John Lewis Blackburn1,2,3,4,5

#28, b. 2 October 1913, d. 23 February 1997
Father*John Ealy Blackburn1,3,4,5 b. c 1877
Mother*Lela Garnett1,3,4 b. c 1885
John Lewis Blackburn|b. 2 Oct 1913\nd. 23 Feb 1997|p20.htm|John Ealy Blackburn|b. c 1877|p91.htm|Lela Garnett|b. c 1885|p92.htm|||||||(?) Garnett|d. b 16 Apr 1930|p2391.htm|Lula V. (?)|b. c 1859|p2390.htm|
Name Variation John Lewis Blackburn was primarily known as Lewis Blackburn.1,6 
Birth*He was born on 2 October 1913 at Kansas City, Missouri.2,1,3,4 
(with Parents) Census1920FedUSHe appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Kansas City, Missouri in the household of his parents, John Ealy Blackburn and Lela Garnett.3 
BaptismHe was baptized circa 1925 at the Wornall Road Baptist Church, Kansas City, Missouri.1 
(with Parents) Census1930FedUSHe appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Kansas City, Missouri in the household of his parents, John Ealy Blackburn and Lela Garnett.4 
EngagementHe and Margaret Elizabeth Bailey were engaged.5 
Marriage*He married Margaret Elizabeth Bailey, daughter of Howard Tucker Bailey and Margaret Chitty, on 12 September 1943 at the Baptist Church, Belleville, Essex County, New Jersey; The maid of honor was Muriel Elmblad, best man Rollan Breed, ushers George Dalmeyer and Arthur Edwards. The honeymoon was in Nantucket, MA. Missing at the wedding was Peg's sister Violet, who was visiting Marty Todd in Texas just prior to his being shipped overseas.1,7,8 
Residence*He and Margaret Elizabeth Bailey lived in 1944 at East Orange, Essex County, New Jersey.8 
ResidenceHe and Margaret Elizabeth Bailey lived between 1949 and 1979 (dates approximate) at 211 Spencer Road, Basking Ridge, Bernards Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. Their children Susan Tucker, Joan Garnett and Margot Ann lived with them, throughout their childhoods, moving on or college and/or marriage as they got older.7,6,1 
Moved*1979, John Lewis Blackburn and Margaret Elizabeth Bailey moved to Bothell, Washington.6,7 
ResidenceHe and Margaret Elizabeth Bailey lived on 27 February 1996 at 21816 8th Place W., Bothell, Washington.9 
Death*He died of cancer on 23 February 1997 at Bothell, Washington, at age 83.1,2,7 
Notes*Lewis was a lifelong Baptist. He attended Paseo High School, Kansas City, MO; Kansas City Junior College; and the University of Illinois, where he received a BS in Engineering in 1935 and was a member of Tau Beta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi. He was a member of Sigma Xi from the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. In April, 1936, he joined Westinghouse at Pittsburgh (he registered with Social Security in Pennsylvania) and then transferred to Newark, where he and Peggy met. He became a section manager of the relay instrument division of Westinghouse, and served as adjunct professor at Brooklyn Polytech and Newark College of Engineering. His main hobby was stamp collecting, and he was President of the China Stamp Society and Chairman of the Polar Philatelists.

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The following is adapted from a memorial service booklet published on occasion of Lewis' Memorial Service, 3/1/97, Floral Hills Chapel, 409 Filbert Rd., Lynnwood, WA 98036:

John Lewis Blackburn was born October 2, 1913 in Kansas City. Missouri, and was raised there by his parents, Lela Garnett and John Ealy Blackburn. He was the older bother of Lula May Blackburn Espenlaub. Lewis was baptized at the age of 12 at the Wornall Road Baptist Church where his parents were charter members.

During high school years and for a brief time after college graduation, he worked in a bookstore in downtown Kansas City that was owned by a close family friend. He would say later, with a grin, the experience "gave him an education in people." Though early on he had considered writing as a career, he decided on a degree in electrical engineering and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1935 with the honors of Eta Kappu Nu, Tau Beta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi.

He was a Registered Professional Engineer and recognized as a leader and respected authority on relay applications the world over. Honors bestowed on him were Sigma Xi Honor Society member; Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, winning the Institute's distinguished Service Award in 1978 and 1979, and the Centennial Medal in 1984; CIGRE US National Committee 1986 Attwood Associate Award. Westinghouse Electric Company awarded him their Order of Merit in 1971, and in 1980 the naming of the auditorium in the Coral Springs Florida facility, the "J. Lewis Blackburn Room." On February 14, 1997, Lewis was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering.

He worked for Westinghouse Electric Corp. for 42 years before retiring in 1978. He started those years as a design engineer, then went on to supervising, managing, consulting, lecturing and writing. He wrote the textbook standard for relay applications that is used today. He was responsible for writing 65 technical papers, 5 books and received 7 U.S. patents. He consulted and taught classes throughout the U.S. and around the world. He was a long-time President, Director and Treasurer of several societies. At the Millington Baptist Church in NJ, he was Treasurer for 13 years. In recent years he attended the First Baptist Church of Bothell [WA]. Lewis was a well-travelled man, an avid tourist, having travelled in 48 countries and all 50 states.

He married Peggy, Margaret Elizabeth Bailey, in 1943 and was happily married to her for over 53 years. He often spoke of her as his bride. They lived in Basking Ridge, NJ for 30 years before moving west to Bothell, WA in 1979.1,2,5 

Family

Margaret Elizabeth Bailey b. 7 Jul 1918, d. 8 Feb 2000
Children
  • Susan Tucker Blackburn1,7,6
  • Joan Garnett Blackburn1,7,6
  • Margot Ann Blackburn7,6

Citations:

  1. [S93] Bailey Family History, Handwritten and typed notes and charts, Collection of Margaret M. Bailey.
  2. [S87] Social Security Death Index (United States), Entry for John L. Blackburn.
  3. [S480] Census of 1920 for the United States, population schedule, Household of John E. Blackburn, 1157 East 75th Terrace, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, dwelling 261, familly 270, ward 13, ED 222, page 11B, roll T625-929, enumerated 20 January 1920.
  4. [S459] Census of 1930 for the United States, population schedule, Household of John E. Blackburn, 1157 E. 75th Street Terrace, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, dwelling 74, family 76, ED 231, page 40A, roll 1203, enumerated 16 April 1930.
  5. [S590] Engagement Announcement of Margaret Elizabeth Bailey to John Lewis Blackburn.
  6. [S349] Personal knowledge of Margaret May Bailey.
  7. [S589] In Loving Memory MBB.
  8. [S647] Belleville Nutley Directory 1944, p. 592.
  9. [S361] Letter, Mortimer H. Chute Jr. to Edith Woodley Bailey, 27 February 1996.
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