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Haldimand Marriages, Walpole - Jacob Blackman, Aged 22 Years, Resides Walpole, Born Walpole, Bachelor, Blacksmith, Son of William and Jane Blackman, Esther Hoover, Aged 21 Years, Resides Walpole, Born Walpole, Spinster, Daughter of Jesse V. and Jane Hoover, Witness Nicholas Matthews, Rainham, 23rd January 1870 at Walpole, Solemnized by Thomas Stillwell, Minister, by License, Walpole, Haldimand
Mrs. E. Blackman Enjoys Healthat Century Mark
Simcoe, July 3 - Well-known in both Norfolk and Haldimand Counties, Mrs. Esther Blackman, formerly of Selkirk, who is now staying with her neice, Miss Edna Hoover, of Forestville, observes her 100th birthday today. The occasion is being marked with a family dinner at home on Sunday.
A native of Selkirk where she resided all her life until two years ago, Mrs. Blackman is a descendant of the first settlers in that district. They were her great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Hoover. The family originated in Switzerland, Christian Hoover coming to the Selkirk district from Pennsylvania. One of the seven children of the late Jesse V. Hoover and Mary Jane Edsell, she is the last surviving member of the family. Three other members of the family lived to be nonagenarians: her sisters Mrs. Annie Pond of Simcoe and Mrs. Ellen Sellers of Buffalo, being 99 and 93 respectively at the time of their deaths, while her brother, Elon Hoover of Forestville lived until he was 95.
Mrs. Blackman's father was a miller by trade, while her husband, J. V. Blackman, whom she married in 1870, was a blacksmith at Selkirk for many years, passing away in 1930. Following his death she continued to live at Selkirk until two years ago. Since that time she has been staying with her niece at Forestville and her nephew Nathan R. Pond of Jarvis.
In recalling her husband's trade as a blacksmith, Mrs. Blackman said that he had a partner and they also made wagons and carriages. Referring to the fact that there were few blacksmiths today, she said she did not know how farmers were able to get along without them.
She said it didn't seem so long ago, about 1912 or 1913, that she had her first ride in a car, adding that she still liked to go for car rides as it gave her an opportunity to see the country. Asserting that she had never had a ride in a plane, she said that she never wanted to go up in one. Extremely active for her years, Mrs. Blackman says that people are no older than they feel and that she doesn't feel old at all. Possessing excellent eye-sight, she does considerable reading and sewing and in the past few months, has made a number of chair and cushion covers and towels.
Hamilton Spectator, 1948
Reproduced in "Selkirk 1792-1985"
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Rainham Builders
1848 - 1950 (102 years)