Bliley Family Ancestors Title

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Welcome...

Thank you for stopping by to visit my site. It is very modest at this hour, but will be growing even larger as I discover more information on the people that preceded me and helped make me what I am today.

This site is and ongoing project and will be updated on a periodic basis. The site is centered on my ancestors of the Frank Dawson Bliley family of Erie, Pennsylvania. There are other Bliley families in Erie County Pennsylvania, many of whom are the descendants of Sebastian Bleile (1793-1872), the brother of my Great-great-grandfather Andreas Bleile (1785-1835).

This site is really the work of more than one person. Some of them are my ancestors, and living relatives, others are people that I have met though this site and generously contributed their time and research.

If you have any letters, photos or other documents on this family you would care to contribute to the project, I would love to borrow or receive them as a gift. In either case, I would be delighted to hear from you. For more information about this site, click here.

Charles "Chuck" Arthur Bliley
Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
K3NAU@AOL.com

Updated: January 15, 2014


 CONTENTS:


Our German Roots

The Blileys born before the 1800's had their roots in Germany. The families, which came to America in the 19th Century, were from the Black Forest area of Southern Germany near the union of Germany, France and Switzerland. In the late 1800's, this area formed the German principality of Grand Duchy of Baden. Many of the Blileys were born in the small town of Krozingen about 5 miles southwest of Freiberg. (Map: 130K) Freiberg is located is located about 80 miles (120 km) southwest of the famous city of Stuttgart. Baden was united with the nearby principality of Württemberg to form the state of Baden-württember. I trace my lineage from Andreas William Bleile who immigrated to America in 1834 and chronicled by his son Charles in a letter.

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The Family Name

In my research and the documentation that I have been given, I have found two dominant spellings of the family name: Bliley and Bleile. There are also several other variations: Bleule, Blila, Baylin mostly found in early family records from the state of Baden-Württemberg. I, Germany.

I have found records of a Bleule parent's offspring being named Baylin. My great grandfather's name spelled as both Bleile and Bliley, but the Bliley is used in all family literature in the United States of America. One of the brothers of Charles A. Bleile (later Bliley), Andrew William Junior, used Blila as his family name.

One genealogist I met suggested the name variations may be the result of the different languages used in various recording systems, such as wedding licenses, baptismal certificates, birth certificates and death certificates, and cemetery registers. Religious records been kept many languages throughout the ages and in different countries--common ones are Latin, Hebrew, German and English. Perhaps a good linguist could give a definite answer, I cannot. It is possible that some of them could have been illiterate or barely literate, and corrupted the name themselves by accident.

After speaking with my first wife's German-born cousin Margaret, I have some explanation for the differences in the spellings of the family name. The variations of Bliley that end in "le", such as Bleule and Bleile, are common to the German dialect from the Southern area of the country in the state of Baden-Württemberg. In the genealogical records, the state name is often abbreviated to only Baden to save space. Many of the family names in this region end in "le" in a fashion similar to Polish names commonly ending in "ski". I have been told by German natives that "blei" is the metal lead and "le" means little and is used in German slang to mean "little lead pencil". Others say it is a corruption of a German word for the sound coming from a "wood or stamp mill". Quite frankly, who cares. It is a name with many find people associated with it.

Now, as to what brought them to this country in the first place...that will only be answered through speculation, and hard evidence if I am lucky!

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My Family Scrapbook

 GENERATION 1 -- 1780's to 1890's

Great Great-Grandfather: Andreas William Bleile
B: January 9, 1787; D: February 1835
Spouse: Catherine Eich

I know almost nothing about my great great grandfather except that he was the first Bliley in our "clan" who immigrated to the United States. He brought with him his wife Catherine Eich, five children, and aged aunt, from Germany in 1834 to settle in Harbor Creek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania. Andrew died one year later at the young age of 49.

Children: Eleanor, Charles A., Mary, Barbara, and Andrew Jr.

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 GENERATION 2 -- 1800's to 1900's

Great-Grandfather : Charles A. Bleile/Bliley
B: July 23, 1822; D: November 15, 1906
Spouse: Mary Jane Mead


The "Bliley Homestead" and Farm

 GENERATION 3 -- 1860's to 1940's

Great-Great Aunt: Josephine Bliley Bonnell
B: 12 Jan 1852; D: 23 May 1918 (Age 66)
Spouse: Elliott Mead Bonnell

Great-Great Uncle: Elliott Bonnell
B: 17 May 1846; Harborcreek, Erie County, PA; D: 1917 (Age 71), Corry, Erie County, PA
Spouse: Elliott Mead Bonnell

  • Bonnell-Bliley Wedding Certificate--Here is a couple that we know little about, but we do a photo of their lovely 1873 wedding certificate.
  • Gospel Hill CemeteryNew!--Photos and index of a small cemetery just South of the Bliley Farm on Station Road. Many Bonnells are buried here.

Grandfather: John Axel Rosenberg
Grandmother: Isabelle Frances McGrorey Rosenberg

Parents of my mother, Isabelle Marie Rosenberg Bliley Kaiser

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 GENERATION 4 -- 1900's to 1990's

Father: Frank Dawson Bliley
My father and founder of the Bliley Electric Company.
B: April 29, 1906; D: May 29, 1955 (Age: 49)
Spouse: Isabelle Marie Rosenberg Bliley Kaiser


Mother: Isabelle Rosenberg Bliley Kaiser

My mother and best friend in life.
B: Nov. 15, 1914; D: May 15, 1997 (Age: 83)
Spouses: Frank Dawson Bliley; Lawrence F. Kaiser


Stepfather: Lawrence Francis Kaiser

My "father" since 1957.
Spouse: Isabelle Marie Rosenberg Bliley Kaiser

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 GENERATION 5 -- 1940's to 2030?

Charles Arthur Bliley, Web site owner and family historian

I am one of my father's five children and author of this site.

First Wife of Charles Bliley: Deborah Ann Noble Bliley
B: March 18, 1948; D: May 8, 2004 (Age: 56)

  • Born and raised in Erie, PA
  • Married: July 6, 1974.

Second Wife of Charles Bliley: Marilyn Joann Holcomb Swanson Bliley
B: 19xx

  • Born and raised in Bradford, PA.
  • Surviving Spouse of David Swanson (D: 2004)
  • Married: July 31, 2010 and counting.

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 CEMETERIES

Below are links to three cemeteries that I have visited in which family members are buried. Each as photos of the cemetery and headstones.

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 FAMILY PHOTO ALBUMS New!

The collection of photo albums, principally by Sam and Inez Wagner, has grown into a huge collection totaling almost a 1,000 photos. While it is labeled as "rough draft" the content is too exciting unto to announce it is available for viewing.

 MISCELLANEOUS RESOURCES
 DOWNLOADS

Looking for maps or genealogies related to the Bliley families in Erie County, Pennsylvania? Here is a collection of downloadable resources that are too large for presentation on this site.

  • Introduction to Download Page
  • The Lives and Times of Charles A. and Mary Jane Mead Bliley,
    A Scrapbook of Family Photos, Memoirs, Facts and Whimsy
  • Bleile Ancestors in Germany Prior to 1834
  • Descendants of Joseph Bleule
  • Descendants of Andrew Coover, Sr.
  • 1876 Maps of Harbor Creek and Greene Townships, Pennsylvania
  • Obituaries from Mary Jane Mead Bliley's Scrapbook (1890-1911)
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     ABOUT THIS SITE

    This site was started by my discovery of the obituary of my grandfather Frank A. Bliley in the Fall of 1998. There were some interesting things in it that surprised me and I decided to find out a little more about him and the family. One thing led to another, and a wonderful adventure of exploration and discovery began. If you have anything to add to the site, or questions or comments about its contents, feel free to send me an e-mail message to K3NAU@AOL.com. This site was initially posted on April 22, 1999.

    What is available on this site is not the product of my hands alone. There is a long list of contributors and supporters that deserve credit. Please take a moment to look over the list of them and a note on how I was inspired in genealogy and family history.

    Out of respect for their privacy, you will find little information on this site about living relations. Any references to living relations are posted with their knowledge and permission.

    I hope you enjoy your visit.

    Charles A. Bliley

    Rochester, New York



    Mac Made!
    Of Course!

     MY OTHER SITES

    The Bliley Network--This the common gateway to all of my Internet sites including the Bliley Family History home, and the ones listed below.

    Charles Bliley's (K3NAU) Home Page--Visit the location of the world's most impressive home page. Bar none! If you don't believe me, judge for yourself.

    E-Portfolio of Charles A. Bliley--Online sampler of recent professional work of the author and owner of this history site in the areas of technical writing and communications. I am currently unemployed and looking for meaningful work in technical communications.

    Bliley Electric Company History: 1930-1955--A history of the electronics manufacturing company created by Frank Dawson Bliley—my father.

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    This site and associated pages are Copyright 2010, by Charles A. Bliley, Webster, NY, U.S.A.