Hall County NEGenWeb
Biographies
:: INSERT NAME ::

FRANK EUGENE BLAUVELT.-Perhaps no family at Cairo is better known in business circles or more highly respected than the Blauvelts, who are substantial people here. The head of the family, Frank E. Blauvelt, is prospering as a producing merchant, while Mrs. Blauvelt and their competent daughters, own and operate a first class restaurant and confectionary store. Mr. Blauvelt has spent almost his entire life in Nebraska.

Frank Eugene Blauvelt was born in Jones County, Iowa, April 15, 1871. His parents were Elijah S. and Elizabeth (Horton) Blauvelt, natives of New York, both of whom are deceased, the father died in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, February 11, 1902, and the mother at Hardy, Nebraska, September 1, 1898. They had eight children and of the six surviving Frank E. is the only one living in Hall County. The parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The father was a Democrat in his political opinions. By trade he was a bricklayer. Before moving to Iowa he served three years in the Union army during the Civil War. Although he was never wounded or taken prisoner, he had many thrilling escapes. On one occcasion while driving an army ambulance, he was closely pursued for twelve miles by a guerilla band, and when he at last reached safety at Murfreesboro, Tennissee, three of his four horses fell dead. In 1873 Elijah S. Blauvelt came to Nebraska, homesteaded and secured a tree claim in Franklin County, living on his 320 acres for six years. After one year he engaged in work at his trade, in Blommington (sic), then moved to Nuckolls County, where, during the rest of his life he was engaged mainly in brick mason work and farming.

Frank E. Blauvelt was nine yers old when his parents moved to Nuckolls County, where he later had common school advantages. He remembers very well the wild conditions that prevailed in those early days there, and relates many exceedingly interesting occurences. Indians were very often seen and deer and huffalo (sic) were so numerous that Mr. Blauvelt, in describing the droves of deer, can think of nothing better to compare them to, as they rushed over the prairies, than the rough waves of a great sea. Sometimes these wild creatures, both the antelope and buffalo, would seemingly try to escape from civilized surroundings, but occasionally they would be tempted into some settler's barnyard and trouble would inevitably ensue. Mr. Blauvetl recalls an occasion when he was young, when his father had gone to town, a distance away, for provisions, his mother being left with the task of doing the evening "chores." When she went about these duties she found a buffalo among the heard of domestic catttle (sic). As soon as she advanced the wild animal would threaten her and finally she used the usual distress signal to her neighbors, running up a white flag. This brought speedy assistance and the buffalo was killed.

After Mr. Blauvelt left the farm he went to Custer County to engage in the harness and saddlery business at Callaway, continuing there until 1916, when he came to Cairo. He recognized this a promising business point, establishing a produce line, in which he has greatly prospered, at present doing a $15,000 annual business.

On December24, 1895, Mr. Blauvelt united in marriage Miss Marie A. Minnich, in Trenton, Missouri. Her parents, Henry and Margaret (Eakin) Minnich, settled in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, in 1878 and bought school land. In 1895 they moved to Missouri but two years later returned to Nuckolls County, where the father died in 1899, and the mother at Casper, Wyoming, in 1918. Of their six children, Mrs. Blauvelt is the only one living in Hall County. Mr. and Mrs. Blauvelt have the following children: Ercel M., Sybli, Thelma, Nylephtha, Zane and Daphne, all of the daughters residing at home. The only son, Ercel M., who did a hero's part as a member of the American Expeditionary Force in France, has recently returned to his native land and is under treatment in an army hospital in Virginia. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church.

Transcribed by Kaylynn

History of Hall County
by Buechler, Barr, & Stough (Published 1920)
Transcribed by Larry Coates