The information is taken from "The History of Fresno County" by Paul E Vandor, published in 1919.

Any list of the pioneers of Fresno County, and especially of those men who have been successfully engaged in the stock-raising business would be incomplete without the name of Jesse A. Blasingame, a Mexican War veteran and an early settler near Academy. He was a native of Talladega County, Ala. Becoming enthused with the interesting reports of the discovery of gold in California, Jesse Augustus Blasingame decided to try his fortunes in the Golden State and in that memorable year, 1849, came by the Isthmus of Panama to California, bringing with him several men to help in the mines.

For awhile he engaged in mining for gold, but like many other men endowed with keen business acumen, he discovered that there were other ways and means of securing gold, or its equivalent, that were not so uncertain and hazardous. Subsequently he entered into the stock-raising business and by the exercise of his innate good judgment and wise management he achieved a satisfactory success. In 1862 or 1863 he located in Fresno County and purchased land near Big Dry Creek, in the vicinity of Academy, and engaged in raising cattle, hogs, sheep and horses. As he prospered he purchased more land until in time he became one of the largest land owners in that section. His holdings extended about nine miles in one direction, reaching almost from Friant to Academy, and included about 12,000 acres.

In 1870, J. A. Blasingame with his wife and two children returned East, going to his old home state, Alabama, to settle an estate. Later the family went to Texas, where they spent one winter in Bell County. The next spring Mr. Blasingame began to purchase cattle to drive across the plains. His first purchase was at San Antonio, Texas, where he secured 1.200 head, he kept on adding to his purchases until he had about 2,000 head which he and his sons brought safely across the plains and mountains until they reached Humboldt Wells, Nev. From this point they shipped the cattle to San Francisco, Sacramento and Colfax, receiving such good prices for the stock that he netted a handsome sum for his hazardous undertaking, and demonstrated his splendid business ability. That his keen business judgment and wise council in financial matters were soon recognized in the community, is recorded in the fact that he was one time the vice-president of the Fresno County Bank. About 1878, he retired from active participation in business affairs and removed to the city of Fresno, where he spent his last days.

He built the Ogle House, one of the first good hotels in Fresno and after his death, his widow built the Blasingame Block, now known as the Commercial Block at H. and Tulare Streets. J. A. Blasingame was interested in educational matters and helped to build the Academy school house, which was one of the first in Fresno County. He also gave his aid to church work in the community.

Jesse A. Blasingame was united in marriage with Mary Jane Ogle, a native of Missouri. She crossed the plains when she was about fourteen years of age, with her parents in an ox team train. Mr. and Mrss. Blasingame became the parents of seven children: Alfred H., a stockman who resides at Clovis; Albert A., a resident of Fresno; Lee A., a viticulturist and stock-man northeast of Fresno; Nannie, was Mrs. N. H. Peterson, of Los Angeles; W. O. was a stockman and viticulturist of the Kutner Colony; J. A. Jr. was a rancher at Lone Star; Gertrude, is Mrs. Aten, residing in Fresno. Jesse A. Blasingame passed away in 1881. at the age of sixty-one; his wife continued to reside in Fresno until her death in 1908, at the age of seventy-two years.

In 1999 the Blasingame family was honored as a CLOVIS FOUNDERS family.

CLOVIS -- The Blasingame and Sample families of early Clovis helped set the tone for what is widely known today as "The Spirit of Clovis.".

The Blasingame attributes of family, responsibility, work, honesty, independence, appropriate space, education, community service and loyalty are a treasured legacy recently recognized by a resoution introduced in the Congressional Record of the United States Congress by Rep. George Radanovitch(R).

See Congressional Record: October 29, 1999, Page E2220-E2221 in the Congressional Record via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] in the House of Representatives on, October 28, 1999. The Clovis Chamber of Commerce recognized the Blasingame-Sample families by inducting them into the founder's "1999 Hall of Fame".