A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 974-975
Robert W. Blake is a leading and prominent farmer citizen of Union Township, Hendricks County, Ind. His grandfather, Joseph Blake, a native of England, settled in the state of North Carolina, and made himself a substantial planter. John Blake, father of our subject, was born May 5, 1790, in North Carolina, and his life ever after was on a farm. He married Nancy Goslen, and two children were the fruit of this union, Nancy and Lucinda. After her death he married her sister, Elizabeth Goslen, born August 20, 1803. To this union the following children were born: Robert W., William H., Elizabeth, John A., and Richard B. The father and both wives were consistent members of the M.E. Church, and for many years he was honored by the office of steward, or of class leader, and minor offices. In 1829 our subject's father and mother emigrated to the new county of Putnam, Ind., entered land and commenced to make a home, clearing and improving eighty acres of land. The cabins were few and far between, most of the road was only blazed out, and game was plentiful. The father and mother both lived to a ripe old age. He died April 26, 1857, and she died January 5, 1883.
Robert W. Blake, subject of this sketch, was born in Stokes County, N.C., December 8, 1825. From his youth up his life has been that of a farmer, and he acquired the rudiments of an English education by attending the old log school-house. He married Sarah F. Spears, May 21, 1854, daughter of John and Martha (Mitchell) Spears. Two children, Benjamin K. (deceased) and Narcissa M., blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Blake. The wife was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and she died June 1, 1867. Her demise was a sad loss to the home, church, and her many friends. Our subject's second wife, Lettie Harbert, was born June 2, 1838, daughter of R.J. and Mary A. (Zumwalt) Harbert. The children of this union were Wilmetta (deceased) and George R. Mr. Harbert was a native of Maryland, and the major portion of his life was spent in Linn County, Ia., where he was honored by the Democratic partiy and elected mayor of Marion city. When the Civil War commenced he allied himself with the Republican Party, and was elected sheriff of Linn County. He enlisted in the Gray Beard regiment, Company A, Thirty-seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, not a man being less than fifty years of age. He was discharged, after three years of honorable service for his country's flag, serving in Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. The mother died at the old home, October 2, 1888. The father died in Walla Walla, Wash., April 10, 1889. Our subject settled on his present farm in October, 1854. It comprises 160 acres, and has a modest farm residence and barn. He and the family have made the major portion of the farm, and the improvements thereon, by good management and hard work. He is an active, leading member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has held the office of class-leader and steward many years. He is among the leading men, financially and socially, in the church, and his wife is also a devout member of the same. He is a life-long Republican in politics, and stands for progress; is public spirited, and is the owner of a fine library.