Patrick F. Blewitt

Patrick F Blewitt

• Birth: Apr 20 1832 Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland (his death certificate states a birth date of April 5, 1833]
• Death: Nov 26 1911 at his home, 316 Phelps Street, Scranton, Lackawanna, Pennsylvania
• Parents: Edward Blewitt 1805 - ? & Mary Blewitt (born Mulderig) 1803 - ?

Family

Wife: Catharine Blewitt (born Scanlon) 1838 - 1910

Surviving Children

1. Edward Francis Blewitt 1859 - 1926
2. Julia Blewitt 1864 - ?
3. Genevieve Gallagher (born Blewitt) 1868 - ?
4. Frances Blewitt 1874 - ?
5. Honora Blewitt 1861 - ?
6. Anne Blewitt 1866 - ?
7. Theresa Blewitt 1872 - ?
8. Angelina Blewitt 1879 - ?

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https://www.ancestry.com/corporate/blog/bidens-ties-to-the-blewitts...

Patrick, Biden's great-great grandfather, was Edward and Mary's second child, born 20 April 1832 in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland. He was baptized on 24 April 1832 at the Parish of Kilmoremoy, County Mayo and Sligo, Ireland.

Patrick lived an adventurous life. He ran away from home as a young man to avoid an arranged marriage by his father. Patrick then enlisted as a cabin boy on a ship that later caught fire while at sea. After being rescued, Patrick again left Europe for a life at sea. His travels took him all around the world ? China, Hawaii, Chile, and Brazil were some of his stops along the way. In 1857 he married Catherine Scanlon and together they had 13 children.

One of those children was Edward F. Blewitt, Biden's great-grandfather, pictured here

"PATRICK BLEW1TT, of Scranton, is mine inspector for the second anthracite district, extending from Providence to the Luzerne County line. A native of Ireland, he is a member of a family that for several preceding generations has furnished to that country men who werecapable and prominent surveyors. His father, Edward, was a graduate of a college in Dublin, an able mathematician, and the author of many works on surveying, civil engineering and calculation, the MSS. of which our subject has in his possession. For many years he served on the general valuation and ordinance survey in Ireland. Upon coming to America, in 1850. he became one of the early Irish settlers of Lackawanna County, and assisted Joel Amsden in laying out and surveying Scranton, after which he engaged in civil engineering and railroad surveying. He died in this city in 1871, at the age of seventy-six.

At the time that his father made settlement in this county, our subject accompanied him hither. Previous to this, in his native land he had gained a comprehensive knowledge of civil engineering and surveying, and afterward, in 1848, crossed the Atlantic and traveled extensively in the Gulf states, later, as stated, settling in this county. A few years were spent in Scranton, where he was employed in surveying lots, and from here he went to New Orleans, soon, however, returning to this city. For three years he was surveyor of old Luzerne County, also served as city engineer of Scranton, and in addition has had a large private business as a civil and mining engineer. Tn 1871 he was appointed mine inspector of the district extending from above Carbondale to Wilkesbarre, then called the eastern anthracite district, now known as the second anthracite. From that year to the present time he has been reappointed every succeeding five years, except one term, and has done efficient work in the inspection of the forty-six or more mines in his district.

By his marriage to Catherine Scanlon, Mr. Blewitt has nine children living, seven daughters and two sons. Mrs. Blewitt is the daughter of Anthony and Honora (Heffron) Scanlon, the latter belonging to a wealthy family of the west of Ireland, the former for many years a member of the coast guard in the British service, stationed at Killala Bay, County Mayo, Ireland. In 1848 be brought his family to Carbondale, where his remaining years were spent in the enjoyment of the comforts which his ample means rendered possible."

Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Author: Chapman Publishing Company. Publisher: New York and Chicago: Chapman Publishing Company, 1897, pp. 677-678.

References

• https://www.newspapers.com/clip/60861895/patrick-blewitt/
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188748979/patrick-f.-blewitt