************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ Submitted by Cheryl VanWomer JOHN CELUS BLANCHARD.* MRS. HARRIET (BREWSTER) BLANCHARD John C. Blanchard was born at Mentz, Cayuga Co., N. Y., Sept. 19, 1822. His father, Washington Z. Blanchard, is a leading physician of Lyons, Mich. His mother, Hannah (Jeffries) Blanchard, was a direct descendant of the celebrated Judge Jeffreys, of England. Mr. Blanchard was educated at Temple Hill Academy, at Genesee, N. Y., and Cayuga Institute. His father being unable to provide further for him, he engaged to work in a mill. As soon as he had earned ten dollars he left home for the Territory of Michigan. Upon arriving at Detroit, which was then a small village, he engaged in work on a farm at a salary of six dollars per month. At the end of the first month he received eight dollars, the additional sum being paid him because of his zeal. In the fall of 1836, being then fourteen years of age, he went to Shiawassee County, and did whatever work he could find until the spring of 1837, when, having accumulated fifty dollars, he started for the land-office at Ionia, walking the whole distance of sixty miles through an unbroken wilderness, and sleeping in the woods. Having reached his destination he sought the land-office and paid his fifty silver dollars for forty acres of land. Returning in the same manner to Shiawassee county, he remained there until the spring of 1838, when he removed to Ionia county and engaged to break land for a farmer at Lyons at twelve dollars a month. His engagement was fulfilled so satisfactorily that he received twenty dollars per month instead of the sum agreed upon. In the fall of 1838 he engaged as clerk in the store of Giles S. Isham and remained there one year, devoting his leisure time to study. Having then decided to study law, he entered the office of Roof & Bell, where he remained three years. After passing a creditable examination, in 1842, at the age of twenty, he was admitted to practice. Mr. Roof then proposed a partnership, which Mr. Blanchard accepted, and this business connection continued for t! hree years. Afterwards, until 1850, Mr. Blanchard practiced alone. At that time, having been elected prosecuting attorney, e removed to Ionia and became the partner of Hon. A. F. bell, under the firm-name of Blanchard & Bell, which is to-day a leading law firm of Ionia County.(*) During the Presidency of James Buchanan, Mr. Blanchard was appointed register of the United States Land-Office, and held the position four years. He was also president of Ionia for two terms. He was a school director for nine years, prosecuting attorney for Ionia county five years, and a trustee for Albion College, having liberally contributed to its endowment-fund. In 1872 he was the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant-governor. He is a prominent member of the Democratic party, and has distinguished himself as a speaker in the public support of the Presidential candidates. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and has filled several of the principal offices of its various bodies. Mr. Blanchard has been a liberal benefactor of every worthy object. Besides his contributions to churches, schools, and railroads, he has, during the twenty-five years of his residence in Ionia, given not less than one thousand dollars a year to charitable purposes. He is a regular attendant of the Methodist Episcopal church.. In 1845 he married Miss Harriet A. Brewster, daughter of Frederick Brewster, of Burlington, Vt. They have four children. As a lawyer Mr. Blanchard has many qualifications which fit him for successful public life. His opinions are his convictions on all subjects, and while firmly upholding them he has the greatest respect for the convictions of those with whom he may differ. As a criminal lawyer he is acknowledged to be at the head of his profession in Michigan. The innate ability and indomitable perseverance which overcame in succession every impediment in his path to success, and placed him in his present position of prosperity and influence, justly entitle him to a place among Michigan's self-made men. * From "Representative Men of Michigan." (*) this firm was subsequently changed to Blanchard, Bell & Cagwin by the admission of Mr. George H. Cagwin, and at present consists of Blanchard & Cagwin, Mr. Bell having retired from the firm. Mr. Blanchard at the last election was the nominee of the National Greenback party for Congress from this district, and, though polliing a very large vote, was defeated with the rest of that ticket.--Historian. This biography is taken from "HISTORY OF IONIA AND MONTCALM COUNTIES, MICHIGAN" by John S. Schenck. Philadelphia: D. W. Ensign & Co., 1881. Page 170. City of Ionia.