James Blick was born in April 5th, 1755 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. He was the son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Blick. He first married Sarah Baugh on Nov 26th 1785. She was the daughter of James and Sarah Baugh. He then married Catherine Lanier on the 27th of April 1787 in Brunswick County, Virginia. She was born around 1767 in Brunswick to William Lanier and Elizabeth Burch. James died on the 29th of October 1837 in Brunswick County, Virginia. His wife Catherine died before 1834. James fought in the Revolutionary War.
The will of James Blick:
In the name of God Amen, I James Blick of the County of Brunswick and State of Virginia, being in perfect mind, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in named and form? Following: First I give to my son Hiram H Blick all my land and the following Negroes to wit, Solomon, Alexander, Allen, Johnson, Belvidia, Jinny, Morgiana, Thomas, Rhody, Mary, Melinda, Cynthia, ? and Judith and their increase, to him and his heirs forever, On this Condition, that he will maintain and support my unfortunate son Benjamin during his life. Second, I give to my son William B Blick, the following Negroes to wit: Patty, ? and child Charles, Ned, Jacob, and Sam and their increase to him and his heirs forever. Third, I give to my daughter Eliza Tisdale the following Negroes to wit: Aggy, Maclin, Harriett, Eveily, Jones, Rose, Anne, Joe and Poter and their increase to her and her heirs forever. Fourth, I give to my granddaughter, Sarah E Tisdale, daughter of Shirley Tisdale, the following Negroes to wit: Hannah, Willis and Henry and their increase, and one curtain bed stead?, bed and furniture to her and her heirs forever. I constitute and appoint Hiram H Blick Guardian for Sarah E Tisdale to retain the above named slaves and manage them in any way he may think best for her benefit, until she marries or arrives to the age of twenty-one, and then delivers them to her. Fifth, I give to my grandson William J Tisdale a good horse, Saddle and bridle, and one hundred dollars to him and his heirs forever. Sixth, it is my will and desire that my old women Grace and Lucy, shall be supported and maintained out of my estate, and all the balance and increase of my estate, I leave to be equally divided between Hiram H Blick, William B Blick and Eliza Tisdale. Lastly, I herby constitute and appoint Hiram H Blick my executer, and require no security to this my last will and testament given under my hand and seal this 6th day of October 1837.
The pension application James Blick for the Revolutionary War (which was transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris) states,”That he was born in the County of Dinwiddie in Virg’a. but when he was very small his father moved to Brunswick County, where he has resided ever since; that in the month of March 1776 he enlisted as a regular Soldier under the State of Virginia, that after the Declaration of Independence they were transferred to the Continental Line, and served his term of Two years in the 4th Regiment commanded by Col Stephens [sic: Adam Stephen], and, on his promotion, by Col. [Robert] Lawson, and attached to Gen’l. Stephens’s Brigade; the company to which he was attached was commanded by Capt. James Lucas, 1st Lieut John Stith 2d Lieut. Wm. Rogers [William Rogers], & Nath’l. Lucas [Nathaniel Lucas] Ensign, that he entered the service in Brunswick, and marched thro’ Southampton, by Suffolk to Norfolk, and from thence in the course of the summer perhaps in August, our Regiment went up Chesapeake Bay, to the Head of Elk [now Elkton MD], & thence marched by Land to Wilmington in Delaware. took water there & landed at Trenton in New Jersey; thence marched to join the main army under Gen’l. Washington, was in the Battle at Trenton [26 Dec 1776], when the Hessians were captured, and also in a subsequent engagement at the same place when the British Army attacked Gen’l. Washington, in this action he rec’d. a very dangerous wound in the abdomen – that he was also in the Battle at Princeton [3 Jan 1777], when the gallant Gen’l. [Hugh] Mercer was slain. that he faithfully served out his his two years and was discharged honorably at Valley Forge – which document he brought home, and put it in his father’s desk, and supposes it must have been lost or casually destroyed, as he has never seen it since. He also states that after his return home, he volunteered, & marched with Capt. Joseph Greenhill’s troop of volunteer troopers to join Gen’l. [Nathanael] Greene’s army, and took part in the memorable Battle of Guilford Court House [15 Mar 1781], under the immediate command of Col. Wm. Washington [William Washington] – that he served in this expedition eight or ten weeks.”
James and Catherine had at least four children:
1. Benjamin Blick (1788-1855)
2. William B Blick ( ?-?)
3. Ann Elizabeth Catherine Blick (11 Aug 1792-?) who married Shirley Tisdale and had at least two children (Sarah Tisdale and William Tisdale).
4. Elijah Hiram Hershel Blick (1804-1810- Nov 1877) who married Margaret Jackson Arrington on 12 Jun 1832 and had at least 6 children (Mary Elizabeth Blick, James Blick, Joseph Arrington Blick, Benjamin Blick, William A Blick and George Richard Blick).
Census Records:
In 1810, James Blick is living in St. Andrews Parrish in Brunswick County, Virginia with the following people: 2 free white males under age 10, 1 free white male age 16-25, 1 free white male over age 45, 1 free white female age 16-25 and 53 slaves.
In 1820, James Blick is living in St. Andrews Parrish in Brunswick County, Virginia with the following people: 1 free white male age 16-18, 2 free white males age 16-26, 2 free white males age 26-45, 1 free white male age 45+, 1 free white female age 45+,10 male slaves under age 14, 10 male slaves under age 14-26, 10 male slaves under age 26-45, 1 male slave over age 45, 12 female slaves under age 14, 9 female slaves under age 14-26, 5 female slaves under age 26-45, and 3 female slaves over age 45. That is a total of 60 slaves. 18 people are engaged in agriculture in the household.
Family History 