Blachleyville, Ohio facts for kids
Blachleyville is a small, unincorporated community located in Wayne County, in the U.S. state of Ohio. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place with a shared identity but doesn't have its own local government like a city or a village.
Contents
The Story of Blachleyville
How Blachleyville Began
Blachleyville was officially started on December 16, 1833. It was planned out by two doctors, William Boyd Blachley Sr. and Jr., and was named after Dr. Blachley Sr. A surveyor named George Emery helped map out the community. The official plans were recorded in March 1834. Dr. Blachley Sr. was born in New Jersey and grew up mostly in Pennsylvania. He moved to Plain Township in Ohio in 1816. He was a doctor who practiced medicine in the area for 19 years and had a very large family with 19 children!
The First Settlers
The area around Blachleyville was where the very first settlers of Plain Township made their homes. Some of the earliest people to settle there were John Collier and his wife, Sarah Eylar. Other early settlers included William Meeks, Cyrus Baird, and George and David Lozier. Daniel Miller is known for building the first sawmill in 1815 and the first house in Blachleyville. The community's first school teacher was John Cassiday, and the first minister (from the Baptist church) was Elder French.
The Post Office Story
A post office was opened in the area in 1830, and it was first called Blackleysville. In 1884, its name was changed slightly to Blackleyville. The post office served the community for many years before it finally closed down in 1907.
