Morgan Joins His Horse

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The parcels outlined in red were owned by Morgan Blachly in 1891 (per the 1891 Plat Book, but this image is taken from the 1926 Plat Book).

Morgan Blachly's faithful horse bought him eleven more years of life. On July 31, 1910, Morgan followed his horse — but he died more peacefully, of heart trouble. He was 59 years and 11 months old.

He was one of nine children born to Boyd and Catharine Blachly, who had settled in Union Township, Porter County, at least as early as 1850.

In 1871, at about 21 years of age, Morgan married Amelia Brown. After twelve years of marriage, they moved to Ross Township in Lake County. They bought land on the south side of 73rd Avenue (then known as Joliet road), about a mile and a half west of Ainsworth; by 1891 they would own almost 180 acres there. They farmed that land for the rest of Morgan's days. As he aged and his health grew worse, he and Amelia contemplated retiring to Hobart, but he died before they could carry out their plans.

Morgan and Amelia had three sons — Walter, Justin (who went by "J.B.") and Earle — and one daughter, May.

About a month after Morgan's death, Amelia hired the Halsted Bros. firm in Hobart to build her a cottage on Lincoln Street, where she would move with May. She survived Morgan by 21 years. They are buried side by side in the Merrillville cemetery.


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Sources:
♦ 1850 Census.
♦ "Ainsworth Pick-Ups." Hobart Gazette 26 Aug. 1910.
♦ Indiana Marriage Records.
♦ "Local Drifts." Hobart Gazette 9 Sept. 1910.
♦ "Ross Township Citizen Dies." Hobart Gazette 5 Aug. 1910.