Ira Blake (February 5, 1785-February 11, 1813) was born in Keene, New Hampshire, and later lived in Chester, Vermont. He and his wife, Mary Seamans of Keene, New Hampshire (b. 1787), were married on April 10, 1808, and had three children: Frances Seamans ("Fanny") (November 4, 1808-August 9, 1876), Mary Ann (b. 1810), and Charles (b. 1812). After Ira's death, Mary Blake married a man named Moore; they lived in Concord, New Hampshire. Her daughter Frances married Joshua D. Colony (1804-1891) in 1831. They lived in Keene and had six children: Lewis Joshua (b. 1832), Frances Marion (b. 1834), Sarah Richards (b. 1836), Hannah Taylor (b. 1838), and twins Ormond Everett (1840-1895) and Oscar Leverett (1840-1913).
Ormond and Oscar Colony were born on August 27 or 28, 1840. In 1860, Oscar worked with his father, the town's postmaster, while Ormond worked as a clerk, and both brothers moved west after the outbreak of the Civil War. Ormond arrived in Central City, Colorado, in early June 1862, and Oscar joined him that December. Oscar returned to New Hampshire in the fall of 1863, though Ormond remained in Central City until May 1865. The brothers eventually took over their father's commercial interests, which included a cotton mill and a newspaper, the Cheshire Republican . Oscar married Emma F. Lewis on January 3, 1870, and eventually became the full owner and editor of the Cheshire Republican . He died on January 18, 1913. Ormond become postmaster of Keene and died a bachelor on June 14, 1895.
From the guide to the Blake-Colony collection, 1807-1872, 1807-1837, 1862-1865, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)
