Untitled From the Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901- page 654-655

OSCAR L. BLACKMAN, a typical farmer and stockman of the town of Platteville, Grant county, has by strict attention to business before him, and an unswerving integrity, made a name for himself, and won a place in the world that entitles him to be classed among the representative men of Grant county.

Mr. BLACKMAN was born in Oneida county, New York, in the month of December, 1839, and is a son of Elisha and Lavina (HENDERSON) BLACKMAN. They were born in Chenango county, New York, and spent their early lives in their native county. There they were married, and there Mr. BLACKMAN followed the shoemaker's trade until 1853. That year they came West to Wisconsin, making the long and tedious journey in a moving wagon. Mr. BLACKMAN brought along a peddler's stock, and sold it on the way. They settled at Platteville, on a tract of land consisting of 160 acres, which he bought, not far from the village. They made this farm their home during their lives, and it is now owned by Oscar L. Mr. BLACKMAN died in 1893, surviving his wife eight years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and were widely known as good Christian people. He was a Republican, and held a number of local offices during life. Of their children - Almanzo BLACKMAN was the eldest, and was born in Oneida county, N.Y., in 1836. He obtained his education in his native county, and when he was sixteen years old came West with his parents. He married Miss Ursula HENDERSON, who was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and reared in Grant county. They went West but came back in 1893, and he was killed by the kick of a horse, in 1896, leaving a wife, but no children. Zelora BLACKMAN was born in New York in 1838, and remained single all his life; he has had poor health for many years, and makes his home with his brother, Oscar O., on the farm.

Oscar L. BLACKMAN received his early education in the schools of his native State, and attended school during the winter for a time after his arrival in Wisconsin. In 1861 he left his home in Belmont, and started with teams for California, with a man by the name of BASIT. They camped along the Missouri River for two or three weeks, and then went on as far as Fort Bridger, where our subject left Mr. BASIT, and began to work for the overland stage company, remaining one month. He then continued his journey as far as Salt Lake City, where he hired out to drive team to Denver, Colo., making two trips. That winter he remained in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and in the spring went through to the Powder river, in Oregon, spending one year there mining. The following spring he went to Idaho, and remained till fall, working in the mines. From there he went to Fort Walla Walla, Wash., and stayed until the next spring, when, with others, he started with pack trains to the Kootenay mines, British Columbia; thence again with pack trains they came to Helena, Mont., where Mr. BLACKMAN worked until late in the fall, when he went to Baker City, Oregon, and worked for the overland stage company, continuing in their employ for two years at that place, and a like period of time for the same company in Boise City, Idaho. In the spring of 1870 he left there for Wisconsin, taking the train at Ogden, and upon his arrival resumed the occupation of farming, which has since been his life work.

Mr. BLACKMAN was united in marriage with Miss Huldah J. HACKETT, who was born in 1845, a daughter of John K. and Orilla HACKETT, of Trumbull county, Ohio, the former a native of New Hampshire, born in 1804, and the latter born in Vermont in 1811. They came to Platteville in 1855, and lived in this town until they died in 1865 and 1899, respectively, Mrs. HACKETT at the venerable age of nearly eighty-nine. Mrs. BLACKMAN was mainly educated in the Platteville schools. After their marriage they spent three years in Fayette county, Iowa, Mr. BLACKMAN engaging in farming. He sold out and repurchased in Cherokee county, in the same State, spending seven years in that splendid agricultural region. After the expiration of that time they returned to Wisconsin, and took charge of the old homestead. They are the parents of four children, Charles, the eldest, born in Iowa in 1880, was a student at the Platteville schools; Zelora, born in Iowa in 1882, Helen, born in Cherokee county, in 1884, and George, born in Platteville in 1889, are all bright young people, and are students at the Normal. Mr. BLACKMAN is a Republican, and was brought up in the faith of the Methodist Church.



This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck