Jerome Blackman submitted by Conley Wolterman One of the early settlers of Crawford County, Iowa, was born in Oneida County, New York, November 4, 1840, son of Nathaniel and Eliza Blackman, both natives of New York, who died in Illinois. Jerome was reared in his native New York until the family moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin, when he was 7 years old, where they lived 2 years and then moved to McHenry County, Illinois. He was reared to farm life, receiving his education in the public schools of his county, remaining at home until he was 21 years of age, when he began to work for himself. He enlisted September 11, 1861, in Company I, 56 Illinois Volunteer Infantry, being mustered out as First Sergeant at the close of the Civil War. At the close of the Civil War, he returned to Illinois and remained there until the fall of 1868, when he came to Crawford County, Iowa. After 2 years, he purchased a tract of 160 acres of prairie land, which he greatly improved. He erected, from 12 ft. posts, a house 22 x 14 feet, but he had a good frame residence, 22 x 16 feet, with 16 feet added to the original. He also had a good stable and barn, where he kept his stock and grain. Eighty acres of this farm was in a fine state of cultivation. He also purchased a farm of unimproved 80 acres in 1889 in Section 19, Denison Township. In the fall of 1862, he was married to Celia Harper of Illinois. They had a family of 10 children: Frankie, wife of John Duff of Defiance, Shelby County Iowa; William; Edwin; Guy; John; Claudia, Carl, Alice, and Annie. (The name of one of the children is not known.) Mr. Blackman was a member of the John A. Logan Post No. 68, G. A. R.

________________________________________________________