MILES BLACKSTONE.

     Miles Blackstone was for years an active and honored resident of the town of Branford, where he was prominently connected with agricultural interests. He was born April 1, 1806, and was a descendant in direct line of the Rev. William Blackstone, who was a graduate of Emanuel College at Cambridge, England, and became one of the earliest residents of Boston, where he was made a freeman in 1671. The line of descent comes on down through John Blackstone, who settled in Branford about 1717, and who was the father of John Blackstone (II). He in turn was the father of John Blackstone (III), whose son, Timothy Blackstone, became a well known representative agriculturist of Branford. He married Margaret Goodrich and they became the parents of seven children: Eunice, who married Charles Harrison; James, who married Sarah Beach; Grace, who became the wife of Andrew Hopson; Willis, who wedded Lucinda Hoadley; Samuel; Nancy; and Miles.
     The last named spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Branford and was indebted to the public school system of the locality for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed and which qualified him for life's practical and responsible duties. He was early trained to farm work and became much interested in that pursuit, which he chose as a life vocation. He concentrated his entire time and attention upon farming and kept in touch with the most progressive methods of planting and developing his crops. Industry, economy and unswerving integrity were among his sterling traits and brought to him a gratifying measure of success as the years passed on. He brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and added to his place many modern improvements. The latest machinery was used to facilitate the work of the fields and his labors were at all times most intelligently directed, so that substantial results followed his work.
     Miles Blackstone was united in marriage to Miss Lois Robinson, a daughter of Linus and Rebecca (Hobart) Robinson and a granddaughter of Mason Hobart, who was one of the earliest settlers of Branford, where the Robinsons were also a well known family. Mr. and Mrs. Miles Blackstone became the parents of five children: Elizur, who died at the age of two years; Betsey J.; Edwin E., a farmer who died unmarried at the age of fifty-eight years; Grace R., who became the wife of William H. Warner; and Sarah, who died at the age of thirty-one.
     The death of the father occurred March 29, 1875. He passed away in the faith of the Episcopal church, of which he had long been a devoted member. He always attended the church services and contributed liberally to its support. His political endorsement was given to the republican party and he kept well informed on the issues of the day, which he studied closely, so that he was able to support his position by intelligent argument. Of him a con-temporary biographer has written: "Mr. Blackstone was a most unassuming and modest gentleman of the old school, with a kindly heart, and was greatly honored and respected in the community in which he lived."

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