Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 2nd ed., 1885,
Muhlenberg Co.

THOMAS H. BLADES, Muhlenburgh [sic] County is a native of England, born
in Durham, November 9, 1842.  He is a son of James Blades, who
was of Irish birth born in Dublin, and died in England in 1846,
aged twenty-eight years.  he was married to Mary J. Hardy, of
County Durham, in 1841.  She died in 1850, leaving three
children: Elizabeth, (who died in England in 1855); Mary Jane and
Thomas H., who came to America in 1860.  James Blades was a son
of Thomas Blades, a native of Ireland.  Joseph Hardy, the
grandfather of our subject, was an Englishman, and by profession
a soldier; his wife was Elizabeth Burdale, she died in 1869, aged
seventy years.  Thomas H. Blades was left an orphan at the age of
three years, and in the seven following years had no fixed home,
but was cared for by his friends, living for a short time with
each one who would care for him.  When ten years old, he became
an inmate of the home of William King, with whom he lived for
twelve years, and was employed in various kinds of work,
principally mining, which he has followed ever since; he came,
with Mr. King, to America in 1864, came to Kentucky and on the
9th of September of that year, married Elizabeth Foster, of
Muhlenburgh County.  They have four children living: Robert B.,
Thomas, Mary J. and William.  Mrs. Blades is a member of the
Christian faith.  Mr. Blades is a liberal thinker in religious
views, and is a member of no church.  He bases his religious
views on honesty and fair dealing.  He votes with the national
Greenback party, but is not a politician, and has no political
aspirations.  He is a reader and is interested in the cause of
education and temperance.  He had a considerable property left
him by his mother's people in England, but through the dishonesty
of those who had it in charge, he never received but a small
portion of it.  He is now, however, in comfortable circumstances.

Blades Hardy Burdale King Foster
=
England Ireland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/muhlenberg/blades.th2.txt