Bert E. Blackwell, son of Benjamin and Anna Dowell Blackwell was born
     in Matfield Green, Kansas. He was the eldest of 12 children. Later his parents
     moved to Kinman County where he grew to manhood.
          Edna Fincher, daughter of Alex and Lula Whitehead Fincher was born in
     Platte County, Missouri. She came to Kansas in a covered wagon with her parents 
     and sister when she was about 6 years old. They lived in Benedict, Kansas
     where she attended school. Her parents then moved to Kingman County.
          Bert Blackwell and Edna Fincher were married in Kingman, Kansas August
     1906. They lived in the Cunningham community for six years. Two children
     Lila and harold were born there. In August 1912 they moved to a farm 5 1/2
     miles southeast of Isabel which they purchased from the Roesslers. Roesslers
     had bought the land from the government. So Roessler's and Blackwell's are
     the only people who have owned the land. Anna Pauline and Darrel Dean were
     born at Isabel.
          Bert was a stockman and wheat farmer. In the early days he planted a
     lot of corn. One year he had an exceptionally good corn crop. When the 
     threshers came the cob pile grew until it looked like a huge mountain to the
     kids. They knew it would be their job to carry that mountain of cobs by
     baskedfuls into the house to start fires. Needless to say the cob pile
     lasted well into the next summer.
          He also planted a huge watermelon patch heach year, which was visited
     often by the young people of the community, usually at night.
          They were members of the Isabel Methodist Church. Bert was a member of
     The Odd Fellow Lodge. He also served many years on the Valley township board
     and the Isabel school board.
          Edna was a member of the Methodist Ladies Aide, Rebekah Lodge, Order of 
     the Eastern Star and a charter member of the Snowflake Club.
          Lila married Clayton Meairs. Harold married Georgia Browning. Anna
     Pauline married Ora Dunham. Dean died in 1943 at the age 19.
          Bert had a tragic combine accident which cost him his life in 1945.
     Edna died in 1982 at age 93.
               
               
     Source: Isabel, Kansas - The First 100 Years, 1887 - 1987,  pg. 45   
     
     Submitted by: Lila Meairs and Anna Pauline Dunham.