Alfred George Osborn Blenkarn was the fourth child of nine children born to Rev. William Thomas Blenkarn and Eleanor Maria "Nellie" Ardley (Turner). He was born at 22 Temple Street, Dalston, London, England on October 16, 1862. In 1874 when he was twelve years old, his family came to the United States. They first lived in Dover, Illinois and later moved to Wabaunsee, Kansas. Alfred's father was a minister for the congregational Church and went wherever he was called, this meant a lot of moving from one Kansas town to another. It was during these years Alfred had a severe case of rheumatic fever which left him with a permanently impaired heart. Also, he could not walk after the fever left. He slept upstairs and each morning his father and older sisters would get him up and into a chair, then bring him down stairs. At night they carried him and his chair back up again and put him to bed. One night a bad storm came up. His father came to the stairs and called to the children to come down as a cyclone was coming. Everyone jumped up and ran for the storm cellar. No one remembered Alfred couldn't walk, so he got up and ran down with the rest. After that he could walk. They cyclone pushed the house next door into their house so that the boards came through the walls but the house stood. Alfred was living in Toronto, Kansas when he met Katherine "Kittie" Hyland. She had been left an orphan at the age of five and was raised by Stephen and Lucy Blair. They married on 15 Oct 1888. Alfred was a railway mail clerk and they established a home in Madison, Kansas. They had three daughters:

Lulu Eleanor Fearn
Vera Ione---died within first month of her life.
Nellie Hyland

Alfred died only two years after Vera Ione did at the age of 33, leaving Kittie to care for two small children. The following letter was written to Alfred's brother, Osborn Edward Ardley Blenkarn by his father, Rev. William Thomas Blenkarn dated at Wabaunsee, Kansas 5 Oct 1895: "Now I will tell you all I can about our dear Alfred's last days on earth and his 'transition to the Glory of the Heavenly Home.' As you know, Will went by first train after the receipt of the telegram telling of Alfred's sickness. He found everything in confusion on his arrival. But he took hold at once, and from that time cared for our dear boy almost night and day, until the end came. Alfred's sufferings were very great. He had gotten very wet on the previous Saturday and this brought on an attack of Typhoid Malarial Fever, which at once developed the heart trouble to such an extent that no remedies were of an avail. The Mason's were very good and attentive and furnished watches to sit up every night. But Alfred seemed to think that no one could do for him as well as Will could and would let nobody else move him. We have been greatly comforted in our sorrow by the assurance which Will's testimony has given us, that our dear Alfred was simply and only trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. When in great pain he would say to Will, 'My pain is great, but it is nothing to what my Savior bore for my redemption.' He was very fond of the hymn, 'Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine.' You remember he took with him from Topeka my large illustrated Bible. This he had laid on his bed and would not allow it moved away for a single moment and delighted in having Psalms read to him. When his 'chums' from the railway came to see him he testified of Christ to them and said, 'Ah boys, we'll have things different to what they have been, when I get about again.' He told Will that, if he got well, he was going to have a Christian home, that he would have family prayers and would go to Church and Sunday School regularly and train his little ones for Christ. There is not the shadow of a doubt that he departed in the full faith of Christ and that he is now rejoicing in the enjoyment of the presence of that Savior in whom he so surely trusted. The Mason's took entire charge of the funeral ceremony and bore all the expense. Brother White came from Howard and conducted the religious exercises and preached an excellent sermon. Our dear Maude was there for the funeral and returned to Emporia the next day with Will on his way home. We had a letter from Kittie on Thursday, poor girl, she is about broken-hearted and needs all the comfort we can give her. Mrs. Blair is with her and it is possible she may go with her to Colorado for the winter."

Kittie did return to Colorado with Mrs. Blair to be with the only parents she had ever known.

Source: "Blenkarn Tapestry" by Dorothy L. Taylor pgs 103-104
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"England and Wales Census, 1871," Alfred G O Blenkarn in household of William T Blenkarn, Watton, Watton, Norfolk, England

name: Alfred G O Blenkarn
event: Census
event date: 1871
gender: Male
age: 8
relationship to head of household: Son
birthplace: Hackney, Middlesex
record type: Household
registration district: Wayland
sub-district: Watton
event parish: Watton
county: Norfolk

Household Gender Age Birthplace
self William T Blenkarn M 38 Shoreditch, Middlesex
wife Eleanor M Blenkarn F 38 Chipping Hill, Essex
daughter Emma E Blenkarn F 12 London, Middlesex
son Walter W H Blenkarn M 10 Shoreditch, Middlesex
son Alfred G O Blenkarn M 8 Hackney, Middlesex
daughter Eleanor M Blenkarn F 6 Stourport, Worcestershire
daughter Constance C A Blenkarn F 4 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
son Osborn E A Blenkarn M 2 Walton, Norfolk
daughter Lilian E F Blenkarn F 1 Walton, Norfolk
servant Mary A Overton F 14 Wretham, Norfolk
servant Sarah A E Balls F 14 Walton, Norfolk

Source Citation
"England and Wales Census, 1871," index and images, Alfred G O Blenkarn in household of William T Blenkarn, Watton, Watton, Norfolk, England; citing PRO RG 10/[piece], folio 141, p. 3; Wayland registration district, Watton subdistrict, ED 9f, household 18, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
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"United States Census, 1880," Alfred G O Blenkarn in household of William T Blenkarn, Republican, Clay, Kansas

name: Alfred G O Blenkarn
residence: Republican, Clay, Kansas
birthdate: 1863
birthplace: England
relationship to head: Son
spouse's name:
spouse's birthplace:
father's name: William T Blenkarn
father's birthplace: England
mother's name: Eleanor A Blenkarn
mother's birthplace: England
race or color (expanded): White
ethnicity (standardized): American
gender: Male
martial status: Single
age (expanded): 17 years
occupation: At Home
nara film number: T9-0376
page: 106
page character: D
entry number: 395
film number: 1254376

Household Gender Age Birthplace
self William T Blenkarn M 48 England
wife Eleanor A Blenkarn F 47 England
dau Alice M Blenkarn F 23 England
dau Edith E Blenkarn F 21 England
son Walter W H Blenkarn M 19 England
son Alfred G O Blenkarn M 17 England
dau Maude E Blenkarn F 15 England
dau Constance A Blenkarn F 13 England
son Osborn E A Blenkarn M 11 England
dau Lilian E F Blenkarn F 10 England

Source Citation
"United States Census, 1880," index, FamilySearch, Alfred G O Blenkarn in household of William T Blenkarn, Republican, Clay, Kansas; citing sheet 106D, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T9-0376.
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Info. Submitted by the Original Memorial Creator:

OBITUARY

Died at his home in Madison, Kansas, September 18th., 1895, A.G.O. Blenkarn, aged 33 years.

Mr. Blenkarn was born in England, October 10, 1862, and came with his parents to this country in 1876, where he had ever resided.

He was married to Kittie Ryane, the adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Blair, in 1888. As a result of this union three children were born--Fearn, aged six years, little Verna lone (who preseded her father to the spirit land), and Nellie, aged 1 year and 4 months.

In all relations of life Mr. Blenkarn was an expemplary man. As a loving husband and father he was always kind and considerate, and even in his greatest suffering he seemed always to study the conforts of others.

Besides his wife and children, he leaves as aged father and mother, four sisters, and two brothers, besides numerous other relatives and friends to mourn his untimely death. He died in the full assurance of a sublance of faith.

From "Eureka Herald" 16 October 1985 page 1.