PROF. E. LEE BLANTON, Caldwell County, was born April 4, 1844, in Cumberland County, Va. His paternal ancestors came from England prior to the war of Independence, and settled in Caroline County, Va. His paternal great-grandfather was David Blanton, who died in 18—. His grandfather was James Blanton, who died in 1852. Subject's father, W. D. Blanton, was a farmer, and died in Virginia November 7, 1882, at the age of sixty-one years. The maiden name of subject's mother was R. F. Lee, a daughter of Joseph D. Lee, who died in the year 1845. Mrs. Blanton is still living in her native State of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Blanton reared a family of ten children, named as follows: E. Lee (subject), Joseph J., Willis S., Judith T. (deceased), Dr. John W., William B., Mary W., Frank, Jesse and Sarah E. Prof. Blanton, until the age of eighteen, attended a number of excellent select schools in his native county; at the age of twenty-three he entered Hampden Sydney College, Prince Edward Co., Va., where he remained one year. Prior to entering that institution of learning, however, Mr. Blanton had filled the position of assistant professor of mathematics in Roanoke College, Salem, Va., prosecuting his studies at the same time with the object of making teaching his life work. After leaving Hampden Sydney College, he accepted the position of professor of music in the Ann Smith Female Seminary, Lexington, Ky., where he remained one year, but the following year taught music and mathematics in the Gordonsville Female Seminary. In 1869 he located at Paris, Ky., and accepted a professorship in the Bourbon female institute, teaching music and mathematics one session, after which he returned to Virginia, and on December 21, of the same year, was united in marriage to Miss Anna M., daughter of Dr. J. M. and Lavina (Rizer) Snyder. After the marriage he removed to Mississippi, locating at Pass Christian, and took charge of the Trinity High School at that place, which position he filled until the spring of 1873. In August of the latter year he went to Bowling Green, Ky., and established a select school at that place, which he taught until June, 1876, at which time he was elected president of Princeton College, which office he held four years; at the end of that time be established the Princeton High School, of which he has charge at the present time, the attendance averaging seventy-five to 100 pupils. On January 27, 1883, Mrs. Blanton died at the age of forty years, the mother of five children, named as follows: Kate Lavinia, Annie Lee Clifford (deceased), Wallace Carroll (deceased), Mabel Carr and Orabel. Mr. Blanton was next married June 24, 1884, to Miss Sarah E. M., daughter of W. C. C. and Elizabeth Jones, of Princeton, Ky. Mr. Blanton is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the K. of H., and he and wife are active members of the Southern Presbyterian Church at Princeton.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Page 690.