66th Generation

Family of Henry Harrison Blake (477) & Martha A. Beardsley

478. Harry Leslie Blake, G Grandfather, M. Born on 13 Feb 1882 in Middlesex Co, Massachusetts. Harry Leslie died in Lancaster, Lancaster Co, PA on 16 Feb 1966, he was 84. Occupation: Master Watchmaker.

As written to me by Barton Rinehart, Grandson of Mr. Blake, thus calling him Grandpa throughout the text.

"I don't know whether you know this or not, but Grandpa was a Master Watch Maker. He apprenticed at the Waltham Watch Company in Waltham, Mass. After a few years, in early 1905 he was hired by Hamilton Watch and moved to Lancaster. Around 1912 he was hired by Elgin Watch Co. in Elgin, IL and
Grandpa, Grandma, Mom (Dorothy Blake) and Bud (Harry Leslie) moved to Elgin. Your (Grand) father (Charles Blake) was not born yet. For some reason that did not last long and they moved back to Roherstown and lived on Oyster Creek Rd. Grandpa opened his own jewelry store which he for a number of years before going back to work for Hamilton Watch running their in-house watch store. He was too old by this time to have steady enough hands to continue as a watch maker which must have been a blow to him. You see, as a master watch maker he could make a watch from scratch, cutting the gears from stock material, putting it all together, and even designing and making the case. Part of the problem that made him quit making watches was that he lost some of the feeling in his fingers. When you make watches the way he did you had to be careful not to get moisture, oil or dirt from your fingers in the watch parts, so he was constantly soaking his fingers in alcohol to keep them dry, and the drying alcohol finally caught up with him."





Harry Leslie married Mary Strine, G Grandmother, F, daughter of Charles B. Strine, M. Born on 5 May 1884. Mary died in Lancaster, Lancaster Co, PA on 17 Nov 1972, she was 88.

They had the following children:
i. Dorothy Salome, G Aunt, F. Born on 25 Feb 1907. Dorothy Salome died on 26 Dec 1989, she was 82.

On 4 Jul 1930 when Dorothy Salome was 23, she married Stanley Rohrer Rinehart, M, in Buffalo, NY. Born on 5 Apr 1907. Stanley Rohrer died in Stuart, FL in Jan 1987, he was 79.

ii. Harry Leslie, G Uncle, M. Born on 7 May 1908.

Harry Leslie married Nellie E. Neinan, F. Born on 1 Nov 1923.

479 iii. Charles H., M (1911-1996)
iv. Mary Martha, G Aunt, F. Born on 17 Jul 1918. Mary Martha died in Washington Boro, PA on 1 Oct 1995, she was 77.

Mary Martha first married James E. Myers, Sr., M. Occupation: Welder.

In 1956 when Mary Martha was 37, she second married Dean H. Silver, M.

In 1978 when Mary Martha was 59, she third married Abraham Huber, M.

v. Kathryn Elizabeth, G Aunt, F. Born on 20 Mar 1923.

Kathryn Elizabeth married William George Williams, M. Born on 16 Sep 1916.



Previous * Next

Contents * Index * Surnames * Contact