Post 6 Truman Blancett's Answer

Thank you to my daughter Tracy Maine. She figured out if you want to make a response, you have to type it out, then hit preview first--then it will work. Thank you Tracy!

One of you had wondered why did the Indian have such small families while living out on the plains. I had planned to share other stuff this week on this site, but while reading more of Truman's writings I came across his answer. Remember this is a man that lived in the Wild West this is his answer not mine! :) It is interesting that he got published back then.

From Truman (our Grandfather Moses brother): My comments are in brackets.

About 1830 my father's (grandpa, Josiah Blancett) oldest sister was captured and held for six years by the Sioux in Minnesota. Her husband being killed, she and a boy of five years were carried away. His name was Wm. Hart.

My father was in command of fifty settlers that recaptured his sister and other prisoners near what was known as Wall Lake, Minnesota. This was about 1836. She had never given up hope of being recaptured. It was late in the evening. She was gathering wood on a hillside when she got a glimpse of an American spy peeping over the ridge. She knew the time had come for her deliverance from captivity. Early in the morning the village was taken and she and other prisoners were liberated.

About this time my father met and married my mother (Elizabeth Harris). She had lived and grown up in Southern Iowa, and the sister, my aunt lived with them.

During her captivity she discovered many of their dark and hidden methods of breeding and living and other closely guarded secrets. She died the fourth year after she was recaptured, and as our family began to grow up, her stories were handed down to the family. The boys especially got curious, wanted to know about ourselves, of those things, as there was hardly a day but that we saw Indians and soon learned to roam about the country with them.

It was thru this aunt and thru our own observation after we grew up that we learned why the white women prisoners survived the repeated assaults made upon them by the Indians. The sexual organ of the Indian is small and weak, a full grown Indian about the same size as a twelve year old white boy. We noticed a curious fact: after the Indian woman has met the white man, the red man need not apply. He is sure to be denied. The wild Indian was slow to breed perhaps owing to his low standard of living, but they seldom die young. It was only under favorable conditions the male was fit for duty."

I have not come across any written stories other than this about his sisters adventures, while living among the Indians.

This is an interesting paragraph for the person searching their family line. It tells me that in 1830 our grandfather has a married sister living in Minnesota and that she has a son named Wm Hart. Gives me a year, state and names to search in the Minnesota area. An area Wall Lake. A time when Josiah and Elizabeth could of been married---1836.  But, our grandfather, Moses was born in 1833 in Wayne County Illinois. (I have found much information about the Harris's in Wayne County Illinois History---I will share later). Truman's dates, I have found off on other accounts. But, of course he is remembering back. The other thing that I am concerned about is that I found a Josiah Blancett married to a Sylvanny Lock on the 10 of Sept 1830 in Salem, Marion Illinois. Myself and other researchers we believe this to be the same man as our Josiah. I can not find a death date for Sylvanny. Nor any mention of her elsewhere. Josiah and Elizabeth are listed on census records with 11 children. Moses is the oldest born in Wayne County Ill married Lucinda "Monie" Gibson 2. Aaron Blancett born <1834> in Ill. 3. Cynthia A. Blancett born <1836> in Ill. 4. Mary A. (I think this is Mollie) born 27 Nov <1838> Illinois married William H. Van Endert from Germany. 5. Elizabeth Blancett born <1839> Iowa married John Short on 15 Feb. 1857. 6. Josiah Blancett born <1841> in Iowa. 7. Olive Blancett born <1843> in Iowa. 8. Emily Blancett born <1846> in Iowa, died at age 10 in 1856. 9. Truman Blancett born 13 Mar 1848 in Iowa. Married Nancy Alice Harvey. They had 1 adopted child, Frankie who died at age 13. Truman died in 1945. 10. John J. Blancett born in 1850 in Iowa. He married Elizabeth Razer. 11. Enos born <1852>, died in Carbon, Utah. I can't find where he had ever married. They called him En.

The brackets mean the birthdays were estimated from census records. A newspaper article says that the family lived right on the line between Iowa and Minnesota. So in some reports, Truman says he was born in Minnesota but all the census records say Iowa.

I believe that Josiah's father was Peter Blancett. But, haven't found the definite proof yet. Some researchers have settled on this fact, I have sent notes to each one and ask where they got the proof from but have not heard back. But, Peter was in the same area as Josiah so. But, I can find some of Josiah siblings and none of them as well as our grandfather is listed as one of Peter's children in other records---, but these list can be so incomplete so who knows as of yet. Josiah's siblings for sure are, Elijah who married Rebecca Greenwalt in Hardin County Kentucky, 2.Silas Blancett who married a Nancy Harris also in Hardin county. 3. the Sister that he talked about that was married to a Hart. and 4. possibly a brother Elisha. I do know that Josiah's mothers (I don't know her name) second husband was Samuel Carter.

Josiah Blancett's timeline:
Born    1800  Kentucky (thought to be Daviess county?)
             1822 Samuel Carter listed as his stepfather
             1825  Hardin County, Kentucky Tax list/Samuel Carter also listed
             1830 Wayne County, Ill Census Hickory Hill Township
             1830 marriage record to Sylvanny Lock--Salem, Marion, Illinois (next door to Wayne Co.)
             1833 Moses was born Wayne County Ill.
             1838 or 48 moved to Des Moines Iowa
             1850 Jones County (clay twp) Iowa
             1856 Green County (Kendrick Twp) Iowa
             1860 Nemaha County Kansas Clear Creek Twp, Po-Ash Point
             1862 Nemaha county Kansas
             1870 El Paso County, Kansas Census
  Died   1875 Florence, Fremont, Colorado

Found Peter Blancet on 1797 & 1805 Hardin County Tax List


I have pictures of John and Truman that I will share. Truman had been shot in the face, you can see the scar. This damaged his vocal cords.