Ancestors
George McDuffie Blake, February 10, 1858 - May 1, 1944
Ann's grandfather, George McDuffie Blake was the fourth and last child of John Henry and Emily Ally Lumpkin Blake. He was born Feb. 10, 1858 in Matthews Court House, Matthews County, Va. At age 24 he was working as a clerk at a general store (staples) and living at Susannah Snow Booth Walter's boarding house at 506 North Sixth Street, according to the Richmond City Directory of 1882. Emma Walters is also recorded as living there. It is unknown whether they were married at that time.
Later he operated a mercantile business on Broad Street in Richmond beginning in January 1905 until he moved to Louisa County, Va. in January 1921. During this time he served as member of the Richmond City Council. In Louisa, he first lived at "The Elms" in the Green Springs section of the county. He served as postmaster at Meltons in Louisa County while engaged in the real estate business. In 1924 he became an agent for Royal Insurance Co., Ltd. He served as mayor of Louisa Court House from 1930 to 1938. For 16 years, beginning in 1924, he owned, published and edited The Central Virginian, a weekly newspaper. He sold this enterprise in 1940 to Bruce Boxley.
George McDuffie Blake died on May 1, 1944 at the Hotel Patrick Henry in Louisa Court House. Every business in the area closed for the day to honor this beloved fellow citizen. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Section F, Lot 50.
His granddaughter, Ann Cottrell Free, wrote an article about her grandfather for the Louisa County Historical Society journal, Vol. 27, Number 1, Spring 1996. It can be accessed here.
Later he operated a mercantile business on Broad Street in Richmond beginning in January 1905 until he moved to Louisa County, Va. in January 1921. During this time he served as member of the Richmond City Council. In Louisa, he first lived at "The Elms" in the Green Springs section of the county. He served as postmaster at Meltons in Louisa County while engaged in the real estate business. In 1924 he became an agent for Royal Insurance Co., Ltd. He served as mayor of Louisa Court House from 1930 to 1938. For 16 years, beginning in 1924, he owned, published and edited The Central Virginian, a weekly newspaper. He sold this enterprise in 1940 to Bruce Boxley.
George McDuffie Blake died on May 1, 1944 at the Hotel Patrick Henry in Louisa Court House. Every business in the area closed for the day to honor this beloved fellow citizen. He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Section F, Lot 50.
His granddaughter, Ann Cottrell Free, wrote an article about her grandfather for the Louisa County Historical Society journal, Vol. 27, Number 1, Spring 1996. It can be accessed here.
Emma Thornton Walters Blake aka "Pet" , October 26, 1861 - July 16, 1950
Pet was well remembered by her granddaughter Ann Cottrell Free.
She was a slight woman, less than 5 feet tall. Smart, gentle, kind. She lived some of her life in the town of Louisa, Virginia where Ann visited often as a child.
She was a Sunday school teacher, she wrote the Louisa neighborhood column for The Central Virginian for some years. She was an Episcopalian. She lost four of her five children early in life.
We have her small rocking chair still covered in the same upholstery -- it is in the small upstairs bedroom at our farmhouse in Lantz Mill (Edinburg) Virginia.
Pet is buried next to her husband in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Section F, Lot 50.
She was a slight woman, less than 5 feet tall. Smart, gentle, kind. She lived some of her life in the town of Louisa, Virginia where Ann visited often as a child.
She was a Sunday school teacher, she wrote the Louisa neighborhood column for The Central Virginian for some years. She was an Episcopalian. She lost four of her five children early in life.
We have her small rocking chair still covered in the same upholstery -- it is in the small upstairs bedroom at our farmhouse in Lantz Mill (Edinburg) Virginia.
Pet is buried next to her husband in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Section F, Lot 50.
Emily Dunlop Blake Cottrell, July 6, 1887 - January 12, 1972
Ann's mother, Emily, was well known in the Richmond area as a horsewoman, winning many prizes with her mare, Windmill. She remained an active horsewoman into her seventies.
Emily was very active in the civic and social life of Richmond. For some years she was on the board of the Richmond S.P.C.A. and was also active as an assistant executive secretary of the organization. She was a member of the Woman's Club of Richmond, the Commonwealth Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and of Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. She worked for a time in the circulation department of Curtis Magazines.
Emily died of cancer on Jan. 12, 1972 at the home of her daughter, Ann, in Bethesda, Maryland.
She was a handsome woman with striking blue eyes. A photo portrait of her as a child hangs on the wall at her granddaughter's house in Washington DC.
According to the Walters' family bible, Emily was born at "6 o'clock Wednesday morning" July 6, 1887.
Emily was buried in January of 1972 in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va. Section F, Lot 50.
Emily was very active in the civic and social life of Richmond. For some years she was on the board of the Richmond S.P.C.A. and was also active as an assistant executive secretary of the organization. She was a member of the Woman's Club of Richmond, the Commonwealth Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and of Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. She worked for a time in the circulation department of Curtis Magazines.
Emily died of cancer on Jan. 12, 1972 at the home of her daughter, Ann, in Bethesda, Maryland.
She was a handsome woman with striking blue eyes. A photo portrait of her as a child hangs on the wall at her granddaughter's house in Washington DC.
According to the Walters' family bible, Emily was born at "6 o'clock Wednesday morning" July 6, 1887.
Emily was buried in January of 1972 in Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Va. Section F, Lot 50.
