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[Daily Advance newspaper article from January 23, 1947] Daily Advance, Thursday Evening, January, 1947
[Headline] Blackford Book Gives New Insight in 1860's
Of particular interest in Lynchburg because of the Blackford family's connection here is the newly published book, "Letters From Lee's Army." which consists mainly of letters written by Capt. Charles Minor Blackford, CSA, to his wife, Susan Leigh Blackford, and her replies.
Published last week by Charles Scribner's Sons, the book represents the editing and abridging of a two-volume work published privatel in Lynchburg in 1894 after compliation by Mrs. Blackford. The original edition was limited to 20 copies intended for members of the Blackford family.
Miss Maud Campell, who is retiring after 25 years as librarian at Jones Memorial Library, said today the library has the original manuscrips of Capt. Blackford's letters to his wife, but not her replies to him. It also has Volume 2 of the privately printed book.
She recalled that when Dr. Douglas Southhall Freeman published his celebrated Lee biography, as mentioned that his best account of the Surrender at Appomattox was in the Blackford book. The library received dozens of requests for the volume at the time.
Capt. Blackford was a leading member of the Lynchburg Bar for many years after the War Between the States. He was the father of the late R. Coltson Blackford who was also an attorney.
Both Capt. and Mrs. Blackford were keen observers, and when the captain went to war with Company B, Second Virginia Calvary, which was first organized in Lynchburg under the name of "Wise Troop" they agreed to save all the letters they wrote each other.
Their joint story was edited and abridged by their grandson, Charles Minor Blackford, III.
Capt. Blackford was the brother of Lt. Col. W. W. Blackford, whose "War Years With Jeb Stuart", was published in 1945. In compiling the original edition. Mrs. Blackford drew upon other memoirs and diaries of the Blackford family, including those of Col. Blackford.
A captain in the early years of the war. Blackford was appointed as Judge Advocate on the staff of General Longstreet in the latter part of 1862. He describes with humor numerous anecdotes of Stonewall Jackson and deplores the complete lack of social refinement which, he states, he observed in Pennsylvania.
His wife, who lived in several Virginia towns during the war, was in Charlottesville at the time of General Hunter's raid there, and she gives a grim human picture of the events that occurred.
Accustomed to the better things in life, Capt. Blackford went through the horrors of war with very few complaints. His wife's letters, too, show a steadfast courage and devotion in the face of all sorts of hardships.
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[ an article sent to Mrs. Karen Lung, from C. M. Blackford III]
[a page of the National Cyclopedia] [two columns]
[column one] 186 THE NATIONAL CYCLOPEDIA
the Vale Milling & Elevator Co., which operated. the Vale Flouring Mill. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and, politically, a Democrat. He found his chief recreation in the cultivation of trees and plants, was a lover of birds and maintained serveral hundred stands of trees. He combined, in unusual degree, personal charm with sound judgement and business abilty. He was married Oct. 6, 1878, to Mary, daughter [?] Albert James Barret of Dayton, Nev., and had ten children: Vivan, who died in service during the world war; Albert; Howard; Harold; Stanley; Pansy; Alice; Isabella; Lenna, wife of Paul Wortman Campbell, and Mary Mallett. He dies in Portland, Ore., Oct. 24, 1921.
BLACKFORD, Charles Minor, lawyer and banker was born in Fredericksburg, Va., Oct. 17, 1833, son of William Matthews and Mary Berkeley (Minor) Blackford; grandson of Benjamin and Isabella (Arthur) Blackford, and great-grandson of one of the three brothers, John, Reuben of Martin Blackford, who emigrated from Scotland in 1746 and settled in New Jersey. His father, although educated for the bar, became engrossed in the literary and politcal controversies of his time, and was editor of the "Political Arena" at Fredericksburg, Va., charge d'affaires to Columbia during 1842-44, and upon his return, editor and part owner of the Lynchburg "Virginian," Charles MInor Blackford received his preliminary education at private schools and from tutors at Fredericksburg, following which he spent three years in the academic department of the University of Virginia. He was graduated at the law college of that institution in 1853 and two years later began the practice of his profession in Lynchburg in partnership with William Tudor Yancy. Not long after the John Brown raid, he joined a calvalry company in the Confederate army, becoming, captain in the 2d Virginia calvary. He took part in the first battle of Manassas, was detailed to special duty with Gen. Jackson at Fredericksburg and at the request of Gen Longstreet, on whose staff he also served, he was detailed in December, 1861, to Richmond, Va., as judge advocate-general. He resumed his law practice at the close of the war, assocciating himself with Maj. Thomas J. Kirkpatrick. The firm of Kirkpatrick & Blackford continued for nearly thirty years, and became one of the most distinguished in the state. The members were counsel on one side or the other in nearly every case of note in that section, and probably no other lawyers in the state did so much towards the development of the Virginia fellow-servant doctrine as they. While Mr. Blackford was a jury lawyer of great power, his greatest legal work was in keeping people out of litigation. In 1895 he became senior partner in the firm of Blackford, Horsely & Blackford, the partners being his son, Raleigh Colston Blackford and Judge John D. Horsley. For many years Mr. Blackford was director and counsel of the Old Virginia Midland Railway Co. For the former he handled the largest lawsuit ever tried in Virginia at that time: Graham vs. Washington City, Virginina Midland & Great Southern Railway, and the different branches of it which went to the court of appeals. After argument in the higher court, the judges handed him back a marked copy of his argument, saying that they had drawn their opinion by it. In 1868, he became vice-president and in 1874 president of the People's Savings
[column 2] Bank, and in 1882 he was made president of its succesor, the People's National Bank, both at Lynchburg. In 1893, he led in the organization of the Lynchburg Bankers' Association and he served one term, 1894-95, as president of the Virginia Bar Association. His speeches and lectures, many of them published, constitute both a record and commentary on the history of Virginia and the civil war. They were collected in "Memoirs of the War" and "Trial and Trials of Jefferson Davis." He wrote also a "History of the Book of Commons Prayer" and served as vestry of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church in Lynchburg. Politically he was an independent Democrat. He was married Feb. 17, 1856, to Susan Leigh, daughter of Thomas Marshall Colston of "Hill and Dale," Albemmarle co., Va. and had two sons: Charles Minor, Jr. and Raleigh Colston Blackford. He died in Lynchburg, Va. Mar. 10, 1903.
FISCHER, Carl Daniel, manufacturer, was born in Cassel, Germany, June 19, 1855, son of Johanes and Anna Elizabeth (Schnellenphfeil} Fischer. His father was for sixty-two years burgomeister of Elben. The son received his education in public schools under the preceptorship of private tutors. As a youth he was apprenticed in the mercantile establishment of A. Mohr at Wolfhagen, and rose rapidly until he became chief assistant to the proprietor. At the age of eighteen he came to the United States and settled at Wapakoneta, O., where he bacame a clerk in the grocery store owned by a brother. He was made a partner in 1876 and upon the death of his brother the following year he took charge of the business and conducted it independently until 1883. With five associates, he then incorporated the Wapakoneta Bending Co., of which he was secretary-manager for three years. In 1884 he was elected vice-president of the Wapakoneta Wheel Co., and two years later he became its secretary and manager. In 1889 this enterprise was merged with the American Wheel Co., and until the dissolution of the latter firm in 1891, he was in charge of the Fort Wayne, Ind., and Ottawa, St. Mary;s and Wapakoneta, O., branches. Thereafter he again took exlusive charge of the Wapakineta Wheel Co., becoming its president in 1903. He was also the founder and, until his death president, of the Wapakoneta Machine Co. In 1909 he resigned the presidency and manager of the Standard Wheel Co. of Terre Haute, Ind., which had been incorporated in1805. He became an expert in everyting pertaining to wood stock and the manufacture of all kinds of vehicle wheels, from small cart wheels to large automobile truck wheels. Under his direction the plant was enlarged until it achieved the reputation of being the largest factory in the world for the manufacture of vehicle castings department, the Standard Machine Co. As early as 1900 the company engaged in the manufacture of wood wheels for automobiles and at that time was regarded as the most reliable source of supply for this commodity. During the European war, the plant of the Standard Wheel Co., including the malleable casting department, was engaged almost exclusively in the production of was materials. while at Wapakoneta, Mr. Fischer was one of the dominant factors in municipal affairs.
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JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY ALBERMARLE, PA. [illegible] Blackford 1867 CHAS. M. BLACKFORD. "In 1829-30 the city of Richmond was represented in the Convention by John Marshall, Jno Typer Phil B. Nicholas & Jno B. Clopton In 1867 by Hunnicott-Undersood & some negroes - !! - O Tempera O Mores! Copied from the front pages of ACTS AND PROCEDDINGS OF A GENERAL CONVENTION OF THHE COMMONWEALTH OF VA & Assembled in Richmond on Monday the 5th day of October 1829.
[illegible] In 1829-30 the city of Richmond was represented in the Convention by John Marshall, Jno Tyler Phil B. Nicholas & Jno B. Clopton In 1867 by Hunnicott-Underwood & some n egroes - !! O Tempera O Mores!