Chester Blashfield Sprague

1838 - 1909  (70 years)

• Name	Chester Blashfield Sprague  [1, 2]
  Born	16 Nov 1838	Appleton, Knox Co., ME, USA   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1850	Appleton, Waldo Co., ME, USA   [3]
  Nathaniel Sprague, 60, Farmer, born ME Nancy Sprague, 52, born ME Alden Sprague, 24, Milkman, born ME Benj. F. Sprague, 22, Milkman, born ME Chester Sprague, 12, born ME William Sprague, 10, born ME Emeline M Sprague, 8, born ME Fergus McLain, 87, Famer, born ME Helena Sprague, 20, born ME
  Died	14 Feb 1909	Pawnee, Pawnee Co., OK, USA   [2, 4]
  Buried	16 Feb 1909	Blair Cemetery, Blair, Washington Co., NE, USA   [2]
  		I42062 Sprague, Chester Blashfield (1838-1909), his wife, Meservey, Sibyl (1840-1910) and their children, Sprague, Edith M. (1866-1884) and Sprague, Charles M. (1876-1897), gravestone in Blair Cemetery, Blair, Washington Co., Nebraska
  Notes	"Supplement to Sprague Families in America", by Dr. Warren Vincent Sprague, 1941, page 196.      Chester Sprague settled in Nebraska and was a newspaper man. From Greg Krzyzak, correspondent, note of October 1st, 2005 Chester Blashfield Sprague Birth:   Nov. 16, 1838 Appleton Knox County Maine, USA Death:   Feb. 14, 1909 His obituary was published in the Blair Pilot on 17 FEB 1909:C. B. SPRAGUE DEAD - Former Blair Editor Died Last Sunday Morning and Body Was Brought Here Yesterday      Chester Blashfield Sprague is dead. Almost everyone in Washington county knew him, for he lived in the county almost forty years, thirteen years as a farmer out near Fontanelle and the balance of the time as the editor of The Balir Republican. Four years ago he sold the Republican to Thos. T. Osterman and retired from active business, living most of that time with his daughter Dora, now Mrs. Victor O. Johnson at Pawnee, Okla. After an illness of about five month's duration from anemia of the brain death came to set his spirit free from old and worn "tenement of clay" it had inhabited for over 71 years. At 8:30 Sunday morning the final separation took place and the joyous soul winged its way to a "land that is fairer than this". A brief funeral service was held at Pawnee before the body was brought here for interment. A second service was held at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Cheely, at 3:45 yesterday afternoon, Rev. A. E. Marsh, of the Episcopal church, officiating. Interment was made by the side of his son, Charles, who died nine years ago, just as he had come to manhood's majority. Besides the son and two daughters above mentioned, there was another daughter, Edith, who married Herman Shields and died a little over a year after their wedding day. He leaves also his faithful wife, who suffered a paralytic stroke some time ago and was unable to come up from Pawnee to see her husband laid to rest in the narrow room we shall occupy some day. Deceased was born in Appleton, Me., Nov. 16, 1837, and when a young man was attracted by the broad, free life of a sailor. He was married to Miss Sibyl Merservey in 1864 and in 1867 they came to this county, settling on a farm out near Fontanelle, where all but the oldest child was born. In 1880 he bought the Blair Times and soon thereafter changed the name to the Republican, which he edited up to about four years ago. His health was failing then and he became so despondent he was unable to continue his editorial work. As a newspaper man he was always clean and conscientious and stood for what he believed to be the better things in the social and political life of the community. He was a reformer by nature, not of the brilliant or eratic type, but of the quiet, earnest type who is willing to work and to wait. Mr. Sprague had seven brothers and two sisters, only one brother, W. H. of Charleston, Mass. And one sister, Mrs. Eveline Summers, of Appleton, Me., survives him. One brother, Alden S., died only about two weeks ago at the age of 83. For almost sixty years he was editor of the Rockland (Me.) Free Press, one of the most influential papers in the state. He was a personal friend of the late James G. Blaine. On account of his absence from Blair for so long he will not be missed so much, but we have all lost a good and faithful friend, a loyal and loving citizen, and our hearts feel the touch of sorrow the passing of a noble soul must ever bring. Burial: Blair Cemetery Blair Washington County Nebraska, USA Record added: Nov 19 2004 By: Ruth Moss    [2]
  Person ID	I42062	Sprague Project
  Last Modified	21 Apr 2021

  
  

  Father	Nathaniel Sprague,   b. 13 Jan 1790, Calais, Washington Co., ME, USA ,   d. 17 Feb 1865, Appleton, Knox Co., ME, USA  (Age 75 years)
  Mother	Nancy McLain,   b. 30 Mar 1800, Barrettstown, Hope, Knox Co., ME, USA ,   d. 2 Jul 1878, Appleton, Knox Co., ME, USA  (Age 78 years)
  Married	31 Jan 1818	Barrettstown, Hope, Knox Co., ME, USA   [1]
  	From Greg Krzyzak, correspondent, note of November 29, 2002      The annotated marriage date is actually a "marriage intention" date. [1]
  Family ID	F16045	Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family / Spouse	Sibyl Meservey,   b. Feb 1840, ME, USA ,   d. 1910, Pawnee, Pawnee Co., OK, USA  (Age ~ 69 years)
  Married	1864  [2]
  Children	1. Edith M. Sprague,   b. 1866, ME, USA ,   d. 1884, NE, USA  (Age 18 years)   2. Dora B. Sprague,   b. Abt 1867, NE, USA ,   d. Yes, date unknown   3. Nellie R. Sprague,   b. Nov 1875, NE, USA ,   d. Yes, date unknown   4. Charles N. Sprague,   b. 1876, NE, USA ,   d. 16 Nov 1897, Blair, Washington Co., NE, USA  (Age 21 years)
  Last Modified	2 Feb 2013
  Family ID	F84625	Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 16 Nov 1838 - Appleton, Knox Co., ME, USA Census - 1850 - Appleton, Waldo Co., ME, USA Died - 14 Feb 1909 - Pawnee, Pawnee Co., OK, USA Buried - 16 Feb 1909 - Blair Cemetery, Blair, Washington Co., NE, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Headstones

  Sprague, Chester Blashfield (1838-1909), his wife, Meservey, Sibyl (1840-1910) and their children, Sprague, Edith M. (1866-1884) and Sprague, Charles N. (1876-1897), gravestone in Blair Cemetery, Blair, Washington Co., Nebraska

  
  

• Sources

  [S613] Correspondent: Krzyzak, Greg E., note of November 29th, 2002. [S613] Correspondent: Krzyzak, Greg E., note of October 1st, 2005. [S20] Correspondent: Sprague, Ralph D., note of July 11, 2009 from World War II Draft Registrations (Old Man's registrations). [S613] Correspondent: Krzyzak, Greg E., note of October 3rd, 2005.