The James Blair Sr. & Mary ( ) Blair Family: Basic Family Info.

THE JAMES BLAIR SR. & MARY (              ) BLAIR FAMILY:

     prior to 1706 - ?                                                    ? - ?
       James Blair Sr.                                                     Mary



James was born in Ireland prior to 1706.  His wife was called "Miss Mary".

The Children of James Sr. & Mary Blair:

I.  Joseph Blair:

II. William Blair:

III.  Andrew Blair:

IV. Hugh Blair: He married Mary Dawson.

V.  Jane Blair: She married John Pyeatt.

VI. Major Tom Blair: He was married to (1) Miss Blythe and (2) Miss McQuiston.  They had the following children (not sure which child goes with which wife):
     A.  Samuel Ruth Blair: Her third marriage was to a Mr. King.
     B.  Thomas Blair Jr.: He married Eleanor Doak.
     C.  John Calhoun Blair ("Scalped John Blair"): John Calhoun Blair and his brother, Samuel Ruth Blair, went to the Tennessee territory about 1785 to claim the military bounty land grant of their father, Major Thomas Blair.  He was born in 1738 and married Jane Ruth about 1763 in Old Rowan county, North Carolina (before Guilford county was formed).  (Note: Was it John Calhoun Blair or father Tom that was born ini 1738 and married to Jane Ruth?).  One day, as the brothers were fighting the Indians who attacked Fort Bichanan, near Fort Nashboro, John Calhoun Blair left the fort to follow the retreating Indians, and they waited for him.  They shot him, and scalped him, but he survived for many years to be called "Uncle Scalpy".  According to Betty Blair Daniel, John Calhoun Blair moved to Davidson county, Tennessee.  (Source of above info. was Tom Green). 
John Calhoun Blair and his wife had the following children:
          1.  John Blair: He and his wife had the following children:
               a.  John Wesley Blair Sr.:
     D.  Martha Blair: She married John Blair, her second cousin.
     E.  James Blair:
     F.  William Blair:
     G.  Sarah Blair: She married a Mr. Parmar.

VII. James Blair Jr.: He and his wife Mary (McConnell?) had the following children:
     A.  Jane Blair: She married Lewis Tadlock (who was the son of Mary Blair and Sevier Tadlock).
     B.  Samuel Blair: He is listed in some sources as a possibility for one of the Alamo defenders.
     C.  James Blair III:
     D.  Joseph Blair:
     E.  Thomas Miligan Blair: He was born in 1800.  His wife, Elizabeth, was born in 1800 in Kentucky.  (Note: Thomas M. Blair, John's older brother, of Perry county, Missouri was executor of John's estate).  Thomas and Elizabeth had the following children:
          1.  William W. Blair: He was born in 1823.
          2.  John T. Blair: He was born in 1825.
          3.  Sarah M. Blair: She was born in 1827.
          4.  Robert M. Blair: He was born in 1832.
          5.  Columbus P. Blair: He was born in 1834.
          6.  Ann J. Blair: She was born in 1834.
(Note: I don't have absolute proof that this Thomas is Thomas Miligan Blair; it's just my "best guess" based on the information I've found.  If it is not correct, then the only info. in this family that applies to us is the name Thomas Blair).    
     F.  John Blair: He is listed in some sources as a possibility for one of the Alamo defenders.
     G.  Sarah Blair:
     H.  Nancy Blair ("Agnes"?):
     I.  Martha Blair: Martha was born in Ireland.  She married (1) _________ Laird, and (2) John Blair Jr.  John was born in 1737 in Ireland.  He married Martha (Blair) Laird in Ireland before 1754.  John Jr. was a strict Presbyterian.  They came to America in 1770 and settled in York county, Pennsylvania.  (Note: Note material duplication further down under "VIII").  Her marriage to John Blair Jr. produced the following children:
          1.  Ann Blair: She married Robert Lynn McLin.  They had the following children:
               a.  Susan Kelsey McLin: She married Rev. J.D. Tadlock (His parents were Savier Tadlock and Mary Blair, who was the daughter of Lt. John Blair and Hannah Carruthers).  Susan and J.D. had the following children:
                    (1. Rev. Alexander Doak Tadlock: He married Alice Vance.
                    (2. Susan Tadlock: She married a Mr. Wallace.  They had the following children:
                         (a.  Edwin Vance Tadlock:
                         (b.  James Thornwell Tadlock:

(Research Note: The following information in "red" is supposedly another child of Martha & John Blair Jr.  I've numbered the child "1" like the "Ann Blair" above.  It seems improbable that there would be two children named Ann.  Could it be the same child?  I'm not sure how the two "Anns" fit into the picture.  One of my sources had one of the "Anns"; the other source had the other "Ann"):

          1.  Ann Laird Blair:  She was born about 1759 in Adams county, Pennsylvania and died on August 29, 1828 in Elizabethton, Tennessee.  She married Alexander McLin (Macklin?) in Washington county, North Carolina.  He was born about 1756 in Virginia and died in 1819 in Elizabethton, Tennessee.  They had the following children:
               a.  William McLin: He married Elizabeth Humphries.  They had the following children:
                    (1. Ann B. McLin: She married William Johnston.  They had the following children:
                         (a.  Jackson Graham Johnston: He married Nancy Ann Francisco.  They had the following children:
                              (1). William Bogle Johnston: He married Margaret M. Sandifer.  They had the following children:
                                   (a).  Robert Lee Johnston: He married Eula Storrs.  They had the following children:
                                        (1a). Robert Lee Johnston: He married Vivian Margery Skillings.
               b.  Mary McLin: She married James J. Wilson.  They had the following children:
                    (1.  Ann McLin Wilson: She married Charles Kelso Sheddan.  They had the following children:
                         (a. William Eakin Sheddan: He married Nancy Jane Blackwell.  They had the following children:
                              (1). Hettie Ann McLin Sheddan: She married Joseph Porter Choate.  They had the following children:
                                   (a). McLin Sheddan Choate: He married Margaret L. Deal.  They had the following children:
                                        (1a). McLin Sheddan Choate Jr.: He married Ada Branch Fristoe.
          2.  Lt. John Blair: He was born in 1758 in Pennsylvania.  John moved from Pennsylvania to Washington county, Virginia and entered the Continental Army; tradition holds that he was a captain at King's Mountain.  John went to Tennessee; he settled on the Big Limestone branch of the Nolachucky river.  He married Susannah Kelsey in 1785 at Big Limestone creek; her parents were William Kelsey and Nancy Gowdy.  Susannah died in 1829.  In 1788-1789, he was a member of the North Carolina House of Commons.  During these same years, he was a delegate to the North Carolina State Constitutional Convention.  In 1796 - 1797, he was a member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives.  John died on July 13, 1818 in Jonesboro, Tennessee (Washington county).  His burial location is unknown.  His descendants were among the prominent citizens of nearly every county in east Tennessee and beyond.  They had the following children:
               a.  Nancy Kelsey Blair: She was born about 1786.  She married James Crawford.
               b.  Ann Blair: She was born about 1788.  She married Robert Lynn McLin on June 19, 1816 in Washington county, Tennessee. He was the son of Alexander McLin and Ann Blair.  He was born about 1788 in Adams county, Pennsylvania and died on July 13, 1857 in Washington county, Tennessee. 
               c.  Martha Blair: She was born about 1790.  She married William Gilliland.
               d.  William Kelsey Blair: He was born in December, 1794 and died on April 23, 1880 in Abingdon, Virginia.  He married (1) Mary E. Yearsley before 1848.  She was born in January, 1807 and died on March 11, 1855 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  He married (2) Jane Cunningham on January 29, 1856, daughter of Ebenezer John Cunningham and Martha Laird Blair.  She was born on January 22, 1799 in Washington county, Tennessee.
               e.  Margaret Adams Blair: She was born about 1798.
               f.  Elizabeth Davis Blair: She was born about 1800.  She married William Mitchell.
               g.  Robert Laird Blair: He was born in 1802 in Washington county, Tennessee.  He married Martha Roe Cunningham.  He died on May 12, 1885 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  They had the following children:
                    (1.  Samuel Cunningham Blair: He was born on August 18, 1839 and died on April 11, 1914.  He married Sallie Hannah in November, 1903.
                    (2.  John Nelson Blair: He was born in 1842 and died on September 28, 1909.  He married Mollie Embree on June 16, 1868.
                    (3.  Florence Elizabeth Blair: She was born on August 15, 1843.
                    (4.  Ella Jane Blair: She was born on November 1, 1846 and died on September 1, 1919.  She married a Mr. White.
                    (5.  William K. Blair: He was born on August 9, 1847 and died on April 15, 1908.  He married Pauline Turley.
                    (6.  Robert Whitfield Blair: He was born on September 3, 1857 and died on April 1, 1928.  He married Flora Meek White on April 25, 1888.  She was born on August 11, 1867 and died on February 24, 1936.
               h.  John Blair: John was born on September 13, 1790 (possibly August 13th) at Blair's Mill near Jonesborough (now Jonesboro), Washington county, Tennessee.  He was a Congressman prior to 1860.  His politcal record includes:

Democrat
Representative from Tennessee.
Attended Martain Academy.
Graduated from Washington (Tennessee) College in 1809.
Studied law.
Admitted to the BAR in 1813 and practiced.
1815 - 1817: Member of the State House of Representatives.
1817 - 1821: Served in the State Senate.
Elected to the 18th Congress.
Re-elected to the 19th Congress and re-elected as a Jacksonian to the 20th - 23rd Congresses (March 4, 1823 - March 3, 1835).
Chairman, Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State (20th Congress).
Unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1834 to the 24th Congress.
Retired to private life.
1849 - 1850: Again a member of the State House of Representatives.
Resumed the practice of law.

(Another source lists the following information):
1819 - 1823: Member of the Tennessee State Senate.
1823 - 1835: U.S. Representative from Tennessee:
     1823 to 1825: At large
     1825 - 1829: 1st District
     1829 - 1831: 8th District
     1831 - 1835: 1st District
1849 - 1851: Member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives.
Member of the Freemasons.

John Blair married Mary Hamilton Chester in 1812; they had eleven children, one of which was Ann Rebecca Blair who married David Sullins.  John Blair had much to do in procuring pensions for the veterans of the Revolution in Carter county; note the following letter written by John Blair on December 10, 1832:

"I have the pleasure to inform you that our pension claims are now under a course of examination upon principles which I feel willing to acquiesce in.  All the cases which had been decided upon adversely had been handed in by me, and will be examined on the grounds upon which Congress intended to place the applicants, and of their own statement if sustained by character and reputation, provided their accounts of the matter as to time and circumstances agreed with the history of the events to which they refer.  My Carter county cases have been all allowed so far as yet they have been examined, and I mean to let no one finally be rejected  that I think just.  I have taken the test of all the claims from my distrust, and directed  Mr. Edwards to give me each investigated  separately and I will take such course therewith as I think it may need.  Give A.W. Taylor this information, and tell him both of his uncles' claims are allowed.  Yours respectfully,
                                                                               John Blair
                                                             Washington City, Dec. 10, 1832"

John Blair, the Congressman, died on July 9, 1863 in Jonesboro, Tennessee in Washington county.  He is buried in the old cemetery in Jonesboro.

          3.  William Blair: He married Margaret Wallace.  William went to Ohio.
          4.  Robert Blair: Robert went to Tennessee.  He married (1) Jane Steele, and (2) Mary Bean ("Polly").  Robert and Jane Steele had the following children:
               a.  John B. Blair ("Buzzard"): He married Levica Shields.  They had the following children:
                    (1. Montgomery Blair: He married Mary Carson.  They had the following children:
                         (a. Edward R. Blair: He married Hazeltine Naron.  They had the following children:
                              (1). Claude E. Blair: He married Eva Rena Mabry.  They had the following children:
                                   (a). Mable Aline Blair: She married William Gardner.  They had the following children:
                                        (1a). Christine Claire Gardner: She married Glen Howard Sexton.
                    (2. Jane Blair: She married John Blair Vance.  They had the following children:
                         (a. Montgomery Blair Vance: He married Nancy Ann (Dove) Mercer.  They had the following children:
                              (1). John Willett Vance: He married Mabel Fletcher Jones.  They had the following children:
                                   (a). Margaret Vance: She married Elton Webb.
          5.  Brice Blair: He married Mary McCleary.  Brice went to Ohio.  Brice and Mary had the following children:
               a.  Brice Russell Blair: He married Elizabeth Dimmitt.  They had the following children:
                    (1.  John Moses Blair: He married Martha Galbreath.  They had the following children:
                         (a.  Frank Edward Blair: He married Anna Mae Wilkin.  They had the following children:
                              (1).  John Thomas Blair: He married Ethelena Pickerill.  They had the following children:
                                   (a).  Eva Mae Blair: She married Virgil Richey Mays.
          6.  Joseph Blair: He married (1) ? , (2) Jane McCannaha (One source says "McConnalia"), and (3) Agness Montgomery.  Joseph went to Ohio.
          7.  Richard Blair: He married Mary McConnaughy (One source says "McConnalia").  Richard went to Tennessee, then to Ohio with his brothers Brice, William, and Joseph.
          8.  Martha Blair: She was born in 1810 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on December 21, 1889 in Jonesboro, Tennessee (One source says she was born about 1768 in Pennsylvania and died on November 8, 1823 in Washington county, Tennessee).  She married John Ebenezer Cunningham (Some sources say "Ebenezer John Cunningham") about 1796.  He was born in 1768 in Augusta county, Virginia (?) and died on March 5, 1812 in Washington county, Tennessee.  They were a family of devout Calvinist Presbyterians involved with Washington College and the early Presbyterian church of Washington county, Tennessee.  Three of the Cunningham brothers became Presbyterian ministers.  In general, many of the Cunningham daughters married Presbyterian ministers.  Martha Laird Blair Cunningham and Ebenezer John Cunningham had the following children:
               a.  Samuel Blair Cunningham: He was born on October 9, 1797 near Telford, Tennessee (Washington county) and died in 1867 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  He married (1) Lucinda Doak Galbreath on August 18, 1824 in Greene county, Tennessee.  She was born on May 31, 1802 in Greene county, Tennessee and died on May 4, 1844 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  Her parents were James Galbreath and Eleanor Martin.  Samuel Blair Cunningham married (2) Ann Davis Foster on January 22, 1846 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  She was born on November 6, 1810 in Knox county, Tennessee and died on October 21, 1894 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.
               b.  Martha Roe Cunningham: She was born in 1810 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on December 21, 1889 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  She married Robert Laird Blair (who was the son of John Blair and Susannah Kelsey) on November 1, 1838 in Washington county, Tennessee.  He was born in 1802 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on May 12, 1885 in Jonesboro, Tennessee.  They had the following children: Samuel Cunningham Blair, John Nelson Blair, Florence Elizabeth Blair, Ella Jane Blair, William K. Blair, and Robert Whitfield Blair (Note: There is more information on these children under the Robert Laird Blair family earlier in this article).
               c.  Jane Cunningham: She was born on January 22, 1799 in Washington county, Tennessee.  She married (1) Rev. James McLin on May 21, 1821 in Washington county, Tennessee.  He was a prominent Presbyterian minister.  He was born on October 12, 1796 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on May 11, 1848 in Cassville, Bartow county, Georgia (One source says Cass county).  His parents were Alexander McLin and Ann Blair.  Jane Cunningham married (2) William Kelsey Blair on January 29, 1856.  He was born in December 1794 and died on April 23,  1880 in Abingdon, Virginia.  His parents were John Blair and Susannah Kelsey (referred to earlier in this article).
               d.  John Whitfield Cunningham: He was born in 1805 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on February 8, 1874 in Naperville, Illinois.  He married Elizabeth Sevier on October 20, 1831 in Greene county, Tennessee.  She was born on October 13, 1809 in Greene county, Tennessee and died on June 14, 1882 in Naperville, Illinois.  Her parents were Valentine Sevier and Nancy Dinwiddle.
               e.  Alexander Newton Cunningham Sr.: He was born on March 16, 1807 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on September 5, 1878 in Franklin, Williamson county, Tennessee.  He married Margaretta Ann Eason on August 7, 1834 in Washington county, Tennessee.  She was born on July 16, 1817 in Jonesboro, Tennessee and died on March 22, 1877 in Aberdeen, Mississippi.  Her father was John Goodson Eason.
               f.  William Madison Cunningham: He was born on June 9, 1809 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on March 3, 1870 in LaGrange, Troup county, Georgia.  He married (1) Ann Elizabeth Withrow after 1830.  She was born about 1812 in Green Briar, Virginia.  He married (2) Martha J. White.  She was born about 1818 in Virginia.
     J.  Margaret Blair:
     K.  Mary Blair:

VIII.  John Blair Sr.:  He married Jean _________.  He served in the Pennsylvania line during the Revolution.  John Blair Sr. came from Adams county, Pennsylvania to Washington county, North Carolina (now Tennessee) at the time of or shortly after the Revolutionary War.  John and Jean had the following children:
     A.  Martha Blair: She was born in Ireland and died in 1803 in Washington county, Tennessee.  She married (1) _______ Laird, and (2) Lt. John Blair Jr.  He was born in 1737 in Ireland and died in 1799 in Washington county, Tennessee.  Martha and John Blair had the following children:
          1.  Lt. John Blair: He was born in 1758 in Pennsylvania. (Personal note: Double check to see if the info. in red above is repeated earlier in this article).    
     B.  Andrew Blair: He married Jean Dickey.  They had the following children:
          1.  John D. Blair: He married Clarissa Leach.
          2.  George D. Blair: He married Martha McGuire.
          3.  Ephraim Blair: He married Caroline Mellor.
          4.  Andrew Blair Jr.: He married (1) Nancy Sellars, and (2) ?.  He and Nancy had the following children:
               a.  Robert Donnell Blair: He married Josephine Widson.  They had the following children:
                    (1.  Bailey Wilkins Blair: He and his wife had the following children:
                         (a. Yoes Blair.
                    (2. John Insley Blair: He married Viola Conley.
                    (3. Frank Preston Blair: He married Lena Alan.
                    (4. Nancy Blair:
                    (5. Ella Blair: She married Robert C. Garner.
                    (6. Robert Edward Blair: He married Julia Mead May.
                    (7. Emma Blair: She married Nathaniel Skinner.
                    (8. Alice Donnell Blair: She married Frank Marion Andrews.  They had the following children:
                         (a. Joseph Frank Andrews:
               b.  Nancy Blair: She married James Blackshear.
               c.  Tabitha Blair: She married Joel H. Blackshear.
               d.  Calvin C. Blair: He married Ella Tosh; her first husband was a Mr. Whitmer.
               e.  Andrew Blair: He married Martha Reeves (This might have been his second wife).  They had the following children:
                     (1. Sophia Virginia Blair: She married a Mr. Cooke.
          5.  Robert Donnell Blair:
          6.  Thomas Bay Blair: He married Sarah Holmes.
     C.  Thomas Blair: He married Sarah Carnahan.
     D.  Jonathan Blair: He married Sarah Sloss.  He served in the Pennsylvania line in the Revolutionary War.  He came from Adams county, Pennsylvania to Washington county, North Carolina (now Tennessee) during or shortly after the Revolutionary War with his father.  John and Sarah had the following children:
          1.  John Blair: He was a Congressman for fifteen years from East Tennessee.
     E.  Martha Blair: She married John Billingsley.
     F.  Jean Blair: She married William Wright.
     G.  Nancy Blair: She married George Rankin.
     H.  Ann Blair: She was born in 1758 and died in 1829.  She married Alexander McLin. They had the following children: (Note: See info. above regarding Ann Blair family).
          1.  Robert Lynn McLin: He married his cousin, Ann Blair; she was born in 1793 and died in 1861.  Her parents were Lt. John Blair Jr. and his wife, Martha Blair.  (Note: Martha's first husband was a Mr. Laird) (Note: Another source says Ann Blair's mother was Susannah Kelsey).  Robert and Ann had the following children:
               a.  Susan Kelsey McLin: She married Rev. James Doak Tadlock.  His parents were Sevier Tadlock and Mary Blair.  Mary was the daughter of Lt. John Blair and Hannah Carruthers.  J.D. and Susan Tadlock had the following children:
                    (1. Rev. Alexander Doak Tadlock: He married Alice Vance.
                    (2. Susan Tadlock: She married a Mr. Wallace.  They had the following children:
                         (a.  Edwin Vance Tadlock:
                         (b.  James Thornwell Tadlock:

SOURCES:
1. Blair Magazine.  November, 1926 edition (vol. 1, No. 3, page 43). Rev. Hugh Blair Hall article.
2.  Our Kin, page 60.  Also refer to the South Carolina Gazette, page 19.  1732-1775.
3. Blairlin 3 compiled by Preston Groome.
4. Book on Blairs by Charlie Blair.
5. "The Name and Family of Blair".  Roots Research Bureau, Ltd. Business Office: 225 Broadway, Suite 311.  New York, New York 10007.  Manuscript # 238. (copyright 1984).
6. Humphrey Holmes: holmes@deanstreet.demon.co.wk
7. Pam: Pb1226@aol.com
8. The King's Mountain Men (The Story of the Battle with sketches of the American soldiers who took part) by Katherine Keogh White.  Baltimore.  Genealogical Publishing co. Inc. 1985. (pgs. 149-150).  Stephenville Public Library, Texas.
9.  Charles E. Rhodes: Roswell, New Mexico.  88202.  Website on "Blair Family of Van Zandt, Texas".  http://uftree.com/UFT/WebPages/CharlesERhodes/BLAIR/index.htm
10. Marvin Smith Blair letter dated February 25, 1997 containing article on "Blair genealogy" from the East Tennessee Historical Library.
11. Tom Green: Info. on John Calhoun Blair, "Uncle Scalpy".  TBGreen3@prodigy.net
12. Betty Blair Daniel (Samuel Ruth Blair, "Scalpy Blair's brother, is her 4th grandfather).  Refer to: http://genforum.genealogy.com/blair/messages/1417.html
13. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000528 (This source contains info. about Congressman John Blair.  The source lists the following Bibliography: Bloomer, Faye T. "The Legislative Career of John Blair".  Masters Thesis.  East Tennessee State University, 1956.  I have not read this source.
14. Pat Sabin: psabin@bellsouth.net
15. http://patsabin.com/etn/cunningham.html (The Cunningham/ Blair family).

NOTES:
1. Misc. info. regarding James Blair Sr.  There is much confusion as to which man this is.  Below are notes I've found in my research, but am not sure which, if any, apply:

(Note: Could this be the Rev. James Blair "Commissary Blair" who was born in Scotland in 1656 and died on April 18, 1743 at age 88?  He was a missionary to Virginia in 1689.  He married (1) Sarah Harrison, (2) Sarah Archer about 1703, and (3) Mary Wilson about 1720.  See "Our Kin" source at end of this article).  (Note: One source lists a Rev. James Blair, 1655-1743, who had a brother named Archibald.  James was the founder and president of William and Mary College.  Could this be the same James Blair?  Source: Pam: Pb1226@ aol.com).  (Note: Humphrey Holmes is looking for descendants of Commissary James Blair, famous for founding William and Mary College.  He also is a descendant.  Source: holmes@deanstreet: demon.co.wk).  They came to Pennsylvania from either Scotland or Northern Ireland.  They later migrated to Guilford county, North Carolina.  (Research Note: There was a James Blair who was under Colonel McDowell in the Revolutionary War.  On the way to King's Mountain, he was sent ahead to hasten the march of Colonel Cleveland with the men of Wilkes and Surry.  He went thirty miles to Fort Defiance before he met Cleveland and his army advancing.  I'm not sure if this note refers to either James Sr. or James Jr.).

Note: One source states that James had a brother named John Blair; his wife was Jean __________.  (Another view says that John Blair married Martha.  They had a child named John Blair that married Jean).  They had the following children:
A.  Thomas Blair: He married Miss Carnahan.
B.  John Blair: He married his second cousin, Martha Blair.
C.  Jean Blair: He married a Miss Wright.
D.  Martha Blair: She married a Mr. Billingsley.
E.  Andrew Blair: He married a Miss Dickey.
F.  Jonathan Blair: He married a Miss Sloss.
G. Nancy Blair: She married a Mr. Rankin.
James and John Blair's father was possibly William Blair of Ireland.  James and John may have been residents of Pennsylvania and Augusta county, Virginia.