Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/335

 BLACKSTONE.

BLACKWELL.

the education of the great body of citizens, through university extension. His principal publications include : " History of Federal and State Aid to Higlier Education in the United States," " Spanish Colonization in the South- west," "The Study of History and Sociology," " Spanish Institutions of the Southwest," " Econo- mics " (1900) ; " The History of Higher Education in Kansas" (1900).

BLACKSTONE, William, pioneer, was born in England about 1590-'95. He was educated at Emanuel college, Cambridge, and ordained a priest of the church of England. He is described as a man of marked decision of character, and of great intelhgence, who came to the colony soon after tlie landing of the first pilgrims, to escape the domination of Archbishop Laud, though he lived and died a member of the church. He was as averse to dictation and arbitrary creeds in the new world as in the old, so he separated himself from the colonists and settled on the peninsula of Shawniut, now Boston. Here he planted gardens and orchards, and is said to have raised the first apples produced in Massachusetts. He was the sole proprietor of an area of eight hundred acres until the arrival of Winthrop in 1630. Though Shawmut was included in the grant held by the governor and company, they paid Blackstone a quitclaim of thirty pounds as the prior possessor. His aversion to the dictatorial and arbitrary methods of the Puritans led him to vacate his clearing and move " west" to " Wawepoonseag," R. I., on a spot about two miles north of Paw- tucket, near that now occupied by the railroad station at Lonsdale. He built himself a house which he called " Study Hill." Here he was again the first white settler, and jilanted an or- chard, raising the first apples grown in Rhode Island. His solitude was broken by the advent of settlers, but, though he took no part in the found- ing of the colony, and was inimical to the princi- ples of Roger Williams, he lived on peaceful terms with those about him, and was in the habit of preaching to the people of Providence. The Blackstone river takes its name from him. The well he dug and the cellar he stoned could still be seen in 1897. though his once well-tilled garden was dotted by oaks over a hundred years old. He was buried near his house in a lot with his wife, his own grave being marked by a roxmd white stone. The Lonsdale company's mill was built on this site, and in making the excavations for the foundations the body of Blackstone was exhumed. May 6, 1886. He died in 1675.

BLACKWELL, Antoinette Louisa Brown, author, was born at Henrietta, Monroe countj', N. Y., May 20, 1825. She was educated in the pub- lic schools and academy of her native town, and in

1847 was graduated at Oberlin (Ohio) college, teaching school in the vacations to defray her ex- penses. After completing her college course she remained at Oberlin and was graduated from the theological school in 1850. She was denied a license to preach, because of her sex, but occa- sionally appeared in the pulpit and on the lecture platform. She became a stanch abolitionist and an advocate of woman's rights. She was ordained pastor of the Congregational church of South Butler and Savannah, N. Y., in 1853, but resigned after officiating one year. She afterwards be- came identified with the Unitarian denomina- tion. She was married in 1856 to Samuel C. Blackwell, of Elizabeth, N. J. She is the author of " Studies in General Science" (1869); "The Island Neighbors " (1871) ; " The Market Woman," "The Sexes Throughout Natiu-e " (1875) "The Physical Basis of Immortality " (1876), and " The Many and the One " (1886).

BLACKWELL, Elizabeth, physician, was born in Bristol, England, Feb. 3, 1821; daughter of Samuel Blackwell, a wealthy sugar refiner. When she was ten years old her father lost his fortune, and in 1832 the family removed to the United States. She resided in New Y'ork city until 1838, when they went to Cincinnati, Ohio. Elizabeth determined to become a physician, and in 1847 she made application for ad- mission to all the schools of medicine in the covmtry, and was finally admitted to the college at Geneva, N. Y., where she was graduated in 1849, receiving the first medical diploma ever awarded to a woman. She then became a resi- dent pupil at the hospital of the Maternity in Paris, France, at the same time taking thorough courses of study under private tutors. During 1850 and 1851 she " walked " St. Bartholomew's hospital in London, and studied at the woman's hospital. She began her professional life in New York city in the latter part of 1851, and in a short time established a good practice. Two years later, with her sister, Dr. Emily Blackwell, she founded the New Y'ork infirmary for women and children. In 1858 and 1859 she lectured in Eng- land on the subject of women as physicians, and in the latter year was placed on the register of Enghsh physicians. At the outbreak of the civil war she aided in organizing the Ladies' central relief association, which afterwards became a part of the sanitary commission. In 1869 she was appointed a lecturer in the medical college of the New Y'ork infirmary, and at the close of that year removed to her native coimtry. She accomplished many reforms in London, where she remained until 1878, removing then to Hastings, England. She is the author of " The Laws of Life in Relation to the Physical Edu- cation of Girls " (1852) ; " How to Keep a House-