Blaine P. Wehrly, a well-known jeweler at Portland, is a native son of Jay county and has resided here all his life with the exception of a period of eight years during which he was engaged in business at Hartford City. He was born at Salamonia on August 31, 1884, son of William P and Olive J. (Smith) Wehrly, the latter of whom also was born in Indiana. William P. Smith was a farmer, lumberman and thresher man at Salamonia and he and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, of whom eleven are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being John W., Prudence, Barbara, Catherine, Henry, Harvey, Alvah, Ida, Ethel and Martin.
Reared at Salamonia Blaine P. Wehrly received his schooling there. He early became interested in the jewelry business, his elder brother John W. Wehrly, having a jewelry store at Portland, and after a course at the Philadelphia College of Horology and Optics entered his brother's store at Portland and was there engaged for a year, at the end of which time he was made manager of his brother's store at Hartford City. For eight years he remained in the latter city and then he returned to Portland and resumed his place in the local store, continuing thus engaged until in 1919, when he started in business for himself at Portland. Mr. Wehrly has a well-stocked and admirably equipped store in North Meridian street and his long experience preparatory to entering business for himself gave him an insight into the needs of the local trade which has enabled him tomeet most satisfactorily the demands along this line.
On November 28, 1909, Blaine P. Wehrly was united in marriage to Gladys Asjcraft, who also was born in this county, and to this union one child has been born, a son, William Lewis Wehrly, born on May 27, 1913. Mrs. Wehrly was born on a farm in Wabash township, this county, daughter of William and Blanche (Lewis) Ashcraft, both of whom also were born in Jay county, members of pioneer families here, and who were the parents of four children, Mrs. Wehrly having three sisters, Pearl, Inez and Glee. Mr. and Mrs. Wehrly are members of the West Walnut Street Christian church. Mr. Wehrly is a Republican and is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Portland.
SOURCE: Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II, pp. 65-66. Transcribed by Eloine Chesnut