Isaiah Blood
Encyclopedia
Isaiah Blood was born in the Town of Ballston, Saratoga County, New York State on February 13, 1810. He was descended from Richard Blood, one of four immigrants who came to America from England in the 17th century (the others being Robert, James, and John). His great uncle John Blood came to the town of Ballston in 1792 with his nephew Sylvester (Isaiah's father). Sylvester became a farmer and scythe maker with a business located two miles south of the village (present day Brookline Road). The senior Blood decided to enlarge his business by purchasing land next to the Kayaderosseras
Creek in an area known as "The Hollow.”
In 1831, Isaiah married Miss Jane E. Gates of Ballston Spa and was given the choice of taking over the scythe shop or a retail store of which Sylvester was part owner. Isaiah chose the scythe shop and moved to The Hollow with his wife. Six years later he took over the business and began increasing production.
In 1851, Blood joined up with two other businessmen and built an axe factory a short distance downstream, and within a year became the sole owner. A fire burned down the enterprise, but Blood persevered and built a new factory even larger than the one that was lost. The Scythe Works also burned down in the 1850s and were rebuilt on a larger scale.
His organizational skills and ambition were applied in greatly expanding the production of both scythes and axes through the careful development of quality control processes. His tools became well-known throughout the Western Hemisphere, and lumbermen were proud to have the name “I. Blood” stamped on their axes. In the American Civil War
, Blood manufactured an order of battle-axes for a Massachusetts artillery company in the Union Army measuring two feet long (resembling a short, slightly curved sword).
His political inclinations were Democratic. He was elected to the Assembly in 1852 and to the Senate in 1860 and 1869. At the time of his death, he was Supervisor of the Town of Milton, a position he had held twice before, in 1847 and 1859. Governor Morgan appointed him a member of the war committee of Saratoga County to enlist recruits for the army during the Civil War.
Isaiah Blood died of typhoid fever in 1870 at the age of 60. His son-in-law Henry Knickerbacker assumed ownership of the works and operated it for 20 more years. In 1892 the business was sold to the American Axe & Tool Company. In 1901 both the axe and scythe works were destroyed in separate fires and not rebuilt. The hamlet of Bloodville still bears his name today.
2. Isaiah Blood: Scythe and Axe Maker of Ballston Spa, New York, (Starr, Timothy) 2010.
3. Invented in Ballston Spa, 2008.
4. The Story of the Bloods, (Harris, Richard Deane).
Kayaderosseras
The Kayaderosseras Creek is the largest river that lies completely within Saratoga County, New York State. It originates in the northern part of the county, and passes through the Town of Greenfield and the Town of Milton before emptying into Saratoga Lake....
Creek in an area known as "The Hollow.”
In 1831, Isaiah married Miss Jane E. Gates of Ballston Spa and was given the choice of taking over the scythe shop or a retail store of which Sylvester was part owner. Isaiah chose the scythe shop and moved to The Hollow with his wife. Six years later he took over the business and began increasing production.
In 1851, Blood joined up with two other businessmen and built an axe factory a short distance downstream, and within a year became the sole owner. A fire burned down the enterprise, but Blood persevered and built a new factory even larger than the one that was lost. The Scythe Works also burned down in the 1850s and were rebuilt on a larger scale.
His organizational skills and ambition were applied in greatly expanding the production of both scythes and axes through the careful development of quality control processes. His tools became well-known throughout the Western Hemisphere, and lumbermen were proud to have the name “I. Blood” stamped on their axes. In the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Blood manufactured an order of battle-axes for a Massachusetts artillery company in the Union Army measuring two feet long (resembling a short, slightly curved sword).
His political inclinations were Democratic. He was elected to the Assembly in 1852 and to the Senate in 1860 and 1869. At the time of his death, he was Supervisor of the Town of Milton, a position he had held twice before, in 1847 and 1859. Governor Morgan appointed him a member of the war committee of Saratoga County to enlist recruits for the army during the Civil War.
Isaiah Blood died of typhoid fever in 1870 at the age of 60. His son-in-law Henry Knickerbacker assumed ownership of the works and operated it for 20 more years. In 1892 the business was sold to the American Axe & Tool Company. In 1901 both the axe and scythe works were destroyed in separate fires and not rebuilt. The hamlet of Bloodville still bears his name today.
Sources
1. Lost Industries of the Kaydeross Valley: A History of Manufacturing in Ballston Spa, New York, 2007.2. Isaiah Blood: Scythe and Axe Maker of Ballston Spa, New York, (Starr, Timothy) 2010.
3. Invented in Ballston Spa, 2008.
4. The Story of the Bloods, (Harris, Richard Deane).