David Blakely

David Blakeley (December 7, 1835 – November 7, 1896), sometimes spelled as David Blakely, was an American newspaper editor, businessman, and politician who served two terms as the chief clerk of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1861 to 1862 and two terms as the third Minnesota Secretary of State from 1862 to 1866. Blakeley later served as the band manager of both Patrick Gilmore and John Philip Sousa.

Early life David Blakeley was born on December 7, 1835, in Binghamton, New York. At a very young age Blakeley's family moved to East Berkshire, Vermont. While in Vermont Blakeley was trained in the printing trade before moving in to Bancroft Township in modern-day Freeborn County (then part of Mower County) in Minnesota Territory in 1856 where he established a newspaper. In 1859 Blakeley moved to Rochester, Minnesota where he established the Rochester City Post newspaper. Later in 1865 when Blakeley lived in Illinois he purchased and improved the Chicago Evening Post. Blakeley later ran as a Republican in the 1863 Secretary of State Election for the position of Minnesota Secretary of State against Minnesota Democrat Amos Coggswell. Blakeley won 60.73% of the vote with a majority margin of +21.46%.

Later life In 1880 Blakeley abandoned the newspaper industry and instead chose to focus on managing the bands of both Patrick Gilmore and John Philip Sousa. During a tour in New York Blakeley died suddenly at Carnegie Hall on November 7, 1896, after receiving a head injury during a bicycle accident several weeks earlier while in Bradford, Vermont where he was later buried.