Papers of Lou Blachly
Image of a Southeast Asian building with a young boy approaching it
Collection area: Political Affairs
Collection dates: 1827-1965
Includes correspondence, reports, manuscripts, diaries, photographs, poetry, souvenir ephemera, and newspapers. General family history includes typescripts of biographical notes, correspondence, and remembrances by various members of both the Bradley and Blachly families. Photocopied materials of Dan Beach Bradley's mission work in Siam include a typescript of his journal describing medical practices. Correspondence is both between missions and with the King of Siam. Photographs depict the family, their house, village scenes, temples, and the royalty.
Lou Blachly's government service files relate to provisioning of food, farm machinery, and other supplies to North Africa; and economic issues of German reconstruction, including brief descriptions and photographs of conditions. Ephemera encompasses various foreign currencies, U.S. War Dept. pamphlets, and Nazi materials. Typescripts of Blachly's published and unpublished writings include his diaries from 1920 to 1965; poems; musical compositions; the story about his mother, Mary Adelle Blachly, and her pioneer life in Colorado; versions of his book
Some items in French, German, and Siamese.
Louis Blachly, son of Andrew True Blachly and Adelle Bradley Blachly, was born on November 5, 1889 in Delta Colorado. Blachly was active in high school but was unable to earn his diploma due to illness. He was, however, accepted to Oberlin College in 1911. He was forced to leave Oberlin that same year because of family responsibilities but in 1912 he was able to continue his education at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. This was again disrupted by family obligations however Blachly finally earned an A.B. in economics in 1919.
In 1922 Blachly married Natalie Norton and they had two children. Blachly worked for several departments of the Federal Government including the War Department, the Executive Office of the President, Office of Price Administration, the Executive Office of the President, Office of Emergency Management, the Foreign Economic Administration and the Department of State. This required that the family move frequently and involved considerable time overseas. This resulted in a strained marriage and Blachly and Natalie divorced in 1947.
In 1951 Blachly solicited support from prominent businessmen in Silver City, New Mexico in order to form the Pioneer Foundation. This organization was dedicated to recording reminiscences of the remaining “pioneers” of New Mexico and the Southwest.
In 1957 Blachly moved to Tucson, Arizona. He published two books, Picture Guide to Southwestern Arizona Wildflowers (1963) and Mammals, Snakes, and Lizards of the Southwest (1964). He died at home on March 5, 1965. His remains were cremated and scattered in the desert near Tucson.
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