Born at Seaford, County Down, Ireland; came to America in 1783. Attended the University of North Carolina in 1797. Married Jane Ann Hoope in December 1813. They had one child.

Entered the Navy as a midshipman in 1800. Commanded the brig Enterprise 1811 to 1813. Promoted to Master Commandant in 1813 and assigned to the Wasp. On June 28, 1814, the Wasp engaged the British Brig Reindeer. Blakely captured and burned the Reindeer. He later captured the brig Avon and the brig Atalanta. The Wasp is known to have sailed south but disappeared without a trace.

Congress honored Blakely with a gold medal by proclamation November 3, 1814. The gold medal (Julian NA-6) was by Moritz Furst. A modern copy (USM 517) was sold by the mint.

bio: ApCAB; DAB; Drake; Failor; Loubat; NCAB 5; TCBDA; WWWA-H