Bedford Gazette
April 15, 1948

Anne Penrose Blackburn

A wispy little gray lady, 78, who had lived in Fishertown longer than any of her neighbors, died in the quiet, historic settlement in the shadow of the Allegheny Mountains Chestnut Ridge Friday morning of last week.

It was at the home of her brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Isaiah Blackburn, that Anne Penrose Blackburn gave up her determined fight to live. Repeatedly, during the past three or four years, she had been near death. Her last illness confined her to her bed for three or four weeks.

The deceased's father was Azariah Blackburn, the village blacksmith, and her mother was Sara (Miller) Blackburn. Anne was the youngest of seven children. Four years after she was born on Jan. 1, 1870, the Blackburn family moved from another house on the same property to the present residence which is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Isaiah Blackburn and their son, Rev. Philip T.C. Blackburn whom the Bedford Bor. community knows as the pastor of St. James Episcopal Church. She lives there continuously until her death last Friday.

Other children in the Azariah Blackburn family were Margaret, Richard, Watson, Rebecca, Howard and Isaiah. Margaret and Rebecca, unmarried, and Richard lived in Fishertown all their lives. Watson lived in Baltimore for years and Howard in Bedford Bor. All the children are now dead, excepting Isaiah who left Fishertown in 1881 to work in New York City and elsewhere until he returned to Fishertown in 1940.

Anne, lived in the paternal home alone from 1923 until 1940 and was widely known in this section of Pennsylvania because her home was open to summer guests.

Miss Blackburn was a lifelong member of the Dunnings Creek Monthly Meeting of Friends.

She was buried in Fishertown Cemetery Monday afternoon after services at the Blackburn home in the manner of friends.