Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) was born on July 12th, 1817 to William David Blalock (1782-1860) and Letitia Blalock-Blalock (1799-1849) in Haywood County, North Carolina. William and Letitia were 1st cousins. They moved to Haywood County about 1820 from Chatham County, North Carolina.

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Find a Grave Profile - William David Blalock (1782-1860)

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Find a Grave Profile - Letitia Blalock-Blalock (1799-1849)

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1820 Federal Census - William D. Blalock

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1830 Federal Census - William D. Blalock

Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) first married Mary Anderson (1820-1849) on September 8th, 1838 in Haywood County, North Carolina. Mary Anderson (1820-1849) was born on December 24th, 1820 in Haywood County, North Carolina to John Anderson (1797-1877) and Elizabeth Dier-Anderson (1798-1878).

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Find a Grave Profile - John Anderson (1797-1877)

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Find a  Grave Profile - Elizabeth Dier-Anderson (1798-1878)

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1830 Federal Census - John Anderson

From Etheldred Harrison Blalock's (1817-1896) marriage to Mary Anderson (1820-1949) at least 8 children were born: Eliza Jane, Sarah Ann, Joseph Manning, Nancy Elizabeth, Mary Caroline, James L., Rebecca Adeline and 1 infant who died at birth. This family is commonly referred to as the "First Family".

On October 20th, 1840 we find "CENSUS NAME" on line ?, page ? of the Federal Census of 1840 living in Haywood County, North Carolina. Other than himself and his wife there is 1 male aged 15 to 20 and 1 female under 5 living in his household. I assume the child is his daughter Eliza Jane Blalock who was born in 1840.
 
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1840 Federal Census

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Pigeon Valley Circa 1955

Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) and this family lived in Pigeon Vally in Haywood County,NC, USA near the Pigeon River. Dred was a skilled carpenter at the time and was employed by Colonel Joseph Cathey (YEARS) to design, build, maintain and operate a gist mill on the east fork of the Pigeon River. The mill was a great success and in 10 years time the wealth of Colonel Joseph Cathey (YEARS) skyrocketed from $8000 to $21,000.

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Colonel Joseph Cathey of Haywood County, North Carolina: Nineteenth Century Merchant, Entrepreneur, and Community Leader
by Loralee Kendall Iglesias

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Painting of the Cathey Gist Mill
by Nettie Vance Penland

"Tom Cathey remembers the mill. It was three stories high. Wheat was milled on one floor, corn on another, and buckwheat on a third. The machinery was placed on each separate floor so that grain being ground on one floor would not sift through into what was being ground on the floor below.

The mill was built by a master builder, a genius, we are told. He was called "Fred" Blalock. Every piece of machinery in the mill except the mill rocks was made of wood, hand carved, designed so that there was only one belt in it, that a joint running from the second floor to the third floor.

All of the rest were cog wheels. "Fred" Blalock would design the cog wheels, how they would sit, fit together, move....then take the designs to Col. Cathey. Col. Cathey would work out the exact mathematical calculations. For example, when he would want a cog wheel to make a certain speed, Col. Cathey would figure the exact size the wheel would need to be to attain the speed - then Fred Blalock made it to those specifications. Of course, there was the great water wheel that set the machinery in motion.

As is the case when anyone is doing most anything, there are always those standing around who can tell him how he ought to do it! So it was with the water wheel. When "Dred" Blalock started to build the water wheel, he was designing it for an "undershoot." Many of those standing around told him he was crazy, for the water was swift enough to turn the machinery using an "overshoot."

But "Dred" Blalock wouldn't have any of their advise. He said, "No!" With an "overshoot," the buckets would fill unevenly, causing the machinery to operate with a jerky, uneven motion. He would have none of that. Therefore, he built an "undershoot" so the buckets filled evenly, with exact amounts of water, making the machinery work smoothly."

Etheldred Blalock
by Jerry Blalock

Now that I've mentioned Jerry Blalock let me take this moment to tell you about his book: The Dred Blalock Family of Haywood County, North Carolina. I remember years ago back when my grandparents were still alive in the mid 1990's, Jerry would come down to their house and interview them for the book he was compiling. It was then and still is the foremost resource for Dred's family and his descendants. Copies of this wonderful tome are still available. I've found copies for as little as $45.00 online. If your research attached you to Dred's family this book is an invaluable resource and I highly recommend that you get one if you can. I'll post the link to the World Catalog page so you'll have all the details. Also, through the World Catalog website you can find a copy of the book in various libraries all across North Carolina and a few other states.

<LINK to World Catalog>

Now back to our history....

Mary Anderson (1820-1949) died shortly after giving birth to their 8th child on November 28th, 1849. Both she and the baby died a few days later on December 1st, 1849. After the death of his first wife, Dred was left to care for his 7 children, their home and the gist mill. The year of 1849 was a busy time for Dred, in addition to all those responsibilites he was also building houses.

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Burton and Lucinda Moore Cathey House

As in the above photograph, Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) constructed the original portion of his house in Cathey Cove. The house has since been dismantled.

Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) re-married on June 18th, 1850 in Haywood County, North Carolina to Mary Ann Campbell (1820-1902).

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North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979

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Dred Mini Biography
by Unknown Author

Mary Ann Campbell (1820-1902) was born in August of 1820 to Allan Campbell (1787-1860) and Margaret Cathey-Campbell (1766-1820) in Haywood County, North Carolina. Her father owned and farmed a large amount of land in the Upper Pigeon section of Haywood County. His oldest daughter, Elizabeth married Dred's older brother; Willis.

Find a Grave Profile - Allan Campbell (1787-1860)

Find a Grave Profile - Margaret Cathey-Campbell (1766-1820)

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1820 Federal Census - Allan Campbell

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1830 Federal Census - Allan Campbell

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1840 Federal Census - Allan Campbell

From Etheldred Harrison Blalock's (1817-1896) marriage to Mary Ann Campbell (1820-1902) on.....

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Marriage documentation

At least 6 children were born: Margaret Louis, Thomas Lenoir, Matilda, William Baxter, John and Lucinda E. This family is commonly referred to as the "Second Family".

On August 31st, 1850 we find <NAME> on page 73 line 28 of the Federal Census of 1850 living in Haywood Co., NC, USA.

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1850 Federal Census

On <DATE> we find <NAME> on page 74, line 2 of the Federal Census of 1860 living in Forks of Pigeon Township, Haywood Co., NC, USA.

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1860 Federal Census

On June 29th 1861, <NAME> enlisted at the age of 44 as a First Lieutenant when the 25th Regiment of the North Carolina Infantry was formed and known as the "The Haywood Highlanders". He served in this post until the Confederate Army was reorganized on April 28th, 1862. He was honorably discharged and sent home.

25th Regiment, Company F, North Carolina Infantry - <LINK>

"25th Infantry Regiment, formerly the 15th Volunteers, was assembled at Camp Patton, Asheville, North Carolina, in August, 1861. The following counties furnished companies for the regiment: Henderson, Jackson, Haywood, Cherokee, Transylvania, Clay, Macon, and Buncombe. It moved to Grahamville, South Carolina and remained there until March, 1862. The unit then moved back to North Carolina and arrived in Virginia on June 24. Serving in R. Ransom's and M.W. Ranson's Brigade, it fought with the army from the Seven Days' Battles to Fredericksburg, served in North Carolina, then saw action at Plymouth and Drewry's Bluff. Later the 25th participated in the long Petersburg siege south of the James River and the Appomattox Campaign. It reported 128 casualties during the Seven Days' Battles, 15 in the Maryland Campaign, 88 at Fredericksburg, and 103 at Plymouth. Many were disabled at Sayler's Creek, and on April 9, 1865, only 8 officers and 69 were present. The field officers were Colonels Thomas L. Clingman and Henry M. Rutledge; Lieutenant Colonels S.C. Bryson, St. Clair Dearing, and Matthew N. Love; and Majors John W. Francis, William S. Grady, and William Y. Morgan"

The National Park Service Battle Unit Details, Confederate North Carolina Troops - <LINK>

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Captain Lenoir's Diary: Tom Lenoir and His Civil War Company from Western North Carolina
by Carroll Jones

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United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865

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North Carolina Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1864

During his time serving the Confederate Army Etheldred Harrison Blalock's (1817-1896) young neighbor Alfred Burnett (1832-1864), asked him to take care of his wife and children should he not return home. A couple of years later, Alfred was killed during the Battle of Petersburg, Virginia. Dred made good on that promise but the relationship with the widow Burnett blossomed into some more.

Battle of Petersburg, Virginia - <LINK>

Minerva Hester Stroup-Burnett (1838-1914) was born on September 4th, 1838 to David Rufus Stroup Jr. (1809-1880) and Mary Chloe Burnette-Stroup (1805-1828).

Find a Grave Profile - David Rufus Stroup Jr. (1809-1880)

Find a Grave Profile - Mary Chloe Burnette-Stroup (1805-1828)

Minerva Hester Stroup-Burnett (1838-1914) went on to marry Alfred Burnett (1832-1864) on July 11th, 1856 in Buncombe County, North Carolina.

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North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979

From Alfred Burnette's (1832-1864) marriage to Minerva Hester Stroup-Burnett (1838-1914) at least 3 children were born; Martha, James and David Henry.

After the death of her husband Aldred Burnette (1832-1864) Minerva Hester Stroup-Burnette (1838-1914) had a child by Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) and this started what is referred to as the "Third Family". Minerva and Dred were never married as he was married to Mary Ann Campbell-Blalock (1766-1820) until his death in 1896.

From his union with Minerva 9 children were born; Harris Rosetta, Efeldred Hester, Samuel Alexander, Devonia Catherine, Harriet Ruemma and Bertha Haseltine.

Dred was the father of most of Minerva's children but because they were not married those children are listed under Minerva's household with the last name of Burnette in the census records. Minerva was not only listed as "widowed" in the census but was known locally as Widow Burnette. The children she had will Dred are listed in most other documents as "Blalock".

On August 9th, 1870 we find <NAME> on page 22 line 17 of the Federal Census of 1870 living in Forks of Pigeon Township, Haywood Co., NC, USA.

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1870 Federal Census

On June 7th, 1880 we find <NAME> on page 6 line 29 of the Federal Census of 1880 living in Pigeon Township, Haywood Co., NC, USA.

1880 Federal Census

At some point after the 1880 census was taken Dred and Mary moved in with their son John Campbell Blalock (1956-1936) and his family in Smokey Cove, Haywood Co., NC, USA.

The census of 1890 was destroyed by fire. The only part to survive for North Carolina was  the census taken in; South Point Township, Riverbend Township and township #2 in Cleveland County.

Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896) died on July 12th, 1896 in the home of his son John Campbell Blalock (1856-1936) in Pigeon Township, Haywood Co., NC, USA. He was buried in what is today Bethel Community Cemetery in Canton, Haywood Co., NC, USA along with his first wife Mary Anderson-Blalock (1820-1949) and their son James L. Blalock (1846-1853).

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Etheldred Harrison Blalock Findagrave.com Profile

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US Find a Grave Index 1600-Current

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Web: NC Find a Grave Index 1716-2012

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Gravestone - Etheldred Harrison Blalock (1817-1896)



Sources - <NEEDS TO BE UPDATED>
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