The Fresno Herald and Democrat, April 30, 1908

WELL KNOWN PIONEER WOMAN OF FRESNO IS SUMMONED BY DEATH

Mrs. Mary Jane Blasingame, Who Was Captured by Indians Coming to California, Passes Away

Mrs. Mary Jane Blasingame, widow of Jesse A. Blasingame, died early this morning at her home at 2319 Stanislaus street after a week's illness caused by poisoning. She was surrounded by her children during her last moments. With the passing of this pioneer woman are recalled the pioneer days of 1849. Mrs. Blasingame was one of the last of those women who braved all the terrors and hardships of the days of the prairie schooner and Indian skirmishes.

The deceased was born in Cooper County, Missouri, her maiden name being Mary Jane Ogle. Her first trip to California was made when she was about twelve years of
age, via cattle team.

Captured By Indians The hardships of the journey were often described by Mrs. Blasingame to her children in after years of her being captured by Indians and narrow escapes from death and of other perils of the road. On this trip she lost both her parents, her mother dying in Arizona and her father in Los Angeles. With brothers and sisters she came on to Death Valley, where the winter was spent.

Two other trips were made. The plucky woman braved the terrors of the wagon trails and returned to the east. The second time she again made the trip with members of the family by ox team, locating in California once more in 1852 during the exciting mining days.

In Calaveras County she met Jesse A. Blasingame, to whom she was married in the same year. Mr. Blasingame had come to California in 1849 at the close of the Mexican war, settling at Vallecito.

In 1859 Mr. and Mrs. Blasingame came to Fresno County and settled on Dry Creek, where Mrs. Blasingame held large tracts of property up till her death. The family lived near Academy until 1879, when they moved to Fresno City, where Mrs. Blasingame has since lived. The two eldest children surviving were born in Calaveras county and the others at Academy, excepting the younger daughter, Gertrude, who was born in Fresno.

Children Surviving The surviving children are Alfred H. Blasingame who still farms the big ranches on Dry Creek; Anderson A. Blasingame, who lives just north of this city; Lee A. Blasingame, the prominent stockman; William Ogle Blasingame, who resides near Centerville, and Jesse Blasingame, who has extensive vineyard interest in Lone Star. There are two daughters Mrs. Nannie B. Peterson, and Mrs. Gertrude Aten, wife of Dr. Ralph Aten, the well known dentist.

The funeral will be privately held at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning from the home. Rev. Hedgepeth, an old friend of the family, who resides in Selma, will probably officiate.

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THE FRESNO TRIBUNE, April 30, 1908

DEATH OF MRS. MARY J. BLASINGAME

Mrs. Mary J. Blasingame, the widowed mother of five of Fresno's most prominent citizens, and a pioneer resident of this county, died at her home, 2319 Stanislaus Street, last night after as illness of one week. The funeral will be held privately tomorrow morning from the residence at 10 o'clock.

Mrs. Blasingame was born February 27, 1836, in Missouri. She came in this county with her husband and family when Fresno was a struggling little sheep town, and invested in land holdings which are now among the largest vineyards of Fresno County. Her husband died many years ago and she was left alone with her children who have always remained with her in Fresno. Her sons were A.H. Blasingame, A.A. Blasingame, L.A. Blasingame, W.O. Blasingame and J.A. Blasingame. Mrs. N.H. Peterson and Mrs. Dr. Aten were her daughters.

Her death will be mourned not only by her relatives but also by her many friends she possessed both in and out of Fresno. She was a kind and lovable lady and the affections of every one were hers at the first meeting.

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FRESNO MORNING REPUBLICAN, May 1, 1908

PIONEER WOMAN PASSES AWAY

Mrs. Blasingame Dies at late Residence Had an Adventurous Early Life – Crossed Plains Before Gold Discovery

Mrs. Blasingame was of the very earliest of the settlers to this section of the county, having come to Fresno County in the latter fifties. She had, however, come to the state some years before that even, having been one of that band of intrepid women who braved the terrors of the prairie schooner in the days directly following the discovery of gold in Placer County.

Born in Cooper County, Missouri, February 27, 1836, Mrs. Blasingame, then Mary Jane Ogle, came out here with her parents when hardly 16 years old. During the long perilous trip across the plains, she was captured by Indians, and had several narrow escapes from the perils of the road. Both her parents died during the trip and with her brothers and sisters the 16-year-old girl came on from Los Angeles,
where her father died, to Death Valley, where the little party spent the winter.

This was the first of two trips she made across the continent by ox team. In 1852 she had returned to California, summoned with the rest of the family, by the gold excitement. It was in Calaveras County during that year that she met Jesse A. Blasingame, whom she married shortly afterwards.

It was in 1859 that the young couple came to this country and located on Big Dry Creek, where Mr. Blasingame built up one of the largest and best known stock ranches in the county. Two sons had been born in Calaveras County, Alfred and Anderson. Several more children were born at the home place on Dry Creek, and then in 1878 the family moved to Fresno, where the youngest daughter, Mabel Gertrude, was born. Mr. Blasingame died in Fresno in 1887, leaving the
management of the estate, which he and his wife had built up, to her, on the behalf of the children.

For twenty-one years Mrs. Blasingame looked after the business affairs which her husband had left to her and it was her active interest up to her final illness. In this she had the co-operation of her eldest son, Alfred H. Blasingame, who is now living at the home ranch near Big Dry Creek. The other children are: A. Anderson Blasingame, resident just north of this city; Lee A. Blasingame, who lives near Clovis, and is extensively interested with Alfred in cattle and sheep raising; William Ogle Blasingame, living in Kutner Colony, where he has extensive vineyard interests; and Jesse Blasingame, who is a vineyardist at Lone Star. There are two daughters, Mrs. Nannie B. Peterson, wife of Court Reporter N.H. Peterson, and Mrs. Aten, wife of Dr. Ralph R. Aten of this city.

The funeral will be held at 10 o'clock this morning from the late residence, and Rev. Duncan Wallace of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church will conduct services.
Friends of the family are invited.

Thanks to Nancy Schmidt and Morgan Blasingame for these historical obituaries.

In 1999 the Blasingame family was honored as a "Clovis Founder"family.

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".