This old settler and prominent citizen is the son of Edward and Ellen (Maynar) Blades, and was born in McMinn county, Tennessee, January 29, 1821. He was the second child and oldest son. His parents were natives of North Carolina, but moved to Tennessee shortly after their marriage. In 1836, when Ransom was fifteen years of age, they came to Greene county, Missouri, and settled on section 10, township 28, range 24. Then that part of the county was settled by only two or three families, and to the southwest of them there were no neighbors nearer than forty miles. They went through all the hardships incidental to early pioneer life, and the wild, open country that they found upon arriving they redeemed from the wolves and foxes, and the glad earth yielded bountiful crops to bless the hardihood and pluck of these pioneers. The schools, both in the eastern part of Tennessee and here at that early day were poor and scarce, and Mr. Blades received but six weeks’ schooling. But in the great school of experience he learned his lessons well, and in due time arose to be one of Greene’s foremost citizens. In April, 1841, Mr. Blades was married to Frances, daughter of Samuel Garoutte, Esq. She belonged to that noted family of that name which appears frequently in these pages, and whose family history appears fully in other chapters. Their marriage was blesssed with eleven children. Mrs. Blades died March 17, 1863, and on June 14, 1863, Mr. Blades was married the second time to Mrs. Gillie S. Davis, nee Williamson. Before the war Mr. Blades had been a Democrat, but favored the Union and the winter of 1861-2 he spent in Kansas, because he was outspoken in his devotion to the Union cause, and the Confederates then had possession of the country. He has been a member of the Methodist church for twenty-seven years, and now in an old age full of honor, he enjoys the respect and confidence of all good men, He owns a magnificent farm, well stocked and equipped in all the modern improvements.
