Charles W. Blake was born in 1859 to John and Angenette Drum Blake of South Hannibal. You’ll find his last remains in the Ira Union Cemetery, where the counties of Onondaga, Oswego and Cayuga converge about a mile northwest of the hamlet of Lysander. He’s buried next to his wife, the former Ida Terpenning, a widow. Her first husband was Addison Van Auken. Ida outlived them both. When she died at 102 in 1960, the Fulton paper referred to her as “probably the oldest resident” in the city. Charlie married Ida in 1901.
Charlie had been married before, too. Next to Ida, you’ll find Charlie’s previous wife, the former Mary Quade, who died in 1900. Charlie married her in 1884. Nearby, their two children lie buried. Both died very young. Their markers provide poignant reminders of the fragility of young life back then. Young love was fragile, too, just as it is today.
But Mary Quade wasn’t Charlie’s first wife, which brings us to Charlie’s curious case. As the year 1880 came to a close, Charlie’s case only became (to quote Alice after she fell down the rabbit hole) “curiouser and curiouser.”
Delanson Foster, Jr., was born in 1818 in Warners, over in the town of Van Buren. He moved to the town of Lysander and married Clarinda Russell in 1841. They lived on the east side of the Plainville-Lysander Road, just south of Church Road. There they raised two children, Albert and Bettie, born in 1848 and 1857, respectively. Albert married Rosa Burr in 1869 and moved into the house right across the road.
Delanson kept a daily diary from 1877 until his death in 1882. Life was simpler then, and Delanson Foster was a man of few words. Consequently, his daily diary entries are a bit dry. Each one documents weather conditions, chores done, errands made, people seen, etc. My favorite entry is found on Feb. 3, 1880. “Very snowy, very. There is the most snow there has been any time this winter. I done my chores. Some go with wagons, some with sleighs. The most don’t go at all.”
Sister Bettie pretty much stayed to home, as they used to say. According to her father’s diary, no young men courted Bettie back then. In fact, for three years there is not one mention made of a gentleman caller. All that changed when Charlie Blake came to call. Delanson’s diary entry for June 4, 1880, is a bit odd. “Pleasant. I and Lockwood worked on the house. Charles Blake stayed here last night. And, our calf died.” Perhaps, this was a harbinger of things to come.
On June 27, Delanson wrote the following. “Pleasant. We went to church. Whitney preached. C. Blake called here this afternoon.” On July 5, he wrote, “Pleasant. This afternoon we attended the celebration to the corners (the 4th of July fell on the Sabbath that year, so it was celebrated the next day). Albert’s folks went all day to Camp (Meeting), and Hattie TenBrook and C. Blake took dinner here.” Then on July 18, “Pleasant. We all went to church. Whitney preached. C. Blake and Bettie has gone to Meridian.” Again on July 31, “Pleasant. I hoed some potatoes. Albert plowed some. We got in a load of oats. C. Blake called here.”
On Aug. 2, 1880, Bettie Foster celebrated her 23rd birthday. Her father’s references to Charlie Blake soon became more frequent and familiar. On Aug. 10, he wrote, “Pleasant. This forenoon I plowed. Albert went to see the Blake about thrashing this afternoon. I worked around the house. Albert plowed.” On Aug. 15, “This morning we have had a fine shower. We have all been to church. Whitney preached. C. Blake called here.” Again on Aug. 29, “Kinder’ rainy. We went to church. Whitney preached. C. Blake called here.”
On Sept. 6, “the Blakes commenced thrashing to the Martin farm.” His occupation during thrashing may explain his absence. But for whatever reason, no mention is made of Charlie Blake again until Oct. 15. “Pleasant. I worked around the house. Mr. Lockwood finished working here. C. Blake called here tonight.” But, Charlie Blake continued to call that fall.
In fact, he visited Bettie Foster and her family on Oct. 24, Nov. 14, Nov. 28 and Dec. 12. Then on Dec. 22, Delanson made the following entry. “Pleasant. This forenoon we cleaned some wheat. This afternoon I went up to John E. Blake’s. This afternoon Albert took some wheat to B’ville, and went over to Warners and carried invitations to Bettie’s wedding. Clarinda went and got some groceries and 2 sets of chairs. Paid $10 for them.”
On Dec. 30, Delanson wrote, “Very, very cold and windy. We had a wedding party here. Bettie was married to Charles Blake. There was about 45 here.” On Dec. 31, he wrote, “Pleasant. I chored. Bettie and Charlie went up to his father’s.” And so they lived happily ever after, right?
Then, as suddenly as it began, it was over. It must have been difficult for Delanson Foster to write on Jan. 1, 1881, “Pleasant. We cut some wood to the woods. Charlie fetched Bettie (back) home.” Things got even harder for Delanson and his daughter. The next day he wrote, “I have been up to J.E. Blake’s (Charlie’s father’s place).” What went wrong and why? Next week, read the conclusion to “The Curious Case of Charlie Blake.”
Looking Backward will appear in the Messenger every other week, as long as there are stories to tell. If you have questions about this story or suggestions for future ones, including any local historical images or information, please contact me via e-mail at bvillehistory@earthlink.net.
Bettie Clarinda Foster, daughter of Delanson and Clarinda Russell Foster, shown here circa 1875. Charlie Blake courted her from the summer through the winter of 1880.
