Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Cyrus Blood and Jane McAnulty




Husband Cyrus Blood 1




           Born: 3 Mar 1795 - New Ipswich, Hillsborough Co, NH 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 12 Jan 1860 - Marienville, Jenks Twp, Forest Co, PA 3
         Buried: 


         Father: [Father] Blood (      -      )
         Mother: 


       Marriage: 1820 4



Wife Jane McAnulty 4

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1868 5
         Buried: 


Children
1 F Marien F. Blood 5

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1890
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Col. John D. Hunt (1811-1887) 3
           Marr: 1843 5


2 M Hon. Kennedy L. Blood 5 6

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Rebecca J. Corbett (      -      ) 6


3 F Louisa M. Blood 5

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Dr. R. S. Hunt (      -      ) 5


4 F Clarine L. Blood 5

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1890
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Samuel F. Rohrer (1817-1888) 7
           Marr: 12 Oct 1870 8


5 M Parker P. Blood 5

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 




General Notes: Husband - Cyrus Blood


He was born in 1775. [HMEF 1890, 835]

He was born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, of English and Irish parentage, and received his education at Boston, Massachusetts. His brother, Samuel Blood, graduated from Harvard College, and began the study of law; his health failing him, he went to Chambersburg, Franklin County, where he taught school many years, and was principal of the Chambersburg Academy, his brother, Cyrus, assisting him, until about the time of his marriage, or shortly before, when he took charge as principal of the Hagerstown Academy; but the confinement of the school-room not agreeing with his health, he traveled for some years. In 1833 he came to Jefferson County (which had formerly been Indiana County, the north part being afterward set apart for Forest County) and purchased immense tracts of land. Mr. Blood was one of the founders of Forest County, gave it the name and located the county seat at Marienville, upon what was his farm at that time. He was a prominent Democrat, and became the first associate judge of the county; also served as county superintendent, county commissioner, etc. He employed a number of men in clearing his lands, and did much toward the growth and prosperity of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Blood were prominent members of the Presbyterian Church. [HMEF, 951]

To Mr. Harrington, also, the writer is indebted for the following sketch of the pioneer of Jenks township: "Cyrus Blood, the founder of Forest county, was born at New Lebanon, N. H., March 3, 1795. In his seventeenth year he went to Boston, Mass., where he remained until he finished his school education. When twenty-two years old he made a visit to his brother, then principal of an academy at Chambersburg, Penn. Soon after that date Cyrus was appointed principal of an academy at Hagerstown, Md. He remained in charge of that institution for several years. His scholastic acquirements were such as to attract attention, and in time he was offered a professorship in Dickinson college, at Carlisle, Penn., and accepted the position. His health, however, was failing, and by the advice of his physician he resigned his professorship, and took a trip through the Middle and Southern States. In his journeying he came to Jefferson county, Penn. Finding that the northern portion of that county was an almost unbroken wilderness, he conceived the idea of establishing a settlement in those wilds, and ultimately forming a new county. For several years he made annual visits to that section, and finally succeeded in purchasing a large tract of land from one of the land companies. It was understood at the time of making the purchase that the company was to open a road to the projected settlement, but in 1833, when Mr. Blood arrived at what is now Corsica, Jefferson county, he found, to his surprise and annoyance, that no road had been made. Leaving his family behind him, he hired men and teams, and, starting from Armstrong's mills, on the Clarion river, he and his men cut their way, step by step, twelve miles, to his wilderness purchase. At night the little party camped out the best they could, and in the morning again pressed onward. On their arrival at the new possessions, a small clearing was made, a house erected, and in October, 1833, the family, consisting of Mr. Blood, his wife and five children, settled down in their raw forest home. It is almost impossible to trace, step by step, the trials and difficulties of the new settlers. They had been accustomed to all the comforts of town life. But energy and enterprise were characteristics of our pioneer, and he and his family struggled bravely to overcome present obstacles, in hope of success. In the same year Mr. Blood was joined in his undertaking by Col. John D. Hunt. From that time to the present the history of old Forest, as well as the successes and failures of our pioneer are cotemporaneous with the history, successes and failures of Col. Hunt. The joys and the sorrows, the hard trials and reverses of Cyrus Blood, were the joys and sorrows, the trials and reverses of John D. Hunt. The histories of the two men are the same and inseparable.
"The new settlement was known far and near as Blood's Settlement. For many years Mr. Blood was the only mail carrier. With every pocket loaded with letters and papers he would start from Brookville for home through the dark woods. Wolves, bears and panthers were plentiful in those days, and often was he followed on his solitary way by those wild denizens of the forest. On one occasion, in the night, he poked with his cane what he supposed was a cow lying in his path, but which proved to be a big bear. Mr. Blood took one side of the path, and the bear the other. Much to the gratification of the former, the bear was not traveling in his direction. At another time some of the children ran into the house, saying that some dogs were playing in the garden. Mr. Blood quickly took his gun down from the hooks, and went out just in time to see several panthers jumping over the fence. With all his narrow escapes and surprises he never shot a wild beast. His thoughts and aims led him away from any approach to a hunter's life. The new settlement struggled on, year after year. Going to mill in those days was a trip to the lower part of Clarion county, and sometimes to Kittanning. In due time the new county scheme was perfected, and the seat of justice fixed at Blood's Settlement, there-after to be known as Marien, in honor of Mr. Blood's eldest daughter, now Mrs. John D. Hunt. A frame court-house, of rather large dimensions, was erected. Hon. John S. McCalmont, of Venango county, held the first court, with Mr. Blood as one of the associate judges. Judge Blood died before his term of office expired, on January 12, 1860, in the sixty-fourth year of his age." [HMEF 1890, 913]


General Notes: Wife - Jane McAnulty

from Chambersburg, Franklin Co, PA

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Sources


1 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 835, 913, 951.

2 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 913, 951.

3 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 835, 952.

4 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 951.

5 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 952.

6 —, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People, Vol. II (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Company, 1917), Pg 78.

7 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 952, 957.

8 —, History of the Counties of McKean, Elk, and Forest, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 957.


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