William Blevins

This William Blevins is one of my ancestors and I have pages and pages of information showing he was born ca. 1786 the son of Nathan Blevins and Hannah Osborn Copeland (she was separated from her husband Charles Copeland when she and Nathan became common law husband and wife. Later she married James Blevins in 1793 and James is not the father of this William Blevins.

.After Nathan’s participation in the War for Independence he fathered children with Hannah Osborne/Copeland whose husband Charles Copeland had left her by 1785. Hannah was b. ca 1758-64. She was a daughter of Enoch Osborne and Jane Hash.

For more information on this line see the "THE LONGHUNTERS" second edition which includes census records and much additional information that proves the above position.

Sincerely,

Leslie Willard Blevins Jr.

William Blevins

• Born 1786 in Lee, Virginia, United States
• Died Feb 1872 in Madison, Arkansas, United States
• son of Nathan Blevins & Hannah Osborne
• Husband of Sarah (Troxel) Bell — married before 1804 (to about 1818) in Wayne County Kentucky
• Husband of Ava Jane (Collins) Blevins — married 1817 in Lee County Virginia
• BURIAL Unknown
• MEMORIAL ID 42719314 · View Source

MEMORIAL PHOTOS 3 FLOWERS 18 MY 3rd. GREAT GRANDFATHER ∼
William Blevens also spelled Blevins

Born ca 1800

married Ava Collins

NOTES natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively.

They were married in Lee County, Va., and immigrated to Lawrence County, Ky., at the early settling of that State, or in about 1822.

They resided in this State until about 1866, when they moved to Arkansas, locating in Madison County, and here William died in 1872 at the age of ninety-four years.

Ava died in Missouri in 1875, at the age of eighty-four, and while on a visit to her son in that State

She was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church for many years, and he was a member of the Christian Church for a long time

He was a farmer by occupation, and a life-long Democrat (pro CSA).

They were the parents of nine children

Family Members Parents Photo James Blevins 1751–1843

Photo Hannah Osborne Lyons Blevins 1760–1866

Spouse Photo Ava Collins Blevins 1803–1875

Siblings Photo Hannah O. Blevins Boggs 1804–1875

Children Malina Blevens Osborne

Minerva Blevens

Rosana Blevens Jenkins

Hiram Blevens

Malinda Blevens Pennington

Wiley Blevens

Levi Blevins 1817–1889

Photo Eli Blevins 1820–1900

Photo Wily Blevins 1822–1889

Nancy Ann Blevins Tackett 1822–1912

Perlina Blevins Osburn 1827–1911

Photo William Daniel Blevins 1828–1919

Daniel Blevens 1831 – unknown

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42719314/william-blevens

MY 3rd. GREAT GRANDFATHER∼William Blevens also spelled Blevins Born ca 1800 married Ava Collins

NOTES natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively.

They were married in Lee County, Va., and immigrated to Lawrence County, Ky., at the early settling of that State, or in about 1822.

They resided in this State until about 1866, when they moved to Arkansas, locating in Madison County, and here William died in 1872 at the age of ninety-four years. Ava died in Missouri in 1875, at the age of eighty-four, and while on a visit to her son in that State

She was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church for many years, and he was a member of the Christian Church for a long time. He was a farmer by occupation, and a life-long Democrat (pro CSA). They were the parents of nine children

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Blevins-218

William Blevins was fathering children with Sarah Troxel as his Indian law wife by 1809 and she bore him children between 1809 and 1818. Sarah Troxel was born between 1785 and 1790 but many believe she was born ca 1795 as census records sometimes show William's family with the wife not listed by name. Sarah was living in Carter Co., about 1830 with her sons Ryal (Riley’s nickname), William and James.[1]

Sarah and her second husband Thomas Bell apparently moved to Wayne Co. KY prior to 1832 which is where Sarah was originally from and she likely still had family there.

William fathered his first child with Ava Collins about 1817. Ava is thought to have been born ca 1795 in North Carolina. William reportedly called Sarah ‘Sary’ and Ava “Avy”.

Both Sarah and Ava bore a child of William’s in 1818, during which time William took Ava (Avy) Collins as his wife.

By then Sarah Troxel had bore him five children and perhaps a sixth.

I wish to set the record straight about William Blevins and Sarah Troxel and Ava Collins

Between the tax lists taken in 1802 and 1803 William #8 and his cousin Talton appeared in Wayne Co., Kentucky along with Daniel Jr. and by about 1808 William met Jacob Troxel and Cornblossom’s family and their daughter Sarah Troxel. William and Sarah’s first child, Elisha was born by about 1809 when William #8 was about 23 and Sarah Troxel was about 24. Sarah was a daughter of Jacob Troxel and his wife “Pawalin” whose Indian name translates to “Blossom of the Corn.” William and his father Nathan and Nathan’s brother Daniel Jr., and Daniel Jr.’s, eldest son Levi are next all found on the Lee and Russell Co, Va tax lists in 1810 along with William’s grandfather Daniel #2 who was Daniel Jr. and Nathan’s father. Rachel Skaggs is thought to be a daughter of Henry Skaggs. (see page 116). William #8 and Sarah Troxel parted about 1820 and William #8 became involved with Ava “Avey” Collins about 1815. By then William had fathered several children with Sarah. William #8 was fathering children with Sara Troxel between about 1805 and 1818 and by 1820 he was with Ava Collins in Russell Co.,Va. It appears he was in Lawrence Co., Ky with Ava in 1830, while Levi remained in the area of Tomahawk and Stidham NC. William fathered his second son (Elisha) in 1809 with Sarah Troxel but William was also being involved with Ava Collins at times by around 1816 while also maintaining his relationship with Sarah Troxel, and was perhaps with

248 Sarah again in Morgan Co., KY in 1840 as a William age 50-59 is in the 1840 Morgan Co, KY census who is the right age and has three children that match ages of those of William and Ava, but the wife’s listed age is too old to be Ava, yet three children are there in the home who match the ages of William and Ava’s children. (see page 254)

William, along with Sarah Troxel and her children James b. ca 1809, Rebecca b. 1813, William b. 1815, Riley b. 1817 and Rachel b. about 1818 and his family can be found in Lee Co., VA in 1809 and in Russell Co., VA in 1810 and 1820 and in Lawrence Co., Ky by 1822, and they were still in Lawrence County, KY by 1830. About 1830 they moved to Carter Co., Ky, and William was apparently in Sullivan Co., TN in 1840 Johnson, Co., KY in 1850 and 1860, and in Madison Co., Arkansas by around 1870. Sarah Troxel married Thomas Bell and they had three daughters Eliza, Malinda and Litha Bell in the 1830s. Some say Sarah died about 1854 in Wayne Co., KY but Carolyn Wilson Dyer says she died after 1860 in Carter Co. KY. (See page 252) All information indicates William Blevins #8 had between 1809 and 1818 been fathering children in Kentucky and/or North Carolina with Sarah Troxel without the benefit of marriage and by 1818 in Lee Co., Virginia with Ava Collins who he later married. William died in 1872 in Madison Co., Arkansas. Ava died ca 1874 in Missouri. The descendants of William #8 and Sara ‘Sary’ Troxel didn’t acknowledge their illegitimate ancestry. This family disassociation caused much difficulty among Blevins researchers of this branch of the family tree. The author recalls his father’s cousin and William’s gg-granddaughter Frances Nichols-Eckert reported that in the 1930s through the 1960s she visited on several occasions with Blevins elders and learned many details about the lives of Nathan #2, William #8, and William’s wives Sarah and Ava and their children in their early years.

Author’s Note;: the story that William #8 met Sarah Troxel and had children with her forming the basis of an Indian style marriage is based on family tradition passed down by Blevins family elders to my father’s aunt Frances Nichols-Eckert and other indicators including; (a) William was in Wayne Co., Ky prior to 1810 living in the area of Jacob Troxel’s family and both William #8 and his younger brother Elisha were in company with two of William’s cousins, (Jonathan Jr. and his brother Richard), and (b) lack of any record to indicate that any other husband of Sarah existed until the late 1820s when Sarah married Thomas Bell ca. 1828, and began a family. and (c) William #8’s relative Jonathan Blevins Jr. married into Jacob Troxel’s family when he married Katy Troxel on April 7th, 1803, and (d) William #8’s cousin Talton Blevins, a son of Daniel Jr., married Mary “Polly” Troxel on Nov. 21, 1807, and (e) the 1820 Russell Co., VA census, listed William Blevins and Sarah Troxel as:

William Blevins 26-44 (William #8 was about 34) 1 female 26-44 (Sarah Troxel was abt. 30 and Ava was about 20) 1 male 16-17 (James was b. ca 1804 to 1805 and thus was abt. 16 or 17) 2 males 0-9 (William and Riley b. ca 1815 & 1816 thus were 5 & 4) 3 females 0-9 (Mary, Julia and Rebecca b. ca 1811, 1812 & 1813)

Elisha #4 not being listed in the above household may be because he was staying with relatives.

249 Sarah Troxel is thought to have been born 1785- 1790 in Wayne Co. Va. William #8 met Sarah about 1803 and was fathering children with Sarah as his Indian law wife by 1808 and she bore him children from around 1808 to 1819. William #8 fathered his first child with Ava Collins about 1818. Apparently both Sarah and Ava bore a child of William’s in 1819, around the time William took Ava (Avey) Collins as his second wife. By then Sarah Troxel-Blevins had bore him as many as nine children. Ava is thought to have been born ca 1800 in North Carolina. William reportedly called Sarah ‘Sary’ and Ava ‘Avey.’ William and Sarah went to TN then to Lee Co. Va by about 1804. Sarah was back in Carter Co., by 1830 with her sons Ryal, William and James as reported in the book entitled ‘Carter County’ a pictorial history by George Wolfford on pg. 14. The book is copyright 1985 with Library of Congress Catalog Number 78-052688. Sarah Troxel and her second husband Thomas Bell also lived in Wayne Co. KY for a time.

Sixth Gen. Children of William Blevins #8 and Sarah “Sary” Troxel are;

1. James #14 b. ca 1804-1805 in NC, m. Catherine Tackett 2. Elisha #4 b. ca 1809-1810 in NC, m. Alsey Ellen Tackett 3. Mary “Poly” b. ca 1811 in NC, m. Miles Gregory 4. Julia Ann b. ca 1812 in NC, m. John Devalt-DaVault 5. Rebecca b. ca 1813-1815 in NC or Lee Co., Va m. (1) George Willims and (2) Barry Pack. 6. William #21 b. ca 1815 in Lee Co., Va m. Mary “Polly” Lyon abt. 1844 7. Riley b. ca 1816 - 1817 Lee Co., Va m. (1) Sarah “Sally” Barker 8. Levi #3 b. ca 1817 in Lee Co., Va m. Elizabeth Young April 1840

Sixth Gen. Children of William #8 and Ava “Avey” Collins are;

9. Rachel b. ca 1815 Lee Co., Va m. William M. “Billy” Wilson 10. Wiley b. ca 1818 – 20 in Lee Co Va., m. Nancy Osborne 11. Ephraim b. ca 1819 in Lee Co.,Va., m. Clarissa Steen 12. Susan b: ca 1820 in NC or Va., m. Andrew J. Osborn 13. Martha Eliz b. ca 1821-1829 in Va., m. Jonathan Osborne? 14. Nancy b. ca 1822 in Va., m. James Tackett 1839 15. Malinda b. ca 1824 in Va., m. David Pennington 16. Elijah b. ca 1825 in Va., m. Nancy Brown 11 Jul. 1842 17. Mary b. ca. 1826 in Va., m. William Barker on Oct. 7, 1853 in Carter Co KY 18. Perlina b. ca 1827 in Va., m. Edmund Osborn in 1845 19. Hiram b. ca 1828 or 1829 ? in Va., m. Harry Jenkins 1850 20. Minerva Jane b. ca 1830 Lawrence Co., Ky m. Benjamin Fairchild 21. Daniel #13 b. ca 1828-31 Lawrence Co Ky. m. Nancy Jane Osborn 22. Rosannah b. ca 1832-35 in Law Co., Ky. m. Henry Jenkins

250

Children of Sarah "Sally" Troxel and Thomas Bell were:

• Elizabeth Bell b. ca 1832 in , Wayne, Kentucky. She m. William Bradford Lair.
• Malinda Bell b. ca 1834 in , Wayne, Kentucky; d. Apr 16 1854 in Wayne, KY.
• Litha Bell b. ca 1836 in , Wayne, Kentucky; d. June 29, 1853 in , Wayne, KY.

William #8 met or married (1) Sarah ‘Sary’ Troxel about 1804 to 1808 and (2) Ava ‘Avey’ Collins about 1817. Sarah Troxel was born in Kentucky ca 1790 and Ava was born in Virginia ca 1803. It’s been reported that Sarah died in Ky about 1854 and Ava died in Mo in 1875 while visiting a son. It’s apparent William and Sarah may have first moved to TN but had moved back to Lee Co., VA by 1804 to 1808 where their first son (Elisha) was born and Willim was with Ava in Lawrence Co., KY by 1822 and he was at times still appearing in Lawrence Co. Ky until 1827. William and his family settled near Paintsville Ky by 1850. There is a road there named “Blevins Avenue” about 1 mile north of Paintsville that connects to Hoss Mill Branch Road. It is believed by this author that this is the area William #8 lived in the 1850s until moving to Arkansas in 1866. William #8 at times was also found in areas of Tenn and North Carolina involved in land dealings. The History of Northwest Arkansas reported; William and Ava moved to Arkansas with a son Dan whose army service had kept him in Kentucky throughout the war. William Blevins died in 1872 in Madison county Arkansas.

The following was posted by Carolyn Wilson Dyer pertaining to a Wiliam and Sarah’s first son James b. ca 1812. She wrote; “James Blevins was the child of Sarah Blevins and a William Blevins. I have found very little information on Sarah's husband but have information on Sarah who was born about 1785 in Virginia. Sarah Blevins came to Lawrence Co., Kentucky pre 1830 and probably came to the area with her husband. I have a William Blevins deed that I believe concerns William and Sarah. Sarah died after 1860 in Carter Co., Kentucky. Sarah and William are my gggg grandparents.

Several members of the Blevins family began moving to Arkansas about 1837 and a list of many of those names begins on page 268.

The following is from Owen Blevins’ webpages;

• William Blevins ca 1784 - 1872
• • BIRTH: ABT 1784-1786VA
• • CENSUS: 1820, Russell Co. VA
• • EMIGRATION: 1822, Lawrence Co. KY
• • CENSUS: 1830, Lawrence Co. KY
• • CENSUS: 1840, Morgan Co. KY
• • CENSUS: 1850, 1860 Johnson Co. KY
• • EMIGRATION: 1866, Madison Co. AR
• • CENSUS: 1870, Madison Co. AR
• • DEATH: 1872, Madison Co. AR

25 1 Ava Collins was wife #2 MARRIAGE: ABT 1819, Lee Co. VA

Sixth Gen. Children of William Blevins #8 and Ava Collins are;

• 1. Wiley Blevins
• 2. Malinda Blevins
• 3. Nancy Blevins
• 4. Perlina "Liney" Blevins
• 5. Eli Blevins
• 6. Minerva Jane Blevins
• 7. Daniel Blevins
• 8. Rosanna Blevins
• 9. Hiram Blevins

Ron Blevins offers the following theoretical children of William Blevins #8 with second wife Ava Collins Blevins

• Wiley Blevins (ca 1818/1820 – d. after 1868), m. Nancy Osborne
• Nancy Blevins (ca1822 – d. after 1900), m. James Tackett
• Malinda Blevins (ca 1824 – d. after 1889), m. David Pennington
• Eli Blevins (ca 1825 – d. after 1889), m. Nancy Brown
• Mary Blevins (b. ca 1826 in Lee Co., Virginia. m. William Barker on October 7, 1853 in
• Carter County, Kentucky. No further information on the family of Mary Blevins.
• Perlina Blevins (ca 1827 – d. after 1889), m. Edmund Osborn
• Capt. Daniel Blevins (ca 1828 –1831 d. 1918), m. Nancy Jane Osborn
• Hiram Blevins (ca 1829)
• Minerva Jane Blevins (ca 1830 – d. before 1889), m. Benjamin Fairchild
• Rosannah Blevins (ca 1834 – d. after 1889), m. Rev. Henry Jenkins

Goodspeed's Northwestern Arkansas in 1889 lists nine children of William #8 and Ava Collins Blevins as:

• 1. Wiley Blevins deceased,
• 2. Minerva Blevins deceased,
• 3. Rev. Daniel Blevins,
• 4. Malinda Blevins Pennington,
• 5. Eli Blevins,
• 6. Nancy Blevins Tackett,
• 7. Melinda Blevins Osborn,
• 8. Rosanna Blevins Jenkins,
• 9. Hiram Blevins,

The following was submitted by Blevins researcher Ron Blevins

WILLIAM AND AVA (COLLINS) BLEVINS FAMILY

William Blevins (born in VA ca 1784; died in Madison Co, Arkansas in 1872; married second in the early 1820’s, Ava Collins (ca 1795-ca 1875) who died in MO per Ruth Baird. The name of William’s first wife is unknown to this writer although Charles Barker has speculated that her given name was Sarah. The William Blevins history is so closely associated with that of his probable brother Levi that persons interested in this family should be sure to thoroughly study discussions of Levi.

252 For years I had theorized that William and probable brother Levi with whom he is closely associated for over 50 years, were sons of Daniel and Sarah Blevins who were listed as over age 45 on the 1820 Scott County, VA Census residing close to William who was just across the county line in Russell County. However B.B. Blevins has provided convincing evidence to me that Daniel and Sarah could not be the parents of William, as was theorized by Charles Barker and selected others. Another outstanding researcher Carolyn Wilson Dyer believes it more likely that William and Levi are sons of the James Blevins born 1751-55 who was a Revolutionary War pensioner, was married second to Hannah O. Lyons, and who moved to Lawrence Co., KY by 1822 soon followed by William and his probable brother Levi. William and Levi were very possibly the sons of James Blevins whose wife was a Ward of Bridle Creek, VA. That James and Miss Ward are known to be the parents of Wells Blevins born ca 1760, and are also theorized to be the parents of Rev. War pensioner Nathan Blevins born ca 1761, Joseph Blevins born ca 1760’s, Daniel Blevins born ca 1760’s, and my 3rd great grandfather James Blevins born ca 1770/1774 who was married to Lydia Sizemore, and possibly Elisha Blevins born ca 1760’s. A chronology of the early years of William Blevins’ adult life presented below will show that he was a close neighbor of my James, Elisha and Daniel in Ashe County between 1805 and 1808, the only time that I find William in that county. William does not appear to be listed on the 1810 Ashe Co, NC Census, and is not on the 1810 Russell Co, VA Tax List which included Daniel, Levi, Nathan and Joseph Blevin along with a James Bevins and John Bevin who are most likely sons of Daniel #1.

William is found on the 1820 Russell Co, VA Census not far removed from Levi and Daniel Blevins in adjoining Scott County. At the time of that 1820 Census, William and his wife were both listed as age 26-44 along with four sons. His first wife apparently died shortly thereafter, (Ron’s and perhaps Carolyn’s assumption) and William followed James (b.1751) and Levi to Lawrence Co, KY by 1827 when Dyer indicates that he purchased land on Hurricane Creek. In the 1830 Lawrence Co, KY Census, William is shown as age 40-49 with his new wife listed as age 20-29. His four older sons, shown on the 1820 Census, are still in his household in 1830 plus an extra male and female age 15-19, and another female age 10-14. Based on the children from 1820 being in his household in 1830, I would discount the theory of another researcher that he divorced his first wife, and that the Sally Blevins age 40-49 with eight children in the 1830 census was his ex wife. I am not sure that I’ve identified William in the 1840 census. There is a William age 50-59 in that 1840 Morgan Co, KY census who is the right age and has three children that match ages of those of William and Ava, but the wife’s age is too old to be Ava Collins, and three unmarried children of William are not in that household. (see page 254) In 1850, William and Ava are in the Johnson Co, KY census (Johnson created from Floyd, Morgan and Lawrence Counties in 1843). Listed consecutively with them in that 1850 Johnson County census are the families of their four married children Wiley, Elisha, Daniel and Malinda. Levi and wife Mary and some of their married children are also listed in that 1850 Johnson County census which showed William as age 64 (b. 1786) and Ava as age 54 (b. 1796). In 1860, William and Ava are still in Johnson County when he is shown as age 76 and she as age 57. In 1866, the year after the end of the Civil War much of this family followed son Rev. Daniel Blevins to Washington County, Arkansas where the 1870 census lists William as age 90 (b. 1780) and Ava as age 75 (b. 1795).

253

Note; this author believes much of what Ron provided (indicating that he believes William Blevins #8 is a son of James Blevins) is also indicative that William was a son of Nathan borm ca 1763, who this auther finds was a son of Daniel #2, and Sarah and his close association with Levi is to be expected as Levi was a son of Daniel Jr., who was another son of Daniel #2, and thus Levi was a nephew of William #8.

Ron provided the census records for the William Blevins family listed below:

• 1820 Russell Co, VA 1830 Lawrence Co, KY 1840 Morgan Co, KY? 1850 Johnson Co, KY
• William Blevins 26-44 William Blevins 40-49 William Blevins 50-59 William Blevins 64
• 1 female 26-44 1 female 20-29 1 female 50-59 Avey 55
• 1 male 16-17 2 males 20-29 1 female 20-29
• 1 male 10-15 1 male 15-19 1 male 10-14 Wiley Blevins 30
• 2 males 0-9 1 female 15-19 1 female 10-14 wife & 5 children
• 2 males 10-14 1 male 5-9
• 1 female 10-14 Elisha Blevins 41
• 1 male 5-9 E. Blevins 30-39 wife & 6 children
• 1 female 5-9 and family
• 2 males 0-4 Daniel Blevins 22
• 2 females 0-4 Elisha Blevins 30-39 wife & 1 child
• and family
• David Pennington 29
• Wiley Blevins 30-39? Malinda 26
• and family and 4 children

Ron said; let’s repeat some of the census records, attempting to identify the children implied there:

1820 Russell, VA 1830 Lawrence, KY

• William 26-44 William 40-49 William abt. age 44 (born ca 1784/86)
• 1 female 26-44 1 female 20-29 2nd wife Ava born ca 1795 (age about 35) thus age mistated
• 1 male 16-17 1 male 20-29 1801 to 1810 likely Elisha b. ca 1809 (age 21) a son of William and Sarah
• 1 male 10-15 1 male 20-29 1801 to 1810 likely William #21 b. ca 1815 a son of William and Sarah
• 1 male 0-9 1 male 10-15 1815 to 1820 likely Riley b. ca 1817 (age 13) a son of William and Sarah
• 1 male 0-9 1 male 10-15 1815 to 1820 likely Wiley b. ca 1818 a son of William and Ava
• 1 male 15-19 1815 to 1820 likely Ephraim b. ca 1820 (new in household in 1830)
• 1 female15-19 1815 to 1820 likely Rachel b. ca 1818 a daughter of William and Sarah
• 1 female10-15 1815 to 1820 likely Martha b. ca 1819 a dau. of William and Ava
• 1 male 5-9 1821 to 1825 likely Hiram born 1821 a son of William and Ava
• 1 female 5-9 1821 to 1825 likely Malinda born ca 1823 a dau. of William and Ava
• 1 male 0-5 1825 to 1830 likely Eli born ca 1825 a son of William and Ava
• 1 male 0-5 1825 to 1830 likely Daniel #13 b. ca 1828 a son of William and Ava
• 1 female 0-5 1825 to 1830 likely Minerva b. ca 1827 (married in 1845
• 1 female 0-5 1825 to 1830 likely Rosannah b. ca 1829 (married in 1850)

Author’s note: the above two census records seem to clearly show that in 1820 William #8 was living with his first cohabitation or common law wife Sarah Troxel and the 1830 census clearly shows he is living with his second wife Ava Collins. If William and Sarah Troxel were actually married it must have been that they married in the Indian tradition as there is no known record of this marriage. Indian tradtion holds that if a man and a woman lived together and the man supported the family they were generally considered married.

Sincerely,

Leslie Blevins

References

• The Longhunters: A Report on the History and Family of William Blevins Sr ...By Leslie W. Blevins Jr. page 111. GoogleBooks (1) Sarah Troxel and (2) Ava Collins
• Created from MyHeritage Match via brother Samuel Blevins by SmartCopy: Sep 1 2014, 19:09:02 UTC
• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jan 26 2016, 7:46:00 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 19 2020, 16:18:13 UTC

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Findagrave:

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42719314/william-blevins