In Jefferson County in Blackhawk and a portion of Polk Township was the settlement of Blue Point. It was named for a stand of timber, which extended out into the prarie and could be seen as far as 15 to 20 miles away. The first settler to Blue Point was Jesse RUGGLES who came to the Blue Point area in 1839. Some of the early settlers at Blue Point were William and Mary Boag LOCK who came to the area in 1851, Henry HARDIN, George SNYDER, Charles SHY, William TURNBULL, and William LEWMAN. Many descendants of these families live in or not far from the Blue Point area.
Blue Point did not have any stores but a post office was shown to be located in the north west corner of Blackhawk Township. This office was on maps of Jefferson County in 1855, 1856, and 1857. In 1844 a road was authorized to run from Blue Point to Fairfield. Another road ran from Blue Point to Agency.
Blue Point school was located in the southeast corner of section 6 of Blackhawk Township. The first school building was a log cabin. The cabin had a hole cut out of one end to let light in. Fifteen pupils attended this first school with Charles STAFFORD as teacher. A school building was erected in section 6 of Blackhawk Township. Some of the teachers at Blue Point school were J.S. DRUMMOND, E.M.BROWN, Anna McClintic RAKOW, Kate Stephenson NELSON, Hattie Orr BRAY, Emma Hadley SPAULDING, Ethel Greeson RIVEY, and Rilla Hadley LOCK. Record of a visit to Blue Point School in 1870 by the county superintendent of schools mentions the following about Blue Point School.
Teacher was J.S. DRUMMOND with an enrollment of 49. It goes on to say that the day of the visit 33 students were present. Mr. Drummond did not believe in punishing the students but rather would send them home to have parents mete out punishment. On the day of the visit the superintendent was quite taken of the honesty shown by the students at Blue Point. The students were asked to answer perfect or imperfect when called upon to tell how their conduct had been for the day. Of the 33 students in attendance at school that day, 28 answered imperfect. Mr. Drummond's wages were $33.00 per month.
In 1840 a group of settlers gathered at the home of James LEWMAN to organize a Methodist Church. Those attending the meeting were Henry and Catherine HARDIN, Jesse and Luvina RUGGLES, Mary LEWMAN, and Leah LEWMAN. The church services were held at the cabin of Henry HARDIN, who had come to the Blue Point area in 1840. His cabin was a few rods from the Blue Point Cemetery. Hardin died in 1892 and is buried in Blue Point Cemetery.
It is thought that the church also met at the schoolhouse for services. Other records mention the Blue Point Charge, which had the meetings as early as 1853 in a schoolhouse, which was about two miles northeast of Packwood. Most of this congregation later became affiliated with the Packwood Methodist Church. Ministers mentioned are Henry HARDIN and Moses SHINN.
In section 16 of Blackhawk Township, a short distance south of the Blue Point area was Center Methodist Church. This church had a very active congregation for many years. The church was closed in the 1920's and the building was torn down in 1934. The church bell is now in front of the Richland United Methodist Church.
Blue Point Cemetery is in section 4 of Blackhawk Township. Many of the early settlers in the Blue Point area and some of their descendants are buried in the cemetery.
This includes my g.g.g.grandparents; William & Mary Hoag LOCK.
