BLAKE, Susan, Mrs.
Portrait & Biographical Record Winnebago & Boone Cos., IL. Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1892, p 460

Mrs. Susan (HORTON) BLAKE, who is the owner of a splendid estate located in Flora Township, Boone County [IL], was born in Cornwall, England, 09 May 1827.  Her father, William HORTON, who was the son of William and Betsey (LOB) HORTON, was also a native of that shire in England, where he was a farmer and spent his entire life.  The maiden name of the mother of Mrs.  BLAKE was Nancy LOB, also a native of Cornwall, where she spent her entire life.

Mrs. BLAKE was the only member of her father's family to come to America.  She was reared in her native shire, and resided there until 1856, when in company with her husband and one child, she emigrated to America, setting sail from Paxton on the vessel "Captain Mably."  The party disembarked at Quebec, Canada, after a voyage of six weeks and five days.  One week after landing in the New World, they came to Rockford, Winnebago County [IL], where Mr. BLAKE found employment with Dr. CLARK for a few months.  He later engaged on a farm in Cherry Valley Township for one year, at the expiration of which time he went to Newburg [Macon County, IL], whence he returned after a short time to Rockford.  A few months thereafter, Mr. BLAKE went to Burritt and for one year worked for his brother-in-law on a farm.  After renting land for a time, he went to Lee County [IL] and became the proprietor of a quarter section of land five miles south of Dixon, upon which he resided for five years, and then renting that estate, leased a farm of 600 acres for five years.  He later traded his property for 220 acres of land included in his present farm, to which he has added until the estate now comprises 320 acres in one body and 110 acres on another section.

William BLAKE, to whom our subject was married in England, also had his birth in Cornwall, 19 Aug 1816.  He is a son of William BLAKE, Sr., who came to America from England in 1867, and departed this life in Rockford.  The mother also spent her last years in Rockford, having come to Americn from her native England in company with her husband and five children:  John, Ann Bate, Mary Pooley, William, and David.

Mr. and Mrs. BLAKE have a family of seven children living:  James, George, Charles, Frank, Fred, Fannie, and Nannie.  The eldest daughter, Mary, married Henry LUCE and died while resding in IA, leaving four chidren; Fannie married Ernest MINTER, and has one child; Nannie, the wife of Sylvester BOWLEY, is also the mother of one child.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly.