Dr. Van Arsdale Blakslee was born on September 22nd, 1889. He married Margaret Newbold on April 14th, 1915 in Manhattan, New York. They had two daughters, Joan and Peggy. He established his medical practice at 111 Victoria Avenue in Belleville in 1917 and retired in around 1968. He attended the Bridge Street Methodist Church in Belleville, Ontario and belonged to organizations such as the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), the Belleville Fish and Game Club and the Belleville Rotary Club. He died on December 26th, 1971.