Montgomery County PA Archives Biographies.....Blake, Jonathon L. October 31, 1850 - 
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Joe Patterson jpatter@epix.net January 6, 2026, 12:27 pm

Source: Biographical Annals of Montgomery County Pennsylvania, T. S. Benham & Company and the Lewis Publishing Company, 1904
Author: Ellwood Roberts, Editor

JONATHAN L. BLAKE. The record of the Blake family extends to 
1286. The first of the name of whom there is any authentic 
account is Robert Blake. He was a landholder, and resided in 
Wiltshire, England. His son Robert resided in Caln, in 
Wiltshire. He married Annie Cole, and had a son Humphrey, 
among others, who inherited the family estates, in 
accordance with the English custom.

Humphrey Blake married Elizabeth Durant, and had a son, 
among others, who was named William. William Blake married 
Mrs. Powers, and had several children. One of them was Henry 
Blake, of Caln, who married Mrs. Billett. Among their 
children was Robert Blake, also of Caln, who married Alice 
Wallop. William Blake, of White Parish, in Wiltshire, died 
in 1471. He was the son of Robert and Alice, the estates 
descending regularly from father to son. William Blake, son 
of the preceding William, resided in Oldhall parish, 
Andover, until his death in 1547.

Humphrey Blake, named for his maternal grandfather Cole, 
married early in the sixteenth century and removed from 
Wiltshire into Somerset county. He became lord of the manor 
of Plainfield, where in the great hall are still to be seen 
the names of the Blake family cut in solid stone, as borne 
by their ancestors. 

The arms of the family were: A shield (white) bearing three 
sheaves (black), two above and one below a chevron. Humphrey 
and Agues Blake had the following son,: John, the elder, who 
had two sons, John and Robert: Robert, Humphrey Blake, Jr. 
Humphrey Blake, Jr., had a son Robert Blake, the famous 
admiral of English history. He was born in 1609, and died on 
his ship in Plymouth Harbor in 1657.
 
Robert Blake, son of John the elder, was the father of 
William Blake, the first ancestor of the Blake family in 
America. He came from England in the ship "Mary and John" in 
1630, and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. His wife 
Agues came with him, and they had four sons, William, James, 
Edward and John, and a daughter Ann, all born in England. 
Edward, his third son, had a son Solomon. Solomon had a son 
Joseph. Joseph had a son John.

John Blake, born August 27, 1740, removed from Hingham, 
Massachusetts, to Pennsylvania, and married Catharine 
Stevens, April 14, 1770. He died November 6, 1829. His wife 
died March 19, 1829. 

The couple had four sons, as follows Abraham, born February 
23, 1775; John, born August 10, 1778; Henry, born August 6, 
1780; Jacob, bore September 20, 1784. John Blake 
(grandfather) married Jane Worrell, and had twelve children, 
as follows: Jonathan, Elizabeth, Charles, Jacob, George, 
Edward, Isaac, Jane, Alice, Eleanor, Robert S. and John. 
Jane, wife of John Blake, died October 28, 1836. John Blake 
survived his wife nearly thirteen years, dying June 20, 
1849.

The first Robert Blake, of Wiltshire, England, and his 
brother Richard are said to have been Frenchmen, and were 
driven out of that country on account of religious 
persecution. The name is said originally to have been 
Cading, or Caden. After coming into England, they took the 
nacre of LeBlaque, or LeBlack, which ultimately became 
Blake.

William Blake, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, the American 
ancestor, left England on account of his religious views, he 
Being a "Roundhead," commonly known as a Puritan.

Jonathan L. Blake was born at Fox Chase, in Philadelphia 
county, October 31, 1850. He is the son of Robert Steel and 
Margaret (Snyder) Blake. Robert S. Blake was born at Fox 
Chase, February 12, 1820. He, acquired his educational 
training in the schools of the neighborhood. He was reared 
on his father's farm located at Fox Chase, adjoining the 
village. At the age of twenty-eight years he was deeded a 
portion of his father's land, consisting of about sixty 
acres.

He cultivated this land for about eight years, after which 
he engaged in mercantile business in the village of Fox 
Chase, keeping a general store. After spending five years in 
this way he disposed of his business at Fox Chase and 
occupied the old Stone Post farm, at Hollingshead's Corner. 
He remained there four years, after which he farmed the 
Megargee land at Chestnut Hill four years.

From that he went to the Jay Cooke farm, at Washington Lane 
and Church Road, remaining there ten years. He then went to 
Ogontz and farmed the Fisher farm on the Old York Road, for 
John Cadwallader. He remained there three years, and then 
relinquished farming, engaging in the butchering business 
with his son, Jonathan L., remaining at this business until 
his death, which occurred March 8, 1885.

Mr. Blake married, February 27, 1848, Margaret Snyder, a 
daughter of Amos and Matilda Snyder. Their children:
1. Amos S., married S. Lillie Clayton, of Ashbourne, they 
leaving five children: Margaret S., Thomas C., Maria S., 
Reba D., Ramsey S.
2. Jonathan L., subject of this sketch.
3. William G., married Clara Leach, of Ogontz, they leaving 
five children: i. Jennie E. of this family married Thomas J. 
Donnell, of Roxborough, Philadelphia county, and they had 
five children: Kathreen, born May 31, 1891; Ramsey, born 
July 13, 1894; Dorothy, born June 1, 1896, died September 
21, 1896; Robert Blake, born March 6, 1898; Henry, born June 
21, 1900. 2. Edna E. 3. Roberta S., deceased; 4. Elsie D. 5. 
Madeline L.
4. Ella M., married George Myers Patterson, and to them were 
born eleven children: George M., Charles, Nellie, Sarah M., 
Frank J., Jonathan B., Russell C., Florence, Margaret S., 
Walter H., and M. Ramsey.

Jonathan L. Blake was born at Fox Chase as already 
mentioned, and engaged in the butchering business, while the 
family resided as tenants on the Jay Cooke farm. In 1880 he 
purchased the lamb situated on Church Road, near Ogontz, on 
which he has erected a handsome residence and other 
buildings suitable for his business. He was elected 
supervisor of Cheltenham township.
 
From the time of his first election he has served fourteen 
of the sixteen years in this capacity, and is now filling 
the position.Mr. Blake is a selfmade man, beginning life in 
a humble way. By his thrift and perseverance he has made 
life a success. He has established a business as contractor 
for the construction of roads, grading and farming, giving 
employment to from twenty to fifty men on the average, 
according to the season. He also owns from thirty to sixty 
head of horses, with all the necessary machinery for 
carrying on his business. Mr. Blake married Hannah Clapp, 
daughter of Jonathan and Hannah (Niel) Clapp. They have four 
children, Robert S., born July 6, 1876: Sarah deceased 
Warner R., deceased: Byrd E.

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