BFNA Official Website - A 501(c)3 non-profit - Publisher: The Blaisdell Papers
Board of Directors 2025-2030
President
Vice President and Webmaster
Vice President and Webmaster
Bonnie Blaford
I was born into a remarkable family who loved to camp and explore the parks of all 50 states. My parents and three siblings enjoyed the excitement of nature and the culture of all of America. Perhaps these adventures influenced by career choices more than my parents realized.
A graduate of Parkland College and the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in Parks and Recreation. My first job was a recreation director at a NATO training base in Germany. I started my National Park Service career as a Student Conservation Association volunteer at the Grand Canyon; assigned to the Carl Sandburg NHS in North Carolina; Lincoln Home NHS in Illinois; permanent interpretive position at the Kennedy Center for the performing arts; worked President Ronald Reagan's first inaugural ball at Kennedy Center; National Mall, worked at Lincoln, Jefferson Memorials and Washington Monument; worked Yorktown celebration; special event of the opening of the Vietnam War Memorial; interpretive ranger at President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Home and the only Vanderbilt Mansion in the Park Service; law enforcement ranger at Minute Man National Historic site in Concord, MA; Tuskegee NHS in Tuskegee, AL/home of Booker T. Washington; George Washington Carver Museum; first park ranger at the Jimmy Carter NHS/planned and developed this NHS/ prepared for a visit from President Arafat.
I retired in 2011 after 8 years with the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, West Branch, Iowa, a career that took me to many National Historic Sites. I live in Tipton, Iowa.
Bonnie Blaford - From: Barbara Virgiline (Gray) Blaford, Edna Pearl (Blaisdell) Gray, Benjamin Franklin Blasdel, Isaac Newton Blasdel, Lt. Enoch Blasdel (6.228)
Vice President and Webmaster
Vice President and Webmaster
Vice President and Webmaster
Barry C. Sweetman
I was born in Michigan, eldest surviving son of Alvin M. C. Sweetman (a WWII veteran) and Beatrice Blasdell. My wife Lillie Starling and I have been married since June 1981.
I graduated high school at the age of seventeen and shortly thereafter enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller and served in both England and Germany during the Vietnam Era.
After serving in the Air Force, I attended Jones College in Jacksonville, Florida where I was appointed program director of the college radio station. After college I was employed in my childhood dream job as a Radio Announcer.
Eventually, I taught myself computer technology and programming, after which I was hired by Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) as an implementation specialist and database developer. After eight years with SAIC, I spent the next 25 years as a self-employed independent contractor doing programing, system integration, and database development with Fortune 500 companies such as Microsoft and Cisco, the US Military, and for foreign governmental entities. I retired in 2015.
I’m an avid photographer and have been since the age of 8. My favorite subjects are wildlife and nature photography. My other avocation is genealogy research. I’ve amassed over 50,000 profiles in our combined genealogies, while researching my wife’s and my own genealogies over the last 30 years. Researching my mother’s Blasdell genealogy is what led me to the BFNA of which I’m an active member. I’m also the appointed webmaster of the BFNA website since last year, for which I am grateful.
Barry Sweetman - From: Beatrice Mae Blasdell, Robert Blasdell, Alfred James Blasdell, Jacob Blasdell, Isaac Blasdell (D2.2)
Treasurer
Vice President and Webmaster
Genealogist
Jonathan H Blaisdell
I was born and raised south of Boston, Massachusetts, to Robert and Joanna Blaisdell, and today I live in Abington, Massachusetts, with my wife, Erin, and our son, Cole.
From an early age, I was fascinated by heritage and family stories. My parents named me after Jonathan Hatch, a distant relative on my paternal grandmother’s side. As the story goes, Jonathan Hatch was a young drummer boy in the American Revolution—an example of resilience and spirit that has always stayed with me.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. Today, I specialize in men’s mental health and practice a solutions- and resilience-focused form of cognitive behavioral therapy. I consider it a privilege to walk alongside clients as they navigate challenges, build meaning, and create stronger futures for themselves and their families.
Outside of my profession, I am an active member of the Freemasons, serving as an officer in my lodge, and I enjoy participating in community and charitable events the lodge sponsors. I am also a lifelong martial artist, having attained several black belts in Uechi-Ryū Karate-Dō. On the lighter side, I enjoy golf—though I admit I put more emphasis on having fun than on lowering my score. Above all, I am a proud and loving father to a precocious and witty young Blaisdell.
I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors for 2025–2030, and I look forward to contributing my energy, skills, and commitment to strengthening the bonds of our shared heritage.
I can be reached at Blaisdell598@gmail.com or at (781) 738-0864.
Jonathan Blaisdell From: Robert P. Blaisdell; Robert Linwood Blaisdell; William Henry Blaisdell; William Henry Blaisdell, Jr.; William Henry Blaisdell, Sr.; William Eastman Blaisdell; Jonathan Lowell Blaisdell; Major Isaac Blaisdell; Isaac Blaisdell; David Blaisdell; Jonathan Blaisdell; Henry Bleasdale; and Ralf Bleasdale
Genealogist
Editor Pro-Tem, Blaisdell Papers
Genealogist
David N Cox
David Nelson Cox brings a lifelong passion for family history and community service. Born in, 1959, in Richmond, Virginia, David is the second son of Vaughan LaFayette Cox and Dorothy Louise Nelson Cox.
His middle name honors his maternal lineage, while his surname reflects his paternal heritage. Vaughan, a Korean War medic and a pioneer in Information Systems, and Dorothy, a Registered Nurse, instilled in their children a strong sense of civic duty and connection to community.
David’s early years were marked by energetic curiosity and a strong will, traits that led him through a variety of youth programs, including Indian Guides, YMCA camps, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Police Explorers. These formative experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to service. After high school, David joined the United States Air Force as a Security Specialist. Following his military service, he worked in security and later pursued higher education through High Point University and Appalachian State University.
David’s professional journey included roles in healthcare security, computer consulting, and municipal transportation. His final career position was with the City of High Point, NC, where he served as a traffic safety analyst and later as a signal systems programmer. Throughout his career, David remained committed to community engagement, volunteering as a firefighter and EMT, and contributing to local fire department improvements.
Genealogy became a central interest for David, inspired by family stories shared by his father. Discovering FamilySearch.org sparked a deeper research into his lineage, uncovering connections to historical figures, including a French Huguenot ancestor who collaborated with Benjamin Franklin and published the first Methodist hymnal in America. David is currently authoring a book that explores the legacy of his notable ancestors and their enduring impact.
David and his wife, Janet Leigh (Poplin) Cox, married in 1988 and raised four children—Hannah, Maggie, Andrew, and Thomas—each of whom has pursued education and service-oriented careers. David continues to volunteer with Scouts and serves as Librarian on the Board of the Old Hickory Council Historical Association. He is also on the Board of the Yadkin County Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc.
David brings not only technical expertise and historical insight but also a deep appreciation for the stories that shape families and communities. He looks forward to supporting members in their genealogical pursuits and preserving the rich heritage that has impacted the family for centuries.
Editor, Blaisdell Papers
Editor Pro-Tem, Blaisdell Papers
Editor Pro-Tem, Blaisdell Papers
Everett W. Curry, Jr.
9TH Great Grandson of Ralph Blaisdell and Elizabeth Parker who arrived in the new world on August 14, 1635. I was born on the 310th birthday (March 7, 1942) of Ralph and Elizabeth’s son Henry who arrived with them. I descend through Lt. Jacob Blaisdell, his 5th Great Grandfather.
I have been married to Barbara for fifty-six years. We have three adult children and six grandchildren. Barbara and Everett have lived in California, Hawaii, and Oregon, now in Hillsboro, Oregon for thirty-one years.
I am an ordained minister with American Baptist Churches USA, Financial Planner, and have served on several non-profit organization boards. I earned a bachelors' degree in history from California State University, Northridge; masters' degree from American Baptist Seminary of the West; and doctorate from San Francisco Theological Seminary. I was ordained in 1967 and served six American Baptist congregations as pastor as well as three others in interim capacity. Trained in Planned Giving, I served Linfield College (now Linfield University) and American Baptist Seminary of the West as Director of Planned Giving and Director of Development respectively. I twice served American Baptist judicatories.
Among my interests, I was licensed in July 1956 as an Amateur Radio Operator (W6ABM). I retained this license until upgrading to Advanced Class in 1995 and Extra Class in 2000. I have been active in amateur radio for 64 years. I have been the Master of Ceremonies for the SEA-PAC/ARRL Northwestern Division Banquet for the past fifteen years. I coordinate the Education programs for OTVARC and am administrator for their Volunteer Examiner Team.
I have been actively involved with genealogy for nearly fifty years. Originally intending to provide my children with their four main lines back to the immigrant, I continue to expand my family story and work at breaking down “brick walls.” More recent adding DNA searches, my horizon significantly expanded.
Everett William Curry, Jr. - From: Everett William Curry, Seth Rueben Curry, Albert Grant Curry, Martha Louisa (Nowlin) Curry, Jonathan Blasdel Nowlin, Elenor Cooper (Blasdel) Nowlin, Capt. Jonathan Blasdel (6.233)
Editor Pro-Tem, Blaisdell Papers
Editor Pro-Tem, Blaisdell Papers
Editor Pro-Tem, Blaisdell Papers
John E. Blasdel, Jr.
Term Ends - December 2025
John E. Blasdel, Jr., of Bright, Indiana. I am the oldest son of John E. and Wilma (Fondong) Blasdel, and grandson of Walter and Lillian (Jackson) Blasdel. I have two younger brothers, Jeff and Joel (Jody), and one younger sister, Joan (Blasdel) Erhart.
I am a widower, married to Anne (Renner) Blasdel for 39 years, and together we had two daughters: Trisha (Blasdel) Spears and son-in-law, Brian Spears, and Sarah (Blasdel) Reed and son-in-law, Jason Reed, and 6 grandchildren, Joseph and Abigail Spears, Micah, Zaiah, Jonah and Ezrah Reed.
An elementary school teacher for South Dearborn Community School Corporation in Aurora, Indiana for 39 years, I retired from teaching in June 2012.
My hobbies include riding roller coasters (especially with his grandchildren), traveling, singing tenor with the "Viva Voices," and historic preservation. I am currently vice-president of the Hillforest Museum Foundation Board of Directors and serve as a docent at the museum and chairperson of the Hillforest Education Committee. I am also a member of the Clifty Creek Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
I have served as an associate editor of the Blaisdell Papers since December 2013, contributing articles and assisted with proofreading while Leo Blackwell was editor. I welcome all articles of interest to the Blaisdell family to be submitted at: jbla1951@gmail.com or mailed directly to me at: 2159 Basket Lane, Apt. 306, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025.
John Edgar Blasdel, Jr. - From: John Edgar Blasdel, Sr., Walter Earl Blasdel, Quincy Ervin Blasdel, Charles Bailes Blasdel, Rev. Franklin Townsend Blasdel, Lt. Enoch Blasdel (6.228) and from: Lillian (Jackson) Blasdel, Nancy Jane (Harper) Jackson, William Anthony Harper, Joseph Morrill Harper, Sally (Blasdel) (Harper) Chase (6.234)
Vital Statistics Editor
Membership & Retention officer
Vital Statistics Editor
David Nowlin
I am honored to serve BFNA as your Vital Statistics Editor.
I arrived in this world in Salem, Oregon as the third son of Oscar JB and Dorothy (Longsdorff) Nowlin. After my father returned from serving in World War II (Pacific Theater), my family moved to Holton, Kansas where my parents bought a greenhouse which my Dad operated for 55 years. My mother taught music, both privately and in public schools; she instilled a love of music in all of her four children.
I graduated from Holton (Kansas) High School, from the University of Kansas (BA), and from the University of Kansas School of Law (JD). In late 1967 I married Sharon Coffman whom I met while attending KU. After our wedding, we moved (without money, a job or contacts) to Denver, Colorado, where I began a 30-year career in mortgage banking, including the management of residential and commercial lending operations for various lending institutions. In 1998 I joined a major title insurance company in Denver to manage the title and escrow functions of commercial real estate clients who were acquiring and developing real estate projects all over the country. When management consolidated two commercial offices, my new responsibilities were in Phoenix, Arizona. There are still heal marks all the way down I-25 from Denver toward Phoenix but we finally adjusted to our new surroundings and made many friendships which we cherish to this day.
My interest in genealogy began quite by accident over 35 years ago. Having attended many of my wife’s bi-annual family reunions in Lawrence, Kansas, Sharon and one of her cousins volunteered to plan the next reunion. We were sent a mailing list of the attendees and our first question was: who are these people and how are they related to us? I discovered a six week beginning genealogy class at the Denver Public Library. I attended the class, became an active member of the Colorado Genealogy Society, and did a great deal of research by “old school” methods (letter writing, trips to the library, visits to cemeteries, courthouses, using paper as my data base) - all for the purpose of discovering the common ancestor of the Coffman family reunion attendees. I prepared and presented a report of my findings at the next reunion. As they say, the rest is history.
I am currently a member of the Johnson County (Kansas) Genealogy Society where I serve on the Board as Secretary. Prior to Covid-19, I volunteered in the Genealogy Department of our local library and also volunteered weekly at the Kansas City National Archives - in both venues helping people do family research. In addition of genealogy, my hobbies include reading American history and hiking; I have climbed 15 of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks.
David Nowlin -From: Oscar JB Nowlin, Cortez Dewey Nowlin, Jonathan Blasdel Nowlin, Elenor Cooper (Blasdel) Nowlin, Capt. Jonathan Blasdel (6.233)
Secretary
Membership & Retention officer
Vital Statistics Editor
Brenda Higgins
I am a Hoosier Blasdel who grew up in Lawrenceburg, IN. I studied German and Latin at Indiana University.
We moved to Miami, FL in 1973 where I met my husband, Dexter Higgins, who was a general aviation pilot. We were married in 1976, and our son Paul was born in 1977.
Later we lived in Charlotte, NC, Atlanta and now Memphis, TN. I taught preschool and elementary school for 31 years. I am now retired and a Master Gardener and member of DAR. Happy to be the new secretary for the Blaisdell National Family Association.
Brenda Rose (Blasdel) Higgins - From: Elvin Whitfield Blasdel, Ira Wingate Blasdel, Charles Bailes Blasdel, Rev. Franklin Townsend Blasdel, Lt. Enoch Blasdel (6.228)
Membership & Retention officer
Membership & Retention officer
Membership & Retention officer
Sue E. Blaisdell
I was born in and raised near Jackson, Michigan. My background is in plant sciences with degrees from Michigan State University, and to this day, I do a lot with plants and pollinators. I’m a big fan of healthy living, walking, hiking, biking, gardening, cooking and nutrition.
My husband and I have lived in Marshalltown, IA since 2002. We have two children both living in NYC
I’ve also been involved in politics in Iowa which can get pretty hot every 4 years. I’ve worked hard to push my party into better choices for health and the environment. It takes a lot of teamwork to get things done. Recently, I seem to be concentrating on developing my skills of messaging and social networking.
My Mom got into genealogy in the 60s. She found a protege in one of her brother’s sons to work on her side of the family. But before she died in 2010, she was needling me to take over her accumulated Blaisdell family history and do something with it. So, I have concentrated on using free websites to glean info, and I use Legacy Family Tree to organize my data. I am currently a member of the Legacy IG of the Iowa Genealogical Society, the GIG of the Historical Society of Marshall County (IA), and Genealogical Society of Washtenaw County (MI). And, I have a bunch of genealogical projects that are in diverse states of completion.
Sue Ellen Blaisdell From: Hobart Dale Blaisdell, Roy Blaisdell, Harvey Carlos Blaisdell, James P. Blaisdell, Harvey Blaisdell (6.68)