Born in Warren county, Ohio, January 4, 1825. When he was yet a boy his parents moved to what was then the northern frontier of Indiana, where he grew to manhood. His educational opportunities were few, as the country was in an undeveloped condition and the school facilities were limited in the extreme. He, however, attended the district school for two terms, and laid the foundation for the life of learning and the taste for reading which distinguished him all during his life. In September, 1845, Mr. Blackford was united in marriage to Miss Mary M. Call. In the fall of 1855 with his wife and two sons, he came to Algona, Iowa. In the spring of 1856, they moved into the log cabin situated on the site of the present residence. In the same year, he operated a saw and grist mill. He was elected justice of the peace at Algona's first election on August 4, 1856, serving for some years with great ability. From his earliest manhood Mr. Blackford was interested and active in promoting the welfare of Kossuth county, and in his work along this line he has shown a power of organization unsurpassed by any citizen of his generation. He was very prominent politically, and gave most of his time and attention to his activities in this line. He was an old-time abolitionist and free-soil advocate, and, upon the formation of the republican party, he naturally cast his lot with that organization and was loyal to its principles and policies all during his life. He represented his district in the Iowa legislature for two terms, from 1859 until 1862 and was prominent in the affairs of four sessions. He was one of the members of the Iowa delegation to the National Republican Convention which nominated Lincoln for president for the first term. Mr. Blackford during his life was prominently identified with the business development of Algona. He was the manager of the Patron's Cooperative Store, and he finally obtained the sole ownership of this enterprise by buying out his partners. He was the first president of the Kossuth County Insurance Company, and in association with C. C. Chubb and other early members of the organization labored with unwavering industry for the success and prosperity of the enterprise. He was an active member of the Old Settlers Association, and was one of the organizers of the County Historical Society.
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