Person:Alfred Blackmar (3)

BIOGRAPHY: Alfred Owen Blackmar, Sr. had black hair, was bald at 30, had a fair complexion, blue eyes, weighed 165 lbs., and was 5'lO” tall.

Alfred told his father (Charles) that he knew too much to work on a farm, and, being adventurous by nature, he went to Canada when 17 years old. Not liking the country, he returned, and in October, 1819, when twenty years old, he set out for Limestone County, Alabama, and reached Huntsville on June 26, 1 182O, where he remained until August 23, 1820. Going, his route was through Central New York and Western Pennsylvania; thence, by broad-horn boat to Smithland, Kentucky, and the mouth of the Cumberland river , through Middle Kentucky and Tennessee. Returning, his route was through East Tennessee and Kentucky to Erie, Pennsylvania; thence, Central New York to Charlton, Mass. The country' at that time was a wilderness with only a few houses at Louisville, Kentucky. Opposite this point, a deer attempted to cross the river, and was killed by him. November 14, 1823, he came to Savannah, Georgia and remained there until 1832,. buying, and shipping cotton He removed in 1832 to Augusta. Georgia. then removed to Columbus, Georgia on April 23, 1835, where he lived continuously until his death in 1865. He was not a member of any church, but was a high-toned, moral man, a good citizen, and a lifelong Democrat. He was a Royal Arch Mason, and a bright one; never swore an oath, and his intention was to live so as to wrong no man. He sympathized ardently with the Confederate States, and in 1863, answering a call for volunteers, he went to Atlanta. His telling of his Shipwreck off the Coast of Bariegat, New Jersey on the brig” Atlantic “, captained by Captain Russell Doane, on October 3, 1831, was thrilling. When the vessel was run on the reef, although he had been lashed to the pumps all night, working them to keep afloat, he volunteered to swim ashore with a lifeline, which he did; thereby saving the whole crew. The vessel went to pieces in a few minute-after all reached share.. He gave to his only son, Alfred Owen, his own and his first wife's (Betsy Brainerd Arnold) miniatures set in gold frames; he also gave the gold sleeve buttons that once belonged to his great grandfather (mother's side). John Burton, Associate Justice Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 1761-62. These items are now in the possession of Stephen Morris Howard, great, great, great grandson of Alfred.