Constance was born at 6 Lyndhurst Terrace, Alfred Street, North Nottingham, England and the sixth child to William Thomas Blenkarn and Eleanor "Nellie" Maria Ardley, both of England. At age eleven, her family moved to Dover, Illinois, United States. After living in Dover for a short time, they moved to Kansas where she grew up. Constance married William Thomas Blenkarn (son of George Blenkarn and Caroline Smith of England) on 07 May 1856 at Bishop's Gate. He was a newspaper man. They had eleven children:

Karl Edward Hughey (1889 - 1909)
Clair Osborn Hughey (1890 - 1909)
Clyde Adam Hughey (1891 - 1963)
Theron Dunsmore Hughey (1893 - 1894)
Leslie Walter Hughey (1895 - 1963)
Verne Eugene Hughey (1897 - 1979)
Charles William Hughey (1899 - 1962)
Glenn Blenkarn Hughey (1901 - 1982)
Helen Rosa Hughey (1904 - 1965)
Melvin Ardley Hughey (1906 - 1987)
Mabel Constance Hughey (1908 - 1962)

One child, Karl, preceded them in death at age 20 by an accidental shooting with his father's .38 caliber gun.
When her husband Charles died, she was left with a large family, the youngest only two and a half years old. Her son Clyde was serving in the Army and wasn't home to help. She never remarried, but managed to raise her large family and lived 30 more years as a widow and single mom. In her later years, she lived with her son Glenn in Battle Creek Michigan. Her funeral service was officiated by a woman, Rev. Emma Burgess, which was unusual at that time for women in that kind of role.

Source: "Blenkarn Tapestry" by Dorothy L. Taylor
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"England and Wales Census, 1871,"Constance C A 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.
"United States Census, 1900,", Constance Hughey in household of Charles Hughey, ED 120 Oswego Township Oswego city Ward 1-3, Labette, Kansas, United States; citing sheet 1B, family 18, NARA microfilm publication T623, FHL microfilm 1240485.