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Blocker Family History

Coming Soon: "In Memoriam" Presentation link. 

Family Summary

Our family patriarch was Nelson Blocker. Nelson was born as an enslaved person on the
plantation of John Rufus Blocker in Eutaw, Greene County, Alabama in approximately 1844.
While the identity of his parents remains unknown to us, we suspect that his father was the
enslaver John Rufus Blocker and his mother was an enslaved woman whose identity has been
lost to history.

​

While still residing in Greene County, Alabama Nelson’s enslavement was transferred to Newton
P. Richardson a physician who later moved to Franklin, Robertson County, Texas sometime prior
to the Civil War.

​

Around 1864 or 1865 (likely while still enslaved) Nelson united with his first wife Caroline (X)
Blocker. Seven children were born to this union prior to 1880 when Caroline succumbed to
pneumonia at the age of 36. Listed in birth order, these children were Daniel (1865), Dora
(1868), Sam (1869), Will (1872), Ella (1874), Edward (1876), and Nelson Jr. (1878).


In July of 1881, Nelson married Vina (Brown) Blocker. Fifteen children were born to this union
including our grandfather, Riley M. Blocker. In order of birth the children were Alonzo (1882),
Vessie (1885), Estella (1887), Louis (1890), Riley (1892), Bernice (1894), Jessie (1896), Lunie
(1898), Estha (1899), Odell (1901), Wilmer (1903), Leola (1905), Aubry (1907), Claude (Homer)
(1909), and Lavaughn (1913)


Our grandfather, Riley M. Blocker, married our grandmother, Lydia Bennett, in 1912. They both
were born and resided in Robertson County, Texas (born in Franklin, lived in Hearne). This union
produced eight children (our parents, grandparents, etc.) before Lydia’s sudden passing in 1940
at the age of 43. Their children in order of birth were: Riley (1915), male infant (survived 2
weeks in 1916), Mabris (1920), Lillian (1921), Marvin (1922), Nelson (1925), Green (1927), Vina
(1929) and Naomi (1931).


Today, most of Blocker Family descendants have settled in Houston Metropolitan area and
throughout parts of central Texas. Others resided throughout the United States.

Family 
Trivia

1. Rev. Riley "Papa" Blocker's parents were:

     A. Martin Allen Blocker and Sarah Brown Blocker

     B. John Green Blocker and Tina James Blocker

     C. Nelson Blocker and Vina Brown Blocker

     D. Wilmer George Blocker and Bessie Smith Blocker

2. How many children did Papa's parents have together?

     A. 15

     B.  8

     C.  5

     D.  2

3. What state other than Texas did the Blocker ancestors have strong ties to?

     A. Mississippi

     B. Alabama

     C. California

     D.Tennessee

4. Who is pictured below?

IMG_1928_edited.jpg

A. Papa's mother, Vina 'Brown' Blocker

B. Harriet Tubman

C. Papa's first wife, Lida 'Bennett' Blocker

5. How many children did Papa have?

     A. 5

     B. 8

     C. 2

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