Source: Buckley-King Mortuary records

f. Enoch Blackwell b. PA

m. Sarah Bush b. CT

w. Alice

dau Ruby C

sis Christina Starr

bro George & Edward

Member of Shrine & Masonic Order

 

Record Series: Death Records

Collection: Washington State Death Records

County: Statewide

First Name: William B.

Last Name: Blackwell

Date Of Death: 4 Oct 1922

Age: 85

Gender: Male

Father Name: Enoch Blackwell

Mother Name: Sarah Bush

Batch Locality: Washington, United States

Death Place: Tacoma, Pierce, Washington

 

Opened the Blackwell Hotel of Tacoma WA in the 1870s.

 

Via member #47554788

William B. Blackwell was a Civil War veteran with Company A, 26th New York Infantry, wounded at the Battle of Antietam and a member of.the Tacoma GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Custer Post #6. Blackwell and his wife Alice were the first passengers to make the trip on the Northern Pacific Kalama line to Tacoma in November 1873, when the Northern Pacific Railroad retained them to manage the first hotel in New Tacoma. The popular Blackwell Hotel was located right on the wharf at Half Moon Bay next to the western terminus, until the opening of the elegant Tacoma Hotel in 1887, between Ninth and Tenth on A Street on the bluff above. The Blackwell's adopted niece Ruby recalled the Tacoma GAR Custer Post #6 sponsoring Memorial Day parades, a big 4th of July picnic at O'Neil's Grove (present ASARCO site), a couple of fairs, and the patriotic performance "The Old Flag" at the Alpha Opera House. Blackwell joined Bevet Major General Sprague in founding the Tacoma National Bank and served as vice-president until Sprague died. Then Blackwell became president. He was in the Territorial Legislature during 1883-1884 and helped organize the Tacoma Board of Trade (later the Chamber of Commerce), and was a major stockholder in the old Tacoma Theatre and one of the street railways. The crash of May 1893 closed Tacoma National Bank, and the Blackwells suddenly became penniless, but managed to keep their house. William Blackwell ended up as a manager of the Tacoma Hotel, continuing to give part of his pay to those who had lost money in his bank during the crash. William B. Blackwell served as President of the Washington State Historical Society. He presided over a ceremony dedicating two Memorial Stones to the city of Auburn, WA on Saturday May 31, 1919 honoring the memory of Lieutenant William A. Slaughter and Corporals Barry and Clarendon and some early pioneers that were killed during the White River Indian war of 1855-1856.

 

Born in Milford, New Haven County, Connecticut. A resident of Utica, Oneida County, New York when he enlisted in the 26th New York Infantry for two years at Utica, New York. Mustered in as Regimental Quartermaster on 21 May 1861. Commissioned Quartermaster on 27 Aug 1861 with rank from 17 May 1861. Resigned his commission. A member of Custer Post No. 6 of Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington. At the 1st Encampment of the Department of Washington Territory held in Olympia on 20 Jun 1883 elected Alternate to the 17th National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic held in Denver, Colorado 25-26 Jun 1883. Elected to the House of Representatives of the Washington Territorial Assembly to represent Pierce County in the 1883 session. Died in Tacoma, Washington.

Source: https://suvcwdb.org/index.php?r=site/showgrave&graveid=887337

 

For $3.3M, a historic Tacoma mansion could be yours. Finding a buyer might be tough

Read more at: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/matt-driscoll/article266399166.html#storylink=cpy

 

The Blackwell Mansion Webpage

https://blackwellmansion.com/

 

Blackwell Mansion Tour

An Evening tour of the 1890 BLackwell Mansion

https://prettygrittytours.com/blackwell-mansion-tour.html

 

Their adopted duaghters are

Ethel Pearl Chapin

Ruby Chapin Blackwell

 

Parents:

Enoch Blackwell

about 1811 – 28 October 1893

Sarah Bush

about 1815 – 16 November 1889

Siblings:

George A Blackwell

Christine Cornelia Blackwell Starr