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'Wayback Wednesday' features George Blakeman of East Derby

Shared from the Derby Historical Society Facebook page:

"On this Wayback Wednesday, we hope you enjoy this article by Dr. Joe DiRienzo!"

The venerable George Blakeman (1799-1899), shoemaker, merchant, investor, businessman, and politician, was a prominent fixture for a century in East Derby. 

George Blakeman (1799-1899)

He is pictured in the first photo (courtesy of the Derby Historical Society). He is instantly recognizable in turn-of-the-century photographs captured near East Derby landmarks. 

Photos two, three, and four are postcards showing Blakeman by the First Congregational Church, at the Derby Junction train station, and at the corner of Derby Avenue and Main Street. 

He was a corporator of the Derby Savings Bank, on the Board of Officers of the Manufacturers Bank (reorganized as the Birmingham National Bank), Secretary and Treasurer of the Shelton Tack Co., member of the Connecticut State Legislature, and local selectman.
Blakeman owned a grocery and dry goods business in East Derby and by 1893 was the oldest member of the King Hiram Lodge No. 12 of Derby (Order of Masons). 

He kept detailed records of his financial transactions as seen in one of his leather-bound receipt books (Fifth photo). 
Entries are dated from 1823-1843 and signed by local individuals. Examples are shown in the sixth and seventh photos.

When Mr. Blakeman reached his 100th birthday on October 10, 1899, the town had a massive celebration as detailed in his New York Times obituary (eighth photo) only several months later. 

In 1902 Mrs. George Blakeman sold their residence at 40 Bank St., East Derby to Dr. John W. Melbourne who turned the house into a sanatorium for cancer patients (subject of a future post).

 [The ninth photo is a Private Mailing Card showing the Derby Avenue side of the Melbourne sanatorium. Thanks to Don Bristol of The Valley Post Facebook page for alerting me to the Evening Sentinel article describing the sale of the Blakeman residence.]

Thank you, Dr. DiRienzo, for sharing this interesting information about the life and times of George Blakeman of East Derby. 

And thanks to Derby Historical Society executive director Dan Bosques for posting!

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