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Note: the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. Volume I:
"Oliver, son of Matthew Blakeslee, was born in North Haven, August 15, 1741. He was known in his day as "Master Blakeslee." His boyhood was spent in hard work, as a large family and a lean larder in his father's house made the crosses there greater than the comforts. Tradition has it that the maternal hand, often perplexed by the wants of the hungry children around her, was wont to prepare in a huge wooden bowl a porridge of meal and the water in which any vegetables or meat had been cooked, and placing it on the floor give each of the children a wooden spoon and unlimited liberty to help themselves. Oliver was apprenticed in early youth to Squire Ward, of Pond Hill, where he learned the trade of reed maker for the hand looms of those days. He became skillful and it is supposed most of the reeds now preserved in the community as curiosities of a bygone day were made by him. He became an expert weaver and taught his daughters the same trade. He derived the title of "Master" from a long career as a district school teacher, having, tradition says, taught twenty-seven winters and three summers. He was a superior mathematician and taught navigation to all 124a 125 who desired. Further, he was an accomplished land surveyor and received the appointment of county engineer from the general assembly of Connecticut. His calculations in this branch were never questioned, and in the division of estates, the laying out of the highways and the establishing of boundary lines his work was esteemed faultless. His advice was adopted in the survey for Tomlinson's bridge at New Haven. Excepting Dr. Trumbull and Solomon Blakeslee no better new name was found. Indeed in some of his exercises he clearly excels both. There is extant a bit of paper the size of a dime on which he wrote in 1786 the Lord's prayer in beautifully legible letters. He was one of the subscribers to the Second Ecclesiastical Society at its formation, and was its first clerk, also collector and treasurer. He was made a vestryman in 1768 and again in 1772-78, inclusive, and a third term, 1786-87-88. In addition to these duties he acted as one of the "Quirestors," 1777-80. He was the owner of the first silver watch in the community. At his death there passed away an active old school gentleman, once prominent in the councils of church and town. There was no one to raise a stone to his memory and the very place of his burial is forgotten. He married (first) Elizabeth Humaston, May 3, 1762. His home stood near that now owned by Harry Bradley, and here was born a large family. He married (second) Mrs. Susanna Tuttle."
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MARRIAGE #2:
Connecticut, Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920
Name: Mrs Susanna Tuttle
Marriage Date: 20 Mar 1799
Marriage Place: North Haven, Connecticut, USA
Spouse Name: Oliver Blakslee
Volume Title: Volume 082 North Haven
Note: Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connecticut: A Record of
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