BLAKE, WILSON WILBERFORCE

WILBERFORCE, ACHESON, BLAKE, PLAYTER, FINCH

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 1/31/2025 at 23:54:40

BURLINGTON CITY.
(P. O. BURLINGTON)

BLAKE, WILSON WILBERFORCE, , editor-in-chief of the Burlington Gazette ; was born in a farm house near Morning Sun, Louisa Co., Iowa, Oct. 26, 1850, his parents having removed from Ohio to this State four years previously; he led the life of a farmer's boy until the age of 16, when he entered Monmouth College; being obliged to suspend his studies fur a time, he edited a country newspaper (the Morning Sun Free Press) ; taught school and farmed during the interval of sixteen months, while yet a minor, and finally graduated with honor from the institution, June 20, 1872. He married Aug. 31, 1871, Miss Maria S. Acheson, of Monmouth, Ill. ; three children— girls, are the fruit of this union. He removed from Morning Sun to Burlington, in the fall of 1872, to accept a position on the City Department of the Daily Hawk-Eye ; he was soon promoted to be City and News Editor of that paper, which position he retained until the 1st of August, 1874 ; failing health caused by the exacting duties of morning newspaper work led to his resignation ; the proprietor of the Hawk-Eye on his retirement, presented him with an elegant silver-headed cane as an expression of esteem ; he sought the much needed rest of a few weeks in the country, but soon returned to the ranks of journalism ; and, Sept. 24, 1874, he in conjunction with Messrs. W.R. Finch and Charles H. Playter, bought the Evening Gazette, and organized a stock company; Mr. Blake was at first city editor of the paper and afterwards business manager ; in the month of December, 1876, he became the editor-in-chief, and has reigned supreme in the sanctum ever since that time.

Source: BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY
HISTORY OF DES MOINES COUNTY IOWA
CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL COMPANY, 1879

Transcription typed/proofed as article was originally published in 1879