a fixture. This loss
caused a temporary suspension of operations, that has since been resumed by the
"Blalock Wheat Growing Company" of which the Doctor is President. This company
was organized for the purpose that its name indicates to operate a 20,000 acre
farm between the John Day and Columbia rivers in Wasco Co., Oregon. The Doctor's
efforts in the John Day country are demonstrating what his operations dill at
the base of the Blue mountains, that thousands of land acres, heretofore
considered comparatively worthless, are agricultural mines of wealth.
     We have only mentioned, in this brief way, the more important transactions
of this man in the country, that readers might know that we have not improperly
denominated him, as one of those whom nature created to lead among his fellows,
to operate in the advance, break down barriers to progress, open new fields of
thought, explore and guide the timid to hitherto unknown regions for enterprise,
to point out new avenues to wealth, and become a public benefactor by so doing.
     He still continues the practice of his profession, and was appointed
surgeon for the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company in February, 1882.

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Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in February 2007 by Diana Smith.

Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.