He whose career we now take under consideration and to whom the reader's
attention is respectfully directed is numbered among the progressive and
successful business men of Marion county, of which he has been a resident
for many years, while he has gained prosperity through his own honest
efforts in connection with the development of the natural resources and the
subsequent business prosperity.
Charles E. Blankinship was born in
Fayette county, Illinois, August 8, 1861, the son of Edward and Susannah
(Lollar) Blankinship. Grandfather Blankinship was a native of Tennessee, who
came to Illinois about 1837 and settled in Fayette county, on a farm and
where he lived until his death in 1860. The father of the subject was born
in Tennessee and was brought here by his parents when a child. After he
reached manhood he first engaged in farming and later engaged in
merchandising the balance of his life, having passed to his rest in 1871, at
the age of thirty- four years. The subject's mother was also about the same
age when she died in 1877. The father was a member of the Methodist church
and the mother of the Christian church. The former was a Democrat. They were
the parents of five children, all having died young except our subject.
Charles E. Blankinship attended the public schools at Patoka until he
was seventeen years old. He then attended school at Valparaiso, Indiana, and
at Eureka, Illinois, receiving a good education, having made a splendid
record in each.
After leaving school he went to farming on his own
account. He inherited a farm from his father in Marion county on which he
remained for a period of five years, making agriculture a paying business.
He then moved to Patoka and became postmaster under President Harrison, and
served four years under that appointment and four years under McKinley's
administration. He made a most efficient public servant and won the
approbation of all in the community. and the high favor of the Post Office
Department.
Since he left the office he has been engaged in the hay,
grain and coal business, also has been handling farming implements and is
still in this line of business which he has built up until he has a
lucrative patronage, his trade constantly growing by reason of his sound
business principles and his courteous and kind consideration of customers.
He is vice-president of the local bank.
Mr. Blankinship was married
on March 9, 1882, to Albertine F. Clark, daughter of Henry I. and Mary J.
Clark. Her parents were natives of Virginia, who settled in McLean county,
Illinois. Her father died in Woodford county, this state. He was over eighty
years old at the time of his death and he had been a soldier in the War of
1812. Her mother, a woman of fine traits, is still living at the age of
eighty years. The subject's wife has one brother, two sisters and two
half-sisters.
Four children have been born to the subject and wife,
namely: Leta C., whose date of birth occurred in January, 1883, is the wife
of Robert A. Ward, and the mother of one son; Dean Francis, who was born in
August, 1885, is now cashier of the bank at Patoka and is married; Nellie
M., who was born in 1887, is the wife of Albert J. Earl and the mother of
one son; Clark J., who was born in October, 1898, is living at home.
The subject of this sketch is a great Mason, belonging to six lodges in
this fraternity, namely: Patoka lodge No. 613, Ancient, Free and Accepted
Masons, Centralia Chapter No. 93, Cyrene Commandery, Knights Templar, No.
23, Centralia Council No. 29, Royal and Select Masters, Oriental Consistory
(thirty-second degree) of Chicago; also Chapter 253 Order of the Eastern
Star, of Patoka. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen. He has filled
all the chairs in the local lodge of the Free Masons.
Mrs.
Blankinship is a member of the Christian church. Our subject has long taken
an active part in political and public affairs, having served as Supervisor
of the township, also Township Collector. He was a member of the School
Board for nine consecutive years, and was Mayor of Patoka for two terms. In
all these public offices he served the people in a most capable and
praiseworthy manner, eliciting nothing but favorable comment from everyone,
and because of his past honorable record, his integrity and his successful
enterprises, together with his gentlemanly bearing to both stranger and
friend, he is popular with all.
Extracted 27 May 2019 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay and Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 492-494.