HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
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Chapter, No. 14, and Unity Lodge, No. 48, and to St. Charles Lodge, No. 14, I. O. O. P. Mr. Blanchard was married, Feb. 26, 1896, to Miss Florence, daughter of Leonard and Caroline (Smith) Howard, the oldest settlers of St. Charles. They have one child, a daughter, Wilda B.
GUSTAVUS P. BLANCHARD (deceased), carpenter and well driller, St. Charles, Ill.; born in Cayuga County, N. Y., August 10, 1831; came to St. Charles with his father in 1837, and in 1849 made a trip to the California gold fields, where he remained ten years. Returning to St. Charles in 1859, he was variously employed until the time of his death, Feb. 15, 1900. He was married to Lucy Sunderland, of Highgate, Vt.
WILLIAM L. BLANCHARD (deceased), farmer, Aurora, Ill., was born in Newton, R. I., in 1785, was reared in his native State, and married Hannah Hull, of Tolland, Conn. They spent their early married lives in Eaton, N. Y., and in 1839 came west to Aurora, Ill., where they lived for some years and then located on a farm near that city. There Mr. Blanchard died in 1852. Mrs. Conant, of Batavia, is the only surviving member of the family.
ZARA A. BLANCHARD (deceased), engineer and farmer, St. Charles, Ill., was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., Sept. 29, 1829, and came to St. Charles with his parents March 2, 1838. They settled on a farm in Section 17, near the village, and Zara received his education in the St. Charles schools. Mr. Blanchard's first business experience was as engineer on a construction train of the Galena Division of the Illinois Central Railroad, from 1851 to 1854. The latter year he returned to St. Charles, where for ten years he worked as a carpenter, and then removed to a farm east of the city. He was married in 1851 to Elizabeth Jordan, who was born in England, and was a school teacher in St. Charles at the time of her marriage. Mr. Blanchard died in the spring of 1895, leaving two children: Charles L. Blanchard and a daughter, now Mrs. C. C. Morse, of Chicago.
JEDEDIAH H. BLISS, prominent farmer and financier of Sugar Grove Township, Kane County, was born in the town where he is now doing business, Nov. 5, 1850, a son of P. Y.
Bliss, one of the pioneers of the county. He was brought up on the family homestead, and given his education in the public schools. As a young man he began farming, and has continued that occupation to the present time, being also extensively interested in stock-raising. His attention was early turned to banking enterprises, and he is a director of the old Second National Bank at Aurora. In 1888 Miss Grace Carter, of DeKalb, became his wife.
P. Y. BLISS (deceased),merchant and farmer, Aurora, Ill., was born in Strafford, Vt., in 1806, and died at Sugar Grove, Ill., in 1888. His father having died when the son was four years of age, he grew to years of maturity in the family of his uncle, Judge Harris, of Strafford, where he obtained his education in the old-time "select schools," and in his early manhood taught school for a time. Later he went to Boston, Mass., where he was trained in merchandising, and afterwards returned to Strafford, where he was connected with Judge Harris in the mercantile business for several years. Some time in the '30s he came west, bringing with him a stock of goods and intending to locate in St. Louis, Mo., but a dishonest clerk having run away with a part of his goods caused him to change his plans, and he then came to Kane County and opened a store at Sugar Grove. For years thereafter he was well known throughout that portion of the county as the pioneer merchant. Later he purchased a farm near by, and thereafter, until his death, was a successful farmer. His leisure hours were devoted largely to literary work, and he became a frequent contributor to newspapers and periodicals. He was notable among the pioneers for his advocacy of tree planting and the protection of wild birds, and he built up a beautiful country home. In 1846 he married Miss Helen Mather (a descendant of Cotton Mather), born at Lodi, Erie County, N. Y., and came west with her parents, who located in Kane County at a very early date. Since her husband's death Mrs. Bliss has resided at Aurora, and her son, J. Harris Bliss, now occupies the old homestead at Sugar Grove.
CHESTER W. BOLCUM, farmer and stock-raiser, Wasco, Ill., was born in the town of Fowler, Jefferson County, N. Y., Jan. 17, 1852, son of George F. and Bessie (Jeffers) Bolcum. His father, who was born Aug. 16, 1819, is
