David Blue, who now resides in Perry, deriving his income from the valuable farming property which he owns near the city, was born in Montour county, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1833, his parents being Reuben and Elizabeth (Davis) Blue, who were also natives of that state. The father died when his son David was only eight years of age and he was thus left an orphan for his mother had died three years previously. Reuben Blue followed the occupation of farming as a life work. He gave his political support to the principles of Jacksonian democracy. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. David Blue is the only surviving member of a family of four sons and two daughters. At the age of fourteen years he came to the west, having run away from home. He made his way to Illinois and first worked for twenty-five cents per day as a farm hand near New Boston, Mercer county, Illinois. He was diligent, frugal and economical and in the course of years he saved from his earnings a sufficient sum to enable him to purchase land at ten dollars per acre. As years passed by he added to this property from time to time until he became the owner of thirteen forty-acre tracts and ten acres of timber land. In 1881-82 he sold this property in Illinois and came to Iowa locating in Perry. He purchased a farm south of the town and another north of the town but he makes his home in Perry. Here he built a livery barn in 1881 and conducted the business until 1885 when he sold out. He has since lived practically retired, merely superintending his farming interests from which he derives gratifying financial returns annually.
Mr. Blue was married on the 1st of April, 1858, to Miss Mary E. Guffey, who was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1838. Her parents were Samuel and Mary (Pollock) Guffey, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. The father died in Illinois at the age of fifty-four years and his wife’s death occurred in that state when she was seventy-seven years of age. He was a druggist and in 1848 went to Illinois settling in Mercer county. There he took up government land, becoming one of the pioneers of that locality. He built a frame house and turned his attention to general agricultural pursuits. His religious faith was that of a Presbyterian and in politics he was a Whig. In his family were five sons and one daughter, of whom four are living, namely: Sheriff, Richard, Scott, and Mary E.
Mr. and Mrs. Blue have become the parents of seven children of whom six yet survive: Belle, John, Jeanette, Nora, Rosa B. and Lowell. One daughter, Ella, died at the age of nineteen years.
Mr. Blue is a member of Otley Lodge, No. 299, A. F. & A. M., and his political support is given the democracy. He may truly be called a self-made man for he deserves all the praise which that term implies. He started out at the early age of fourteen years to fight life’s battles alone and he has come off conqueror in the strife. His strong characteristics have been those of an unabating industry and unfaltering purpose. The word fail has had no part in his vocabulary and he has overcome difficulties and obstacles by determination and persistent purpose until he is now one of the foremost citizens of Dallas county, comfortably situated in a pleasant home in Perry, where he has all of the necessities and many of the luxuries of life.