Ainsworth Blunt
Encyclopedia
Ainsworth Blunt was an American missionary to the Cherokee
at the Brainerd Mission
and the first mayor of Dalton, Georgia
.
Ainsworth Emery Blunt was born on February 22, 1800 in Amherst, New Hampshire
(Hillsborough County
) to John Isaac (1756-1836) and Sarah (Eames) Blunt (1765-1858). He was baptized in the Amherst Congregationalist Church on March 9, 1800. He married Harriet Ellsworth (25 September 1790-10 June 1847) on 17 November 1822. They had five children: Martha (21 December 1825-23 June 1898), John (25 December 1828-), Sarah, Harriet (12 October 1823-3 December 1825), and Ainsworth, Jr. (6 February 1832-)
On 31 March 1822, Blunt disembarked from Boston, Massachusetts to Savannah, Georgia enroute to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
station at Brainerd
in the Cherokee
Nation where he served as a farmer and mechanic. After arrival he met his future wife Harriet who had come to the mission station with her brother John Clark Ellsworth on 24 November 1821. Because of the ill health of his wife, he and his family left Brainerd on 26 August 1837 and moved to the Candy Creek mission which was located in present day Bradley County, Tennessee.
After the closure of the mission, he accompanied the Cherokee
on the Trail of Tears
in 1838, but returned to Chattanooga, Tennessee after becoming ill.
He acquired the Brainerd Mission property after the removal of the Cherokee in order to protect the mission cemetery.
In 1843, he and his family relocated to Cross Plains, Georgia and he was elected the first mayor of Dalton, Georgia
when the town was incorporated in 1847.
Blunt's second marriage was to Elizabeth Christian Ramsey (1816-1899) in 1849. They had one child, Eliza "Lillie" Ramsey Blunt (4 September 1851-1937).
Blunt refugeed to Illinois in 1864. During his leave, his home was used as a Union hospital. The Blunt house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1981 and it is currently owned by the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society.
Blunt died on December 10, 1865.
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
at the Brainerd Mission
Brainerd Mission
The Brainerd Mission was a Christian mission to the Cherokee in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was established by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1817 and named after David Brainerd. It ended with the Cherokee removal in 1838....
and the first mayor of Dalton, Georgia
Dalton, Georgia
Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is the county seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of both Murray and Whitfield counties. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,128...
.
Ainsworth Emery Blunt was born on February 22, 1800 in Amherst, New Hampshire
Amherst, New Hampshire
Amherst is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,201 at the 2010 census. Amherst is home to Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, Hodgman State Forest, the Joe English Reservation and Baboosic Lake....
(Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 380,841 people, 144,455 households, and 98,807 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 149,961 housing units at an average density of 171 per square mile...
) to John Isaac (1756-1836) and Sarah (Eames) Blunt (1765-1858). He was baptized in the Amherst Congregationalist Church on March 9, 1800. He married Harriet Ellsworth (25 September 1790-10 June 1847) on 17 November 1822. They had five children: Martha (21 December 1825-23 June 1898), John (25 December 1828-), Sarah, Harriet (12 October 1823-3 December 1825), and Ainsworth, Jr. (6 February 1832-)
On 31 March 1822, Blunt disembarked from Boston, Massachusetts to Savannah, Georgia enroute to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
station at Brainerd
Brainerd Mission
The Brainerd Mission was a Christian mission to the Cherokee in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It was established by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1817 and named after David Brainerd. It ended with the Cherokee removal in 1838....
in the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
Nation where he served as a farmer and mechanic. After arrival he met his future wife Harriet who had come to the mission station with her brother John Clark Ellsworth on 24 November 1821. Because of the ill health of his wife, he and his family left Brainerd on 26 August 1837 and moved to the Candy Creek mission which was located in present day Bradley County, Tennessee.
After the closure of the mission, he accompanied the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
on the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
in 1838, but returned to Chattanooga, Tennessee after becoming ill.
He acquired the Brainerd Mission property after the removal of the Cherokee in order to protect the mission cemetery.
In 1843, he and his family relocated to Cross Plains, Georgia and he was elected the first mayor of Dalton, Georgia
Dalton, Georgia
Dalton is a city in Whitfield County, Georgia, United States. It is the county seat of Whitfield County and the principal city of the Dalton, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of both Murray and Whitfield counties. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,128...
when the town was incorporated in 1847.
Blunt's second marriage was to Elizabeth Christian Ramsey (1816-1899) in 1849. They had one child, Eliza "Lillie" Ramsey Blunt (4 September 1851-1937).
Blunt refugeed to Illinois in 1864. During his leave, his home was used as a Union hospital. The Blunt house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1981 and it is currently owned by the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society.
Blunt died on December 10, 1865.