WALTER J. BLACKMON

Walter J. Blackmon, an old settler of Navarro county, was born in Alabama, October 2, 1847, and was then first child in a family of two born to Benjamin F. and Mary E. (Jones) Blackmon, natives of South Carolina and Virginia, respectively. The Blackmon family is reckoned among the first families of South Carolina and the Jones family were among the old settlers of Virginia. Both families were large and influential and the sons became wealthy planters. The maternal grandfather of our subject, John C. Jones, was an early Baptist minister of Alabama. B. F. Blackmon came to Texas in 1853, and settled in Freestone, near Fairfield. He was a physician and practiced in a small way, but devoted most of his time to farming and stock-raising. Mr. Blackmon was not an advocate of the late war, but as his interests were identified with the South and his home was there he espoused the cause of his section, and in 1863 he joined the Confederate service, under Captain Bradley, and served until the close of the war, being stationed in the southern part of the State. After that cessation of hostilities he resumed his occupation and continued farming as his principal vocation until his death, in 1888, at the age of sixty-three. In 1874 he was elected to represent his county in the State Legislature, having moved to this county in 1860. At the time of the nomination, Mr. Blackmon was not at the convention and was unaware that his name was being placed before it, and when notified that he was the Democratic nominee for the Legislature he was completely surprised. He had always been a man of irreproachable character, and he served his term with credit to himself and the entire satisfaction of the  people, and when summoned to his home above it could be said of him, "Thou good and faithful servant, who among us is worthy to take thy place?" He was a prominent Master Mason and his death was mourned by the people of Navarro county. His wife died in 1883, at the age of fifty-three years. She was a member of the Baptist Church and of her two children, one was our subject and the other, John T., is a merchant of Eureka of this county.

Walter J. attended school for fifteen months at Fairfield, and at that time had to ride five miles, morning and night. His educational advantages were somewhat limited, but he enjoyed five months at Baylor University,  at Waco. Arriving at man's estate he has assiduously applied himself, and is now one of the best posed min in the county. He was reared to farm life on his father's place, and in 1864 he joined Company A., of Colonel Timmon's regiment and served at Galveston. After the war he returned to this county, where his father had moved in 1860, and remained here until his twenty first birthday.

He was married November 7, 1867, to Miss Fannie D. Johnston, a native of Ireland and a daughter of D. J. and Isabella (Milling) Johnston. They came to America when their daughter was an infant, settled in Alabama and before the way moved to this State and located in Leon county, where Mr. Johnston died. Mrs. Johnston moved to this county in 1866, and here her daughter was married. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston were the parents of six children,  namely: William M., a member of the State Legislature and a prominent attorney of Leon county, resides in Centerville; Mary H., deceased, was the wife of Robert Hall; David J., of this county; Catherine; Thomas M., deceased; Isabella is the wife of James M. Hopper, one of the editorial staff of the Louisville Courier Journal; and Fannie D., wife of our subject. Mrs. Johnston died in 1888.

After marriage Mr. Blackmon engaged in farming for four years and for four years  more he handled stock in connection with his farm. In 1880 he engaged in mercantile business at Eureka and continued for seven years, during which time he did not pay much attention to farming. Since closing out his mercantile business he has engaged extensively in horse-raising. He has been a man who has taken quite an active interest in Politics, but has never asked for any office. He has a fine farm of 650 acres, wit 125 under a fine state of cultivation, and his raising of fine horses and mules has become an important industry. He and his wife have three children, namely: Paul J., a merchant of Eureka; James S., who lives in Corsicana; and Mary B., who is at home. Mr. Blackmon has a home in Corsicana, where his family reside, and he and his wife are members of the old-school Presbyterian Church, in which he is a Deacon. In politics he is a Democrat.

Notes:

• Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1893

• Husband of Frances Dawson (Johnston) Blackmon

• Obituary; buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Corsicana, Navarro Co., TX

• Civil War Veteran

OAKWOOD CEMETERY, CORSICANA, NAVARRO COUNTY, TEXAS