Paul Henry Blackmon

Paul Henry Blackmon
Born	Paul Henry Heacock 26 August 1928 New Jersey
Nationality	American
Parents	Otto B Heacock (father) Emily Seaworthy (mother)

Paul Henry Blackmon, born Paul Henry Heacock was an American who was born in New Jersey, moved to Missouri, went into foster care, and lived on a farm throughout the great depression and WWII. He later went into the service in June 1946, served as patrol duty for a plutonium plant in Washington state, then somewhere in Albuquerque, New Mexico, discharged in December 1947.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75356711/otto-b-heacock

https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=Otto+B_Heacock&event=_Missouri&count=50&name_x=_psx

Before Birth

Before August 1928

Before the birth of Paul, came first Edward, then the second child, Evelyn, then Leroy, then Paul Heacock.

Childhood

26 August 1928 - Birth

Paul Henry Heacock was born 26 August 1928 in New Jersey, United States. He was born to Emily Seaworth and Otto Heacock. He lived on Main Street of the city (which was close to Newark).

1929 - The start of the Great Depression

In 1929 the Great Depression in the United States began. Due to the fact that Paul's father was minimally educated and that he lost his street conductor job, the Heacock family decided to move back to Missouri.

Between 1929 and 1930 - Moving to Missouri

When Paul was less than around two years of age, the Heacock family moved to the town of Poplar Bluff in Butler County, Missouri. Because the job situation around was poor, the Heacock family became farmers and so lived on a farm. Housing was almost non-existent.

Between 1930 and 1935

While living on the farm, since Paul was too little, he didn't work any particular job. Otto on the other-hand, was reportedly street-wise, despite not having much education, and apparently could fix and do anything on the farm. Many people also knew Otto that were in the local area. Being the entrepreneur he was, he bought what he said were apple trees and when they were going places from one place to another, he would along the way sell apple trees. Their father was a good provider in food, but it was frogs, fish, and whatnot.

Otto had become a functional alcoholic and also had a temper. A WWI veteran, he was in France and was attacked with mustard gas by the Germans, and was exposed to it in the process. How much it affected him isn't known. He barely spoke of his experiences, except for the fact that the Germans sprayed him with mustard gas.

Otto and Paul's brother, Edward, didn't get along. One day when he was 16, they got into a fist fight, and so he left home and went to Detroit, Michigan, probably never seeing each other again. It might have been around this time period or before that when their mother Emily, gave birth to fraternal-twins, Pauline and Edna, who were "different as night and day from one another". His mother was reportedly a "nice jolly fat lady".

Paul went to schools within Butler County, what he called possibly country schools. Paul personally was someone who liked to read, but up until 1940 for him there wasn't much to read for him. Their primary life concern was finding something to eat, a place to sleep, and a place to go to school.

1935 - Death of his mother

When Paul was seven years old, his mother passed away. After the passing of his mother, the Heacock family disintegrated. Paul, not being consulted, and probably on both the opinion of his father and the state authorities, was told that he was going to be put into the Missouri Foster Home Program, and so started going in and out of such as well as living with family. Paul only had two pairs of pants, a pair of shoes, and a couple of shoes as his personal belongings. Paul had a "So what?" reaction to news, there was nothing that he could really do. Sometimes Otto would pull the family back together again just for later for them to be separated again.

Evelyn, probably around this time or afterwards, married young so that she could have a place to live, marrying to an alcoholic who was in the road construction business, driving what is called a "motor patroll", was the grader. Having a great job the two lived well.

1940 to 1946 - Last foster home Paul lived in

In 1940 a couple, Laura Bill Hensen and Lloyd Arch Blackmon, on a farm decided they wanted a ten year old boy, and so moved into another foster care home along with his fraternal twin sisters Pauline and Edna.

Back when gas was 15 cents a gallon, his foster mother told him that she was at a store (this was in early fourties). A woman came into the store to see the store manager and asked:

I have a dime, how much candy can I buy for my children for Christmas?

Paul himself didn't have a particular preference in candy, anything that was sweet. On the food side, fried chicken was a delicacy, and so normally potatoes, beans, some meat.

Although Laura and Lloyd never adopted Paul, they did change his last name.

Paul remembers many shanty towns that were around. He did make friends with some of the residents but not lasting friendships. This was normally due to Paul's frequent movement from one family and one foster home to another. Paul discovered that the secret to surviving in a foster home was to be very nice to the lady and don't make waves.

Adulthood

June 1946 - Entering service in the United States Army

In June 1946 Paul entered service into the United States Army. He specifically went into the Army to go into college.

December 1947 - Discharged from service

In December 1947 Paul was discharged from service.

Between 1948 and 1955 - Going to college

In 1948 Paul went to college. In 1955 he graduated from University of Missouri with a degree in Physics and Mathematics.

Notes:

- History buffs know that the war didn't end until the peace treaty was signed in 1 January 1947. That is why he is considered a WWII veteran.

- He had five siblings that survived, no idea how many that weren't alive

- Many years after his childhood Paul went back to Poplar Bluff and found many residence saying that they knew his father Otto and that he had a son Paul.

- After Edward moved out Paul only saw his brother two or three times before he passed away. \

- Paul doesn't remember much about his mother, and has one picture of her, but she was kind of shorter than he is. "A nice jolly fat lady" that he guesses was wonderful he doesn't remember.

- Left off at interview at 20:27

Bibliography

• Paul Henry, Blackman (7 July 2023). "Interview with Paul Blackman" (Interview). Interviewed by Paul Sidle.
• "Paul H Blackman "United States Census, 1940" • FamilySearch". FamilySearch. 1940. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
• "Paul Heacock, "New Jersey, Reclaim the Records, Geographic Birth Index, 1901-1929" • FamilySearch". 20 August 2023. 26 August 1928. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
• "NARA - AAD - Display Full Records - Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)". Access to Archival Databases National Archives. 26 July 1946. Archived from the original on 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.