When Joseph Manuel Blackwell was born on December 14, 1894, his father, John, was 50 and his mother, Mary, was 32. He had one brother and one sister. He entered the military service in Iowa and served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a Private in the 101st Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry "Yankee" Division. He died on October 26, 1918 and is now buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Departement de la Meuse, Lorraine, France.