THE LT. JOHN BLAIR ("THE MILLER OF LEESBURG") & JANE (GAMBLE) BLAIR FAMILY:
1749 to 1819 1749/ 59 to 1793
Lt. John Blair Jane Gamble
Connection to this blog's chart: Lt. John Blair ("The Miller of Leesburg") and Jane (Gamble) Blair are the
grandparents of William McCall Blair, who married (1) Mary Ann Kirby and (2) Sarah E. Embry.
Lt. John Blair was born on April 28, 1749 (50?) in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania (One source says Guilford county, North Carolina). He was the son of Hugh Blair Sr. and Mary (Dawson) Blair; they came to Pennsylvania in the summer of 1746 from Ireland. John married Jane Gamble (Jean?) on February 9, 1771 in Guilford county, North Carolina. Jane was born on October 6, 1759 (One source says she was born before October, 1749 in Rowan county, North Carolina; another source says born in 1749 in Guilford county, North Carolina); she died on May 13, 1793 in the town of Jonesborough in Washington county, Tennessee at the age of 43 (if born in 1749).
John migrated to present day Washington county, Tennessee with his brother Hugh Jr. and his uncle Joseph sometime between 1775 and 1784. (Another source says he came with his brother Hugh Jr. and was followed some years later by his uncle James and James' children). He migrated from Guilford county, North Carolina to Washington county before November 13, 1779, when a land grant was executed by his brother Hugh Blair in Guilford county on John's behalf. John Blair received this land grant for fighting in the American Revolution. His family moved to Tennessee to claim this land (Battle of Kings Mountain). The sale of this same grant in August of 1781 is from John Blair (who married Jane Gamble) of Washington county, North Carolina and is witnessed by Hugh Blair. (One source says he came from Washington county to the present site of Loudon about 1790. Other sources say that John Blair migrated to Guilford county, North Carolina before 1771 or about 1776. Another source says that John Blair was a pioneer from South Carolina to Washington county, Tennessee).
John Blair was known as "The Miller of Leesburg" in Washington county, Tennessee. He had a mill on Big Limestone creek in Washington county. This mill later came to be known as "Strain's Mill". (August 5, 1799: John Blair, miller and Joseph Brown to Hugh Blair Jr: 100 acres on Big Limestone. cons: 54 lbs. sig: John Blair, Joseph Brown. wit: Jonathin Harrald). (
Note: Davy Crockett's family lived in the same area: Davy Crockett was born on August 17, 1786 in a small cabin on the banks of the romantic Nolichucky River, near the mouth of Limestone creek, which today lies about 3 1/2 miles off 11-E Highway near Limestone, Tennessee. He was the fifth of nine kids. His parents were John and Rebecca Hawkins Crockett). John fought as a private at the Battle of Kings Mountain in the Revolutionary War. (One source says he was a revolutionary soldier from Maryland). John Blair was also the first commissioner of Leesburg. Six months after his first wife's death, John married a second time to (2) Hannah Caruthers; their wedding was on November 26, 1793 in Washington county, Tennessee. John Blair died on December 17, 1819 (Another source says December 17, 1828 in Jonesborough, Washington county, Tennessee at age of 78) in Washington county, Tennessee (Another source lists death date as June 14, 1855).
The will of John Blair dated November 21, 1819, Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee reads as follows; it was probated in January, 1820:
"In the name of God, Amen.
I, John Blair, of the County of Washington in the State of Tennessee, finding myself in a weak state of body but being sound of mind and memory, and, calling to mind that it is appointed unto all men to die, I do make and ordain, constitute and appoint the following, and none else, to be my last will and testament:
That is to say formally and first of all --
I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of God who gave it, nothing doubting but that I shall again receive the same at the last day by the Almighty Power of God.
I recommend my body to the dust from whence it came to be buried in a descent and Christian-like manner - at the discretion of my executors.
As to such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I do devise, order and dispose of in the manner and form following; that is to say:
First of all, I do allow all my lawful debts to be paid out of my estate. After such payment is made, I allow my beloved wife, Hannah Blair, to have such household furniture, such as beds, covering, all kinds of drapery, wares, etc., and that she have the same at her disposal during her natural life, at the end of which she may dispose of them at her pleasure; and also that she have one horse called Buck and her choice of two cows now on the place.
That the two girls, Polly and Racheal Blair, shall have out of my estate as much as will make them equal to those that are married and gone - that is to say to that that they got when they went away.
After the above reservations are made, it is my will that the whole and balance of my estate be exposed to public sale so as to ascertain the value of the whole amount of the estate and that the money to be equally divided into six equal parts, and that my son Hugh Blair, and my son Thomas Blair have one equal part divided between them - one half each;
That my son, Samuel, have one full part to himself;
That my son, John Blair, have one and one half equal parts to himself;
That my grandson, Josiah Blair, have one half of one equal part;
That the fifth part be equally divided among my five daughters; and that the remaining whole part shall be given to my said wife, Hannah Blair.
The above mentioned sale of the estate is to take place at the discretion of my executors.
From the time Mr. Nelson's time is out at the mill, until such sale shall take place, Josiah Blair is to take the mill into possession and have one third of what he makes from her, the other two thirds to the support of the family, provided my son, John Blair have his grinding fee of toll during the time, on the condition that he assist in keeping the mill in order.
In testimony, that this and no other is my last will and testament, and that I do hereby revoke and disallow all former wills, and testaments that I might have heretofore made and subscribed, and hereby constitute and ordain this, and this only to be my last will and testament.
Witness my hand and seal, this the twenty-first day of November, eighteen hundred and nineteen.
Codicil - I do hereby constitute and appoint William Carmicheal, my son in law, my son John Blair, and my wife Hannah Blair to be my sole executors of this my last will and testament.
John Blair
Signed, sealed and ratified in the presence of us - John Strain, Joseph Nelson, John Robinson".
Washington Co. TN Willbook 1, page 445, 28 April 1820.
(Will was probated January 1820 and one source says on page 126-127, not 445 of Willbook).
John gave his sons, William, James, Samuel, and Hugh land in Roane county, Tennessee where they settled about 1790; the land was Cherokee territory at the time. They established Blair's Ferry soon after 1790. That part of Roane county is now Loudon, Tennessee. Hugh, William, James, and Samuel Blair were the founders of Loudon, Tennessee.
The Children of John "the Miller" & Jane (Gamble) Blair:
I. Rev. Ellison Thomas Blair ("Tom"): He was born on June 6, 1780 in Guilford county, North Carolina (one source says he was born between 1771 and 1774, probably in Guilford county, North Carolina. Another source says he was born in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee). Tom went west, probably to Indiana (according to Goodspeed's history) after a short stay at Blair's Ferry. He was married twice: (1) to a Miss Carson in 1799 in Tennessee and (2) Hannah Stone on May 5, 1802 in Tennessee. Hannah was born on August 14, 1786 and died on January 16, 1857. They lived near Madisonville, Tennessee. Hannah's father was Major Ezekiel Stone; he was a Revolutionary War soldier. (Ezekiel Stone's home for a while was in Indiana, but he came back to Tennessee). (
Note: There is a controversy regarding Hannah Stone: Another source says that Thomas Blair married Hannah Smith. They said she was the daughter of Richard Smith and that she married Thomas on May 5, 1802. They agreed to publicly dissolve their marriag; this appeared in the Newspaper and Washington Advertiser on November 5, 1803. Was Hannah Smith the same person as Hannah Stone or was this an additional wife?). Tom Blair died on October 28, 1866 (One source says he died on October 28, 1868 in Georgetown (Hamilton county), Tennessee. Tom and Hannah had the following children:
A. Ezekiel Stone Blair: He was born on November 15, 1807 in Blount county, Tennessee. He married Jane Henry. They had the following children:
1. Thomas Blair: He was born on July 6, 1836 in Cherokee county, Alabama. He married Nancy E. Newberry in 1868; central Alabama was their home. They had the following children:
a. Samuel Ed Blair: He was born on September 23, 1873 in Cherokee county, Alabama. He married Lela Tatum; they had the following children:
(1. Mary Alice Blair: She was born on June 13, 1904 in Denton county, Texas. She married Gilmer G. Aycock. They had the following children:
(a. Bill W. Aycock: He was born on August 21, 1925 in Lorenzo, Texas. He married Jane Everline.
2. John Spencer Blair: He married Frances C. Morgan.
3. William Pleasant Blair: He married Fannie Andrews.
B. Josiah or Joseph Blair: (
Note: Josiah is mentioned in John "the Miller"'s will). He was born on March 18 (Dec. 23?), 1800 in Virginia (possibly in 1804). He married Jane Taylor ("Jinny" or "Jane"); she was born on January (May?) 18, 1801 in Virginia. She died on October 3, 1862; her age at death was 61 years, 4 months, and 15 days. Her parents were William Taylor and Margaret Carmichael. (
Note: Jane Taylor is an ancestor of Blair Jones of Alabama; he was the founder of the Jones/ Blair paint company). Josiah died on February 20, 1874. They had the following children:
1. Margaret Jane Blair: She died on September 21, 1836 (35?) at the age on one year, one month, and seven days (or 1 year, 10 months, and 27 days). She is buried at Steeke cemetery in Tennessee.
2. James Gamble Blair: He was born on June 26, 1829 in Roane county, Tennessee. He married Margaret Elizabeth Carmichael. They had the following children:
a. Wiley Blair: He was born on March 26, 1865 in Augusta, Georgia. He married Josephine Foster. They had the following children:
(1. Edwin Foster Blair: He was born on November 15, 1901 in Weatherford, Texas. He married Rosemary Kane. They had the following children:
(a. Edwin James Blair: He was born on November 7, 1936 in New York, New York. He married Jean du Pont.
3. Mahala Blair:
4. Sarah Blair:
5. Wiley Blair:
6. Leroy Taylor Blair:
7. John D. Blair:
8. William Taylor Blair:
9. Thomas Joseph Blair:
C. William Wiley Blair:
D. James Anderson Blair ("Anderson"):
E. Ellison Thomas Blair Jr.:
F. Jane Blair:
G. Marion Blair:
H. Katherine Blair:
I. Martha Blair: She did not marry.
J. Mary Blair: She married a Mr. Matthews.
K. Samuel Jefferson Blair:
L. Nancy Louise Blair: She married a Mr. Walker.
II. Hugh Blair ("Lame Hugh"): He was born on January 3, 1774 in Guilford county, North Carolina. He was not married, but died on January 18, 1841 in Loudon county, Tennessee. He is buried in Steeke cemetery. Hugh migrated to Loudon county, Tennessee where he became a co-founder and the first postmaster of Blair's Ferry, which is now Loudon, Tennessee. Hugh was lame as the result of rheumatism in childhood, or present day infantile paralysis. (
Note: The above information about Hugh Blair is based upon J.G.M. Ramsey's book,
Annals of Tennessee, published in 1882). Hugh always made his home with his brother James.
(
Below is another interpretation of Hugh's line based upon Emma M. Well's book,
History of Loudon County, Tennessee):
Hugh Blair was the son of Revolutionary War soldier, John Blair. He was married and had the following children:
A. Polly Blair: She was born on January 5, 1810.
B. Jenny Blair: She was born on November 3, 1811.
C. James Blair: He was born on September 9, 1813.
D. Frankie Blair: He was born on September 27, 1815.
E. Vinson Blair: He was born on January 23, 1819.
F. Betsey Blair: She was born on May 25, 1821.
G. Hugh Blair: He was born on January 11, 1825. (
Note: Is is possible that this man is "lame Hugh"?).
H. Patsy Ann Blair: She was born on June 11, 1831.
III. William R. Blair ("William"): He was born on March 1, 1775 (Tombstone: Aug.?) (One source says August 1, 1775 in Guilford county) possibly in Guilford county, North Carolina (One source says Washington county, Tennessee). He married Sarah Simmons (same as "Aunt Sally" Blair) on December 18, 1803 in Roane county, Tennessee. She was born sometime between 1780 and 1790; she died in 1843 (Another source says 1849). William and Sally lived on a fine river farm about two miles above Loudon on which they raised their family. About 1830, R.M. Edwards was riding behind her to bring her mare back. She was going to Blair's Ferry on the Tennessee river, now known as Loudon, Tennessee. Suggested dates for William's death include December 18, 1825; March 18, 1843 (Tombstone) in Loudon county, Tennessee; and March 16, 1813. (One source says William's wife died six years after William. This would seem to confirm the 1843 date for William if her death date was 1849). He is buried in Steeke cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee. This family migrated to Blair's Ferry, now Loudon, Tennessee; William was one of the co-founders of this town. They had the following children:
A. Racheal Blair: She was born on June 21, (11?), 1805 in Loudon county, Tennessee. She married Simon Eldridge ("Jefferson"; "Jeff") on July 24, 1823 in Roane county, Tennessee. He was born in Roane county in 1805. Rachael and Jeff settled about twenty miles above Chattanooga on a fine river farm. He died in 1842 at Friendship Community, Tennessee. His parents were Jesse Eldridge and Elizabeth Gardenhire. Racheal died in 1885 in Hamilton county, Tennessee. Their children include:
1. Jesse M. Eldridge:
2. Sarah Eldridge:
3. Dollie Eldridge:
4. Elizabeth Eldridge:
5. William Blair Eldridge:
6. John Blair Eldridge:
7. Simeon Eldridge:
8. James Eldridge:
9. Vincent Eldridge:
B. John Blair: He was born on March 31, 1808 in Roane county (later, Loudon county), Tennessee. He married Mary C. Edwards ("Polly"; "Mary"; or "Molly") on March 19, 1833 in Tennessee. She was the only daughter of Edward Edwards. She was born on February 13, 1813 (Tombstone says February 15, 1811) in Virginia. John and Polly settled on a farm south of the Tennessee river, immediately opposite the point where the railroad strikes the river going east from Loudon. Mary C. (Edwards) Blair died on July 20, 1880. John Blair died on June 16, 1875; he and his wife are buried at Steeke cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee. They had the following children:
1. Sally Blair: She married Oscar V. Harrison.
2. Sarah Jane Blair ("Sally"?): She married John Hall of Loudon, Tennessee. (One source says that a daughter, Sally, married Jack Hall, who lives on a farm on the Little Tennessee river. This source also says there were only two children of John and Polly Blair).
3. William Riley Blair: He was a prominent farmer of Loudon county, Tennessee. He occupied the old homestead.
4.
5.
C. Polly Blair: She was born on January 5, 1810. She married Jackson Edwards. She died prior to 1887. (One source says Polly married John B. Edwards who settled in Pond Creek Valley. They raised 8-9 kids, who almost all went west, some to Arkansas, Missouri, Oregon, and Washington.
D. Jennie Blair ("Jane"): She was born on November 3, 1811; she never married. She died on December 12, 1871.
E. James A. Blair: He was born on September 9 (13?), 1813 in Loudon county, Tennessee. He married his cousin, Jane Gamble Blair, about 1832. She was born about 1836 in Loudon county, Tennessee (
Note: Obviously, there is a date error here somewhere since she could not have married her before her birth). She was the daughter of old Sammy Blair. James ("Jim") and Jane Gamble Blair settled on a farm joining John Blair on the river opposite the Browder place. He joined the C.P. Church and became a celebrated minister in that church. James died prior to 1887 (Research Note: Is this the same as: Rev. James Blair, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister who was born on September 13, 1813 and died on March 9, 1871? He married Jane G. Blair; she was born on January 3, 1807 and died on May 14, 1859 at the age of 52 years, 4 months, and 11 days. They are both buried in the Steeke cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee). They had the following children:
1. Alazanah Blair:
2. William Aston Blair:
3. Samuel Tate Blair:
4. James H.H. Blair:
5. John Nicholson Blair:
6. George Blair:
F. Frances Blair ("Franklin"; "Frankey"): She was born on September 27, 1815 (16?) and died prior to 1887. She married George (or James) Pomeroy Carmichael in 1834; he was born on January 23, 1812 and died in 1888. He and Frankey settled on the lower end of Tellico Plains. His second marriage was to (2) Elizabeth Mary Henderson. He had a good farm at Tellico Plains, Tennessee. He lived at one time in Monroe county, Tennessee. Later, he moved to Montana, Missouri. They had the following children:
1. Margaret Elizabeth Carmichael: She was born on August 14, 1841. She married James Gamble Blair
G. Vincent Blair: He was born on January 23, 1819 in Loudon county, Tennessee. He married Mary Huston (or Houston) Grigsby on February 16, 1845 in Monroe county, Tennessee. She was born on April 1, 1822 in Tennessee. They resided in Texas prior to 1887. She died on February 17, 1891 in Rusk county, Texas. Vincent died on August 4, 1902 in Rusk county, Texas. They had the following children:
1. Ann Blair:
2. Mary E. Blair:
3. Hannah Josephine Blair: She was born on December 13, 1852 in Rusk county, Texas. She married Charles Drury Wood.
4. James Blair:
5. Columbia Blair:
6. Laura Houston Blair:
7. John Houston Blair:
H. Hugh S. Blair: He was born on January 2, 1825 in Loudon county (Roane county?), Tennessee. He married Sarah Elizabeth Grigsby about 1844 and then went to Texas. They resided in Texas prior to 1887. She was born on December 15, 1825 in Monroe county, Tennessee. She died in Rusk county, Texas on April 23, 1906. Hugh died on May 13, 1891 in Rusk county, Texas. They had the following children:
1. Charles Blair ("Billy Joe"):
2. America Blair ("Mecky"):
3. Tennessee Blair:
4. Sarah Margaret Blair: She was born on April 11, 1852 in Rusk county, Texas. She married John Henry Whitley.
5. Hugh Grigsby Blair:
6. Mary Caroline Blair:
I. Patsy Ann Blair: She was born on June 11, 1831. She died prior to 1887.
J. Elizabeth Blair ("Betsy"): She married Andrew Allen ("Andy"), who died before 1887. Andy Allen followed the saddler's trade in Philadelphia until about 1860, when he bought a farm north of town where he died many years later. He left a widow and a respectable family of children. Betsy resided in Loudon, Tennessee in 1887.
K. Jane Gamble Blair: She was born on January 3, 1807 in Loudon, Roane county, Tennessee. She married Rev. James A. Blair. (
Note: Another source lists Jane Gamble Blair as a child of Samuel Blair and Ann Rodgers).
(
Misc. note: One source thought that William's fourth son could be Samuel, Alamo defender).
IV. Rev. James Blair: He was born in 1777, possibly in Guilford county, North Carolina (Other sources say Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee). He married Jane Carmichael ("Jennet" or "Jane") about 1798 - 99 in Washington county, Tennessee. She was born on January 11, 1775 (Her family was also an east Tennessee pioneer family. She was the daughter of John T. Carmichael and Isabella Pomeroy). She died and was buried on March 26, 1841 in Loudon, Loudon county, Tennessee; she has a tombstone on her grave at the Steeke cemetery in Loudon, Tennessee. James died on November 6, 1826 in Roane county, Tennessee (Other sources list death dates as 11/18/1826; 11/18/1823; 6/18/1858; one source lists his death in Loudon county, Tennessee at age 49). He was buried in the Steeke cemetery the next day in Loudon county next to his wife. This family migrated to Roane county, Tennessee where, with some of his brothers, founded Blair's Ferry, now known as Loudon, Tennessee. Three Blair brothers went to Loudon county, Tennessee in about 1838 and ran a family ferry for over 100 years. Blair's Ferry was kept by James Blair; it consisted only of a steamboat landing, a store, and a few houses. James and Jane remained in the vicinity of Blair's Ferry, where they accumulated considerable property and many slaves. James Blair was eulogized in his obituary in the Knoxville Enquirer on November 22, 1826. It was lengthy; it said that seven of his children survived him and that he was an upright and honest man. He operated a ferry on the Tennessee river at Blair's Ferry (Blair's Landing) for years.
Information regarding "Blair's Ferry":
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BLAIR'S FERRY IN LOUDON, TENNESSEE (on Tennessee River)
(Image came from article written by Austin Kirkland) |
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| Blair's Ferry, July 20, 1940 |
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| Blair's Ferry, 1941 |
Tom Green stated that "James Blair along with three of his sons built and were owners of Blair's Ferry. The land, the buildings, and the ferry were part of the lawsuit with the Cherokee Indian, "Path Killer". The Blairs eventually won the court battle".
James Blair and his family had been controlling traffic across the Tennessee River since 1817. They owned and operated the ferry which continued operation until the river bridge in Loudon, Tennessee was made a free bridge in 1947 (state law eliminated the tolls from the highway bridges next to the ferry; toll bridges had brought keen competition to the ferrymen for the last fifteen years of the ferry's use). Blair's ferry at Loudon and Niles ferry at Vonore, on major highways moving north and south, were carrying troops and wagons across the Tennessee river at Loudon and the Little Tennessee river upstream during the War of 1812. Sam Blair, 58 year old boss of the abandoned ferry had operated his ferry for the past 22 years.
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| Blair's Ferry, 1941 |
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| Blair's Ferry, 1941 |
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| Blair's Ferry Paddle Wheel |
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The Old Historical Blair's Ferry in Loudon, Tennessee
The Ferry served local and traveler's needs in crossing the Tennessee
River until the freeing of Loudon's toll bridge.
(Source: The Loudon County Herald, Thursday, July 1, 1976 |
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BLAIR'S FERRY LANDING IN LOUDON, TENNESSEE
Loudon county citizens walking on the frozen Tennessee River on January 28, 1940.
This was the only time in history of Loudon county that the river froze to an extent
that cars were driven across and the Ferry was out of service until a channel could
be cut through the ice.
(Source: Lenoir City News-Banner. Loudon County Centennial Edition. Sect. G) |
The ferry and road had been in the family since his great-grandfather, John Blair, wrestled it from Indian chief, Path Killer back in 1833. The court battle lasted 16 years and fills courthouse records at Kingston and Knoxville. Chief Pathkiller, a Cherokee brave, was ceded the land by the United States for his participation in the War of 1812 and his feat of taking three Creek warriors in the battle of Horseshoe Bend. Pathkiller, say records in the Roane county courthouse at Kingston, once sold the 640-acre reservation and ferry landing for
$ 300.00 and three slaves. The Indian was either a poor businessman or was born 100 years too soon because the Blairs in 1929 took in $ 73, 541.87 in ferry revenues alone! John Blair and James Johnston bought the land later from Tennessee and substantiated their claim through the 16 year court battle that was finally settled before the State Supreme Court in Knoxville in 1833.
"When the Loudon bridge was built in 1929", said Sam Blair, "it ruined our ferry business. (Note: Sgt. York, of World War I fame was the guest speaker when the bridge was built over the river, which slowly replaced Blair's Ferry). We took in more than $ 73, 000.00- but in 1931 our revenues dropped to
$ 38, 000.00. We had a corporation then with 14 stockholders. But as business grew worse, we dissolved and formed a partnership with only 11 owners. Along came the war and gas rationing and we hit bottom. We took in only $ 5, 588.38 in 1946. Business, though, was already on the downgrade. In 1935 our ferry money was only $ 19, 064.00".
Path Killer was chugging wagons across the river as early as 1819. Path Killer had a large family that lived on the bank of the Tennessee river to the left of the road leading down to the ferry in some little log cabins. He chose not to go west when the Hiwassee Purchase was made in 1819, but took a Reservation of 640 acres of land instead and remained on it until about 1831. John Blair liked to tell about his innovations regarding the ferry. When the bridge came along and offered competition to the ferry, Mr. Blair thought of a coupon idea. He'd sell a book of coupons so cheap that a car with a dozen passengers in it could cross for 12 and a half cents. Straight price for a car was 20 cents. The state countered with its own coupons, selling a $ 5.00 ticket for $ 2.50, and thereby cutting the cost in half. But the ferries were still cheaper because they didn't charge for extra passengers and the toll bridges did, getting 25 cents straight cash and five cents for each additional occupant. TVA dams upstream caused strong currents when water was released and this played havoc with the ferries. "The waves stopped us from operating plenty of times, " said Mr. Blair. "I once thought that was all that could ever keep us from crossing - but I guess I was wrong". He patted his faithful tug, Katherine, and went home to his farm. Niles Ferry, about a mile from historic Fort Loudon, stopped operating three weeks earlier due to the strong currents; this ferry was well over 100 years old.
Source: An Encyclopedia of East Tennessee, Edited by Jim Stokely and Jeff D. Johnson (pages 401-402). "On June 4, 1837, the directors entered into a contract with Kennedy Lonergren for the grading of the roadbed from Calhoun on the Hiwassee river to Blair's Ferry (now Loudon) on the Tennessee river, a distance of 41 1/2 miles. John C. Trautwine of Pennsylvania was chosen as the Chief Engineer and he directed the location and surveying of the roadbed. The grading commenced at a point two miles below the town of Athens. This was the first actual construction work done on a railroad in Tennessee.
Note: The Hiwassee Railroad, chartered in 1836, reorganized in 1848 as the East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, and merged in 1894 into the Southern Railway Company was the first railroad put under construction in Tennessee.
October, 1842: A bridge had been built over the Hiwassee River at Calhoun. The road bed and bridge were used as a toll free turnpike during a four year investigation. The company was reorganized on January 1, 1847. Many financial struggles through the process, but the McMinn county citizens came through with money to complete the line from Calhoun to Blair's Ferry (now Loudon). The railroad reached the Mouse Creek area (now Niota) in February, 1852. After bridge construction over the Tennessee river at Loudon, the first train arrived in Knoxville in mid June, 1855.
James Blair had a dispute with Indian chief, Pathkiller, over land. (
Note: The following information comes from the Roane county, Tennessee Cherokee reserves of 1817 - 1819: Pathkiller: native; five persons in family. Reservation # 165; June 14, 1819; on the main Tennessee River about 2 and a half miles above the mouth of Sweetwater creek - there is a ferry on the place). (
Note on Blair's Ferry storehouse: Also known as "Path Killer's storehouse" or "Old Arp store". Built in 1834 by James Blair and is the last group of buildings that originally occupied Loudon's waterfront. This building is the building which was at the heart of the legal battle between James Blair and the Cherokee Indian named Pathkiller in 1834. This is now a historical site).
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Blair's Ferry Storehouse in Loudon, Tennessee (front)
Also known as "Path Killer's storehouse" or "Old Arp Store" |
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Blair's Ferry Storehouse in Loudon, Tennessee (back)
Also known as "Path Killer's storehouse" or "Old Arp Store" |
The following is an e-mail received by Billy Blair on November 24, 2001 by Dene Arp Williams:
"My name is Dene Arp Williams, and The old Brick building called Arp Building in Loudon was where I was born in 1939 Wesley Arp had it then my grandfather. The building used to belong to the Blairs. I was trying to find something from Loudon on my Grandparents Wesley and Mintie L. Arp when I ran across this. The Old Ferry in Loudon My Mama used to take us kids across to pick black berries to make Jelly. I have only one Aunt left from the Arp side but lots of memories from that old brick building. It's been sold a coupel times sence My aunt had the place however The old brick building is steel there. I have lots of pitchers of the building. I wouldn't mind a few of the old ferry and bridge, and the house to the address was and is 800 main st. Loudon Tn. The Brick was also a calvery place do you happen to know what else? Thank You".
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| Blair's Ferry Storehouse on National Registry |
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National Registry Certificate for
Blair's Ferry Storehouse. |
James and Jennet had the following children:
A. John B. Blair: (Note: I have tombstone photo). He was born on July 19, 1800 in Roane county, Tennessee (one source says Loudon county). He married (1) Elizabeth H. Johnson (or Johnston) ("Betsy" or "Elizabeth") on March 27 (29?), 1827 in Roane county.
(Note: I have tombstone photo). She was born on June 25, 1808 and died on November 14, 1845 in Loudon county, Tennessee. They located on the farm later owned by his son, Dr. J.L. Blair. John Blair was an officer in the State militia and was for many years a Justice of the Peace. John died on January 18, (15?), 1858 (57?) in Loudon county, Tennessee (One source says he was 57 years old); he is buried in Steeke cemetery in Tennessee. They had the following children:
1. Dr. James Thomas Blair: He was born in 1828 and was the eldest child in the family. He was educated chiefly at Hiwassee College. In 1852, he attended the Union Medical College of New York and since this time has practiced medicine in this locality. He married Margaret L. Barkley (a native of Jonesborough) in 1853. She died on January 5, 1871. They had the following children:
a. (son)
b. (son)
c. (daughter)
d. (daughter) who died prior to 1887.
e. (daughter) who died prior to 1887.
Dr. J.T. Blair's second marriage was to Mrs. Lucy A. (George) Osborn in 1872. She was a native of Blount county, Tennessee. They had the following children:
a. (son)
b. (son)
c. (daughter)
d. (daughter)
e. (daughter)
f. (daughter)
2. Jane T. Blair:
3. William W. Blair:
4. Dr. Hugh A. Blair: He was in Wilson county, Tennessee in 1887.
5. Mary J. Blair:
6. Nancy J. Blair:
7. John J. Blair: (Research Note: Is this the same as Judge John J. Blair, who was born on January 3, 1868 and died on November 14, 1936? His wife was Adaline Rodgers, who was born on July 27, 1871 and died on February 5, 1898. Both are buried at Steeke cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee).
8. George M. Blair:
9. Elizabeth A. Blair:
10. Martha E. Blair (Martha
A. or Mattie A.): She was in Washington county, Tennessee in 1867. She married George W. St. John on May 10, 1866 in Loudon, Tennessee; their children included:
a. Frank B. St. John:
b. James T. St. John:
c. Lena M. St. John:
George and Martha are Methodists of the Southern branch.
Note regarding G.W. St. John: He was born in Smyth county, Virginia on July 29, 1832. He was the son of Berry and Hannah (Dungan) St. John. Berry St. John was born in Campbell county, Virginia on December 18, 1793. He was the son of George St. John, of Scotch-Irish origin. The father was an extensive farmer and died at the age of 76, a member of the Baptist church. The mother was born in October, 1800 in Smyth county, Virginia. She was the daughter of John Duncan. She died at age 76, also a Baptist. G.W. St. John is one of eight sons and five daughters. He was reared in Smyth county, Virginia with country advantages and has always been a successful farmer. He lost much that he had gained by trading through the war, but has since recovered all. He later lived near Carter Depot, Tennessee.
11. Eliza C. Blair:
(Note: Two of John Blair's infant daughters died; probably two of the children listed above).
John B. Blair's second wife was (2) Elizabeth Scales; she died on February 23, 1868.
Note regarding Steekee Cemetery in Loudon, Tennessee: Several Blair family members are buried in this cemetery. Dene Williams, who lives in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, graciously gathered a great deal of information regarding Blair's Ferry, the old Arp House, and Steekee cemetery and sent it to me. Much of the information regarding these areas is a result of her (and her contacts) work as well as the research of Robin Kline.
 |
Simple map of Steekee Cemetery in
Loudon, Tennessee |
 |
STEEKEE CEMETERY IN LOUDON, TENNESSEE
(Blair graves located in distant background)
(Image by Dene Williams) |
 |
Close up of a portion of Steekee Cemetery
Loudon, Tennessee (Image by Dene Williams) |
 |
Road dividing Steekee Cemetery.
Loudon, Tennessee (Image: Dene Williams) |
B. Isabel (Isabella) Blair: She was born on July 6, 1801 (2?) in Roane county, Tennessee and died on February 16 (15?), 1832 in Loudon county, Tennessee at age 29. She was buried on the 16th in Steeke cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee. She married Samuel Prator (Prater) or Proctor Prator on September 8, 1819 in Roane county, Tennessee (He was 18 years old on the 1850 census.
C. William Wiley Blair ("William" or "Wiley"): (He was # 9, 500 on the 1850 census). Robin Kline says: Wiley was born on February 19, 1813 and died on August 2, 1854. His son William Wiley was born on January 14, 1851. He married
Frankie Mary Browder (or Mary Frankie Browder) on February 24, 1881. They had the following children:
1. Elizabeth Clementine Blair ("Bessie"): She was born on March 19, 1883 in Loudon, Tennessee. She married William Lowry Kline II in Loudon county, Tennessee on September 10, 1905. William Kline II was the son of William Lowry Kline ("Bud") and Margaret Josephine Hall ("Maggie"). William Kline II was born on July 31, 1879. William and Bessie made their home on the Kline farm, which had been in the family since the mid 1800's. William and Bessie had five children.
 |
William Wiley Blair & Mary Frankie Browder tombstone.
Steekee Cemetery in Loudon, Tennessee
(Photo by Dene Williams) |
Their daughter Bessie is Robin Kline's husband's grandmother.
 |
Elizabeth Clementine Blair ("Bessie")
Daughter of William Wiley Blair & Mary Frankie Browder |
William Wiley died on January 5, 1925. Bessie's husband, William Lowry Kline II, was a Tennessee Riverboat captain. he died on April 12, 1933 when he fell into the paddle and broke his back. (
Source: Robin Kline's husband's great, great grandfather).
He was born on February 13 (14?), 1803 in Roane county, Tennessee (One source says "Wiley" Blair was born on February 19, 1813 in Roane county, Tennessee). His first wife was (1) Martha F. Johnston; they were married on March 3, 1843. He married (2) Elizabeth Taylor; she was born on April 10, 1805 and died on April 2, 1880 in Loudon county, Tennessee. She is buried in the Steeke cemetery in Loudon, Tennessee (
Note: I have tombstone photo). Her parents were Colonel Leroy Taylor (Revolutionary soldier) and Margaret Carmichael. Elizabeth was 45 years old on the 1850 census. William died on January 1, 1865 in Loudon county, Tennessee at the age of 61. He was buried the next day at Steeke cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee. (
Note: Another source says that William, also called Wiley, was the second child. He married Martha Johnson. In 1851, he laid out the town of Blairsville, part of the present city of Loudon, Tennessee. He was the grandfather of Mrs. Sally (O.V.) Harrison on her mother's side. Is this the same William with another wife? Is it his brother, Wiley? How do these notes fit?).
(Research note: Where does Frankie M. Browder fit in with the other two wives?). William and Elizabeth had the following children:
1. Margaret J. Blair:
2. James W. Blair:
3. Sarah J. Blair:
4. Martha A. Blair:
D. Mary Elizabeth Blair ("Betsy"): She was born on February 16, 1805 in Roane county, Tennessee and died on February 23, 1868 at age 63 in Van Zant county, Texas. She was married to (1) Dr. Josiah Scates (or Scales) on December 17, 1825 in Roane county, Tennessee. Joseph was born in Roane county, Tennessee in 1803 and died on October 28, 1839 in Philadelphia, Loudon county, Tennessee at age 36. They had the following children:
1. Joseph Calvin Scates: He was born on October 22, 1826.
2. George Washington Scates: He was born on January 14, 1829 in Tennessee. He is buried at the Old Langford cemetery in Myrtle Springs, Texas. He married Sarah Ann Daniel in Canton, Van Zant county, Texas on December 12, 1858. Sarah was born in Paintsville, Johnson county, Kentucky on November 25, 1840. She died on January 22, 1897 in Flat Prairrie, Kaufman county, Texas at age 56. She was buried two days later at Dry Creek cemetery in Kaufman, Texas. They had the following children:
a. Homer Holmes Scates: He was born on September 16, 1873 in Van Zant county, Texas. He died on September 23, 1943 in Kirkland, Childress county, Texas at age 70. He was buried at Kirkland cemetery in Kirkland, Texas. He married Alice Retha Vickery in Van Zant county, Texas on February 6, 1895. They had the following children:
(1. Dorothy Lee Scates: She married Horace Walter Rhodes; they had the following children:
(a. Homer Allen Rhodes:
(b. Jearl Lee Rhodes:
(c. Charles Edward Rhodes:
3. James H. Scates: He was born in Tennessee in 1830. He married Mahala J. Wiley on March 30, 1847.
4. William T. Scates: He was born in 1832 in Tennessee.
5. John W. Scates: He was born in 1834 in Tennessee.
6. Isabella Jane Betsy Scales: She was born in 1835 in Tennessee.
E. Allen M. Blair ("Allen"): He was born on March 25 (November 9th?), 1807 in Roane county (Loudon county), Tennessee. He died on March 20, 1882 (One source says he died on July 7, 1883 at age 75) in Van Zant county, Texas. He was buried on July 8, 1883 in the Blair-Bundy cemetery in Van Zant county. He married Cinderella (Sinda Rilah) Parker on August 25, 1835 in Loudon county, Tennessee; they had the following children:
1. Martha Isabella Blair: She was born on January 23, 1852 in Van Zant county, Texas. She married Jeptha Tolliver Thompson.
F. Mahala Blair: She was born on January 8, 1810 in Loudon county, Tennessee and died on December 9th (or February, 1811) the same year.
G. Hugh Blair: (
Note: I have tombstone photo). He was born on April 16, 1811 in Roane county, Tennessee. He married (1) Nancy B. Johnson ("Nancy"); she was born on May 10, 1815 and died on April 21, 1879 (1859?; age at death was 63 years, 11 months, and 11 days) in Loudon county, Tennessee (
Note: I have tombstone photo). He married (2) Kate Eldridge on September 6, 1865 in Loudon county, Tennessee. Hugh died on August 3 (8?), 1883 in Loudon county, Tennessee. They are both buried in Steekee cemetery in Loudon county.
H. Wiley Blair: (
Note: I have tombstone photo). He was born on February 19, 1813 in Loudon, Tennessee (or Roane county, Tennessee) and died on August 2, 1854 in Tennessee at age 41; he was buried the next day. He married Mary M. Johnston on April 4, 1843 in Loudon county, Tennessee; she was born in 1824 in Tennessee and died on December 14, 1863 (age at death was 42 years, 6 months, and 4 days) in Loudon county, Tennessee (
Note: I have tombstone photo) (Another source says he married Fannie Fatsonia Johnson). Wiley and Mary are both buried in the Steekee cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee. In 1851, Wiley laid off a town covering a portion of the present site of Loudon (as of 1887) and named it "Blairsville". He failed to sell any lots; other people bought the land, had it re-surveyed, and named it "Loudon". They had the following children:
1. James M. Blair: He was born on January 17, 1844; he lived in Loudon. He died on November 25, 1920 and is buried in Steekee cemetery in Loudon (
Note: I have tombstone photo).
2. Mary J. Blair:
3. Rachel E.C. Blair: She died prior to 1887.
4. Laura J. Blair: She was born on March 30, 1846 and died on November 15, 1913. She married William R. Blair of Loudon county, Tennessee. He was born on April 12, 1836 and died on September 1, 1911. They had the following children:
a. James W. Blair: He was born on September 13, 1883 and died on April 14, 1909.
b. John Wiley Blair: He was born on June 10, 1883 and died when he was one year, 3 months old.
5. William Wiley Blair: He was born on January 14, 1851; he died on January 5, 1925 and is buried in the Steekee cemetery in Loudon county, Tennessee. He married
Frankie M. Browder. They had the following children:
a. (daughter)
b. (daughter)
c. (daughter)
(NOTE TO SELF: CORRECT THE POSITION OF "FRANKIE M. BROWDER" IN THIS POST).
6. H.E.F. Blair: He was born in 1854. He married Martha K. Eldridge. They have the following children:
a. (son)
b. (son)
c. (daughter)
d. (daughter)
I. Jane Jennie Blair ("Jane" or "Jinny"): She was born and died on July 29 (25?), 1815 in Tennessee.
V. John Blair Jr.: He was born on April 29, 1783 in North Carolina (maybe on the 20th; maybe in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee). He married Margaret McCall ("Peggy") on January 22, 1811 in Washington county, Tennessee. He went to Alabama about 1828. (
Note: Regarding the death of John Blair Jr.: In
Blairlin III by Preston Groome, it states that John Blair Jr. died on January 15, 1858 in Roane county, Tennessee. This contradicts information in John Blair Jr. article that states that his death was in 1870). John and Peggy had the following children:
A. Jane Gambel Blair ("Jane"): She was born on August 8, 1812; she married Singleton Smith.
B. Martha Elizar Blair ("Martha"): She was born on January 18, 1814; she married Jonathan W. Whitesides.
C. John Stewart Blair: He was born on December 10, 1815.
D. Margaret S. Blair: She was born on August 21, 1818; she married Cornelius McIvage.
E. Mary Ann Blair ("Nancy"): She was born on March 8, 1821 in Alabama. She married Andrew Jackson Young.
F. Margary M. Blair ("Margary"): She was born on June 2, 1823; she married A.J. Black.
G. Elizabeth Ann Blair: She was born on October 6, 1825; she married Simon Post.
H. William McCall Blair: He was born on March 30, 1828; He married (1) Mary Ann Kirby and (2) Sarah E. Embry ("Sallie").
VI. Samuel Blair: he was born on September 5, 1775 (1785?), possibly in Washington county, North Carolina (One source says 1784 in North Carolina). He married Ann Rodgers (Rogers) ("Fannie") on August 18, 1803 in Roane county, Tennessee. She was born on April 12, 1784 and died on June 1, 1845 in Loudon county, Tennessee; she is buried in the Steekee cemetery in Loudon, Tennessee. Samuel died on October 10, 1850 (1854?) in Loudon county, Tennessee; he is buried in Steekee cemetery (
Note: I have tombstone photo). This family migrated to Loudon county, Tennessee; Samuel was a co-founder of Blair's Ferry, now called Loudon, Tennessee. Samuel and Ann had the following children:
A. Elizabeth Blair ("Betsy"): She was born on July (March?) 8, 1804 in Roane county, Tennessee. She married Hiram Haskins, who was born in 1796 in Virginia. They had the following children:
1. David Hugh Haskins: He was born on January 9, 1846 in Monroe county, Tennessee. He married Polina Copher.
B. Thomas Rogers Blair: He was born on July 7, 1814. He married Athalinda (Arbuthlinda?) Martin, who was born about 1815 in Roane county, Tennessee. They had the following children:
1. Matilda Blair:
2. Eliza J. Blair:
3. Elizabeth T.A. Blair:
4. Lusina D. Blair:
5. Samuel Blair:
C. Samuel Blair II: He was born on April 28, 1820 in Tennessee. He married Susan Elizabeth Porter, who was born on February 1, 1825 in Virginia. They had the following children:
1. Jenny Laura Blair:
D. Jane Gamble Blair: She was born on January 3, 1807 in Tennessee. She married James A. Blair (
Note: Another source lists her as a child of William Blair and Sarah Simmons).
Samuel Blair's second wife was (2) Cynthia Earnest Axley. They were married about 1845. His third wife was (3) Patricia Tall; they were married in 1845.
VII. Jane Blair ("Jean"): She was born on October 6, 1787 (1781?; 1786?) in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. She married Archibald Carmichael about 1804/ 1805 in Jonesboro. Jane died on August 5, 1850 in Carmichael Township in Cherokee, Texas.
(
Note: Archibald's parents were John Carmichael and Isabell Pomeroy. John was born on January 19, 1736 in Cumberland, Valle county, Pennsylvania. He married Isabell in the same township about 1760. She was born in 1740 in Roxbury, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania; she died in March of 1799. They both died in Washington county, Tennessee where they had migrated to many years before. There is a will on file in Washington county, Tennessee for John Carmicle dated February 27, 1799, probated May Sessions 1799 which names his wife Isabella and children: James, Mary Moore, Jenny, Margaret, George Pumry Carmichael, Archibald, Daniel, and David. There are also marriage records for: John Carmichael to Mary Spars; and Isabella Carmichael to Samuel Spears dated December 25, 1852).
Archibald was born on September 7, 1783 in Pennsylvania and died in 1818 or 1819 in Memphis, Shelby county, Tennessee. Jane died in October 1849 in Carmichael Township, Cherokee county, Texas. She is buried in the old Griffin cemetery in Cherokee county, Texas; the marker reads, "Jean B. Carmichael. Daughter of a Revolutionary War soldier. D.A.R. Emblem. placed by the Wm. Elliott Chapter. Palestine, Texas". She left some descendants in Texas. They had the following children:
A. John Carmichael: He was a Revolutionary War soldier. He settled in Leesburg, North Carolina before it became Tennessee. He married Isabel Pomeroy. They had the following children:
1. Archibald Carmichael: He was married and had the following children:
a. Archibald Carmichael: He was born on April 4, 1819 in Tennessee and died on August 15, 1896 in Texas. (
Note: Archibald Carmichael was in the second group of people who came from Knox county, Tennessee; these were groups organized by Thomas Bell and his wife, Eleanor Tillery. Bell, when he reached northeast Cherokee county, Texas, looked over the area on John Engledow's survey, bought hogs and cattle from his neighbor, George W. Stone, and purchased 644 acres of the land. The second group traveled in Bell's covered wagon called "Old Buncombe". It was pulled by a six-mule team; they arrived at Bell's newly built log cabin on Christmas Eve in 1849, making the trip in six weeks. In 1854, Archibald with William A. Pope, purchased 2/3rds of thirty acres of the Bell survey for a township they named "Knoxville", in honor of their home in Tennessee. The land had earlier been deeded to Thomas Norman. (Source of this information: Article called
Knoxville to Texas by Jack & Jean Carmichael).
B. William Carmichael: He was born on April 4, 1813 in Leesburg, Washington county,Tennessee. He married Isabella Martin ("Belle") on March 1, 1851 in Mt. Pleasant, Texas in Titus county. She was born on November 23, 1826 in Washington county, Tennessee and died on September 23, 1882 in the town of West in McLennan county, Texas. (Note: Isabella Martin Carmichael's parents were John Martin, born 1775 Tennessee and died 1853 Texas, and Nancy Taylor, born 1788 Virginia and died 1867 Texas). William died on April 14, 1875 in Bold Springs, McLennan county, Texas. They had the following children:
1. John Blair Carmichael: He was born on October 3, 1855 in Cherokee county, Texas and died on August 7, 1932 in Whitney Hill, Texas. He married Amelia Ann Webster in McLennan county, Texas.
VIII. Mary Ann Dawson Blair: She was born on July 2, 1789 in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. She died in childhood about 1802.
John Blair had a second wife named (2) Hannah Caruthers; they were married on November 26, 1793 in Washington county, Territory of the U.S. south of the river Ohio (now Tennessee). Robert Martin performed the ceremony. (Source: Washington county, Tennessee Marriages. Vol. O, page 119). Hannah was from Staunton, Virginia (Note: George Biddle says she was born either in North Carolina or in Abingdon, Virginia). Hannah's parents were James Carruthers and Jane Fleming. John and Hannah had four daughters; they were all born, married, and died in Washington county or in the vicinity of Bristol,
Virginia/ Tennessee.
The Children of John Blair & Hannah (Caruthers) Blair:
I. Mary Blair ("Polly"): She was born on November 29, 1799 in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. She married Sevier Tadlock on September 14, 1820 in Greene county, Tennessee. Sevier Tadlock's mother, Jane Blair, was a cousin of Mary's father. She died on August 11, 1879 in Greene county, Tennessee. Mary and Sevier are buried in the old Providence Presbyterian cemetery on Carson creek in Greene county, near the Washington county border. They have the following children:
A. Rev. James Doak Tadlock: He married Susan Kelsey McLin (McLinn). They 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:
3. Robert McLinn Tadlock:
(Note: One source says there was another Mary Blair who died in 1798).
B. John Blair Tadlock:
C.
(Note: There were probably other children in this family).
II. Rachel Blair: She was born on July 10, 1802 in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. Her first husband was Hugh Vance; they married on August 16, 1829 in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. He was born on April 24, 1807 and died about 1839. The family lived in Knox county, Tennessee until after 1838, then migrated to Iowa (IA). Her second husband's name is not known. Rachel died on March 10, 1871 in Decatur, Decatur county, Louisiana (Iowa?). She is buried at the Oak Hill cemetery in Grand River, Louisiana. They had the following children:
A. John Blair Vance: He was born on October 5 (May 10?), 1830 in Knox county, Tennessee. He married Jane Blair on March 24, 1860 in Washington county, Tennessee. She was born on November 16, 1823 in Washington county, Tennessee. She died about 1901. John died on December 30, 1905 in Washington county, Tennessee. They had the following children:
1. Racheal Sheloy Vance:
2. Montgomery Blair Vance: He was born on March 29, 1865 in Washington county, Tennessee. He married Nancy Ann Mercer.
B. William Vance: He was born on May 10, 1832 in Knox county, Tennessee. He died on February 8, 1922 in Lookeba, Oklahoma. His first marriage was to Ellen Westerfeild. They were married on October 10, 1862 in Iowa. She was born in 1848 and died in 1883. They had the following children:
1. James Henry Vance:
2. John Edgar Vance:
3. George Arthur Vance:
4. Lorenzo Wesley Vance:
5. (infant son)
6. Edwin William Vance:
7. Emily Elna Vance:
8. Ernest Everett Vance:
9. Francis Vance:
10. Joseph Ben Vance:
William Vance's second marriage was to (2) Hannah Halloway. They were married on October 10, 1885 in Kansas. She was born in 1844 and died in 1906; they had no children.
C. Lucinda Vance: She was born on September 29, 1833 in Knox county, Tennessee. She died on July 10, 1840 in Washington county, Tennessee.
D. James Vance: He was born on December 26, 1835 in Knox county, Tennessee.
E. Hannah Eliza Vance: She was born on March 7, 1837 in Knox county, Tennessee. She married Henry Stanley in 1860 in Decatur county, Iowa. He was born in 1836 and died in 1921. She died on May 29, 1905 in Decatur county, Iowa. They had the following children:
1. Luin Stanley:
2. Mary Stanley:
3. Wendell Stanley:
4. Racheal Stanley:
5. Emma Stanley:
6. Ida May Stanley:
7. Martha Anna Stanley:
8. Selby Stanley:
9. Bertha Stanley:
F. Hugh W. Vance: He was born on December 27, 1838 in Knox county, Tennessee. He married Nancy Emeline Noftsger on September 9, 1867 in Marion county, Iowa. She was born in 1848 and died in 1940. Hugh died on July 1, 1907 in Protection, Commanche county, Kansas. They had the following children:
1. Racheal Elizabeth Vance:
2. Mary Margaret Vance:
3. Hannah Eliza Vance:
4. William Beda Vance:
5. Theodore Givens Vance:
6. James Lloyd Vance:
7. Frank Edwin Vance:
8. Fred Edwin Vance:
9. Etna Lena Vance:
III. Martha Blair ("Patsy"): She was born on May 10, 1797 in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. She married William Carmichael on August 24, 1815 in Leesburg, Tennessee. He was born in 1792 and was the son of John Carmichael. Patsy died in 1849 in Jackson county, Missouri. William and Patsy had thirteen children, some of which are:
A. Pomeroy Carmichael:
B. Sevier Carmichael:
C. Grigsby Carmichael:
D. Archibald Carmichael:
E. Isabel Carmichael:
F. Hannah Carmichael:
IV. Elizabeth Blair ("Betsy"): She was born on October 18, 1793 (94?) in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. Her first husband was
(1) Rev. Thomas Biddle Jr.; they were married on June 23, 1815 in Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee. Thomas was born in 1786 in Washington county, Tennessee. He died sometime between 1819 and 1825, possibly in Washington county, Tennessee. Betsy died on January 31, 1861 in Decatur, Decatur county, Iowa.
Note on Thomas Biddle Jr. family: His parents were Thomas Biddle Sr. and Sarah. Thomas Biddle Sr. was in Washington county, Tennessee area as early as 1787 as listed on the Tax List with Lee Taylor, James Martin, and John Blair. In the account of Sergeant's Allen Gillespie Pension, we learn that Thomas Biddle Sr. was in the vicinity as early as 1781 when his Sgt. Allen Gillespie stated Thomas Biddle as Captain led forces to repel Cherokees and Tories and after Indian fighting was kept in a fort on Big Limestone creek called "Blockhouse". From the History of the Gillespie Family in
History of Washington County, this fort may have been on the exact spot where the stone Gillespie house now stands. Sgt. Gillespie stated that he was verbally discharged by his Captain Thomas Biddle. They had the following children:
1. Elizabeth Biddle: She married James Hall.
2. Samuel Biddle: He married Margaret Wilson.
3. John Biddle: He was born on March 16, 1816 in Washington county, Tennessee. He married Mary Ann Zion.
4. Margaret Biddle: She married William Campbell.
5. James M. Biddle: He married Jennie Strain ("Fannie").
6. Nancy E. Biddle: She married Robert Woods Strain. He was a War of 1812 veteran who was buried in Washington county, Tennessee.
7.
Thomas Biddle Jr.: He married Elizabeth Blair ("Betsy").
(Note to self: Resolve "Thomas Biddle Jr. & Elizabeth Blair" problem of "Where do they fit in our line"?).
Elizabeth Blair's ("Betsy") second husband was (2) Rev. Lyons; they married about 1836. Her third husband was (3) McCormick Zion; she married him on November 28, 1836 after she moved from Tennessee to Rush county, Indiana. Betsy died on January 31, 1861, possibly in Decatur county, Iowa. They had the following children:
A. John Biddle: He was born on March 16, 1816 in Washington county, Tennessee. He married Mary Ann Zion on March 3, 1836. She was born on September 29, 1821 (or August 22, 1820) at Yokum Station, Virginia in Lee county. She died on May30, 1866 in Decatur county, Iowa. Her parents were McCormic Zion and Mary Gobble. (Note: McCormick Zion married three times: His second wife was (2) Mary Gobble and his third wife was (3) Elizabeth Blair Biddle ("Betsy") on November 8, 1836). John died on November 27, 1879 in Decatur county, Iowa. They had the following children:
1. Hugh Biddle: He was born on February 26, 1840 in Rush county, Indiana. He married Rachel Havenstein on November 22, 1866. She was born on February 7, 1849 at Elkhart Bargo Twp. Ind. Pennsylvania. She died on February 9, 1921 in Huron, South Dakota and is buried at the GAR (DAR?) cemetery in Miller, South Dakota. Hugh died on April 16, 1878 in Marion or Mahhska (?) county, Iowa. He is buried at Mt. Olivet cemetery. They had the following children:
a. Henry Andrew Biddle: He was born on August 31, 1867 in Marion county, Iowa (Mahaska?). He married Catherine Lois Goyke on January 22, 1895 in Handco, South Dakota. She was born on October 8, 1878 in Ogle county, Illinois (Rockford). She died on Tuesday, June 19, 1945 in Miller, South Dakota and is buried at the G.A.R. cemetery. Henry Andrew Biddle died on December 12, 1947 in Mitchell, South Dakota and is buried in Miller, South Dakota in the G.A.R. cemetery. they had the following children:
(1. Robert Delmer Biddle: He was born on September 26, 1902 at St. Lawrence in Handco, South Dakota. He married Jessie Winifred Oman on November 7, 1925 in Miller, South Dakota. She was born on June 16, 1906 at Winside, in Wayne county, Nebraska. She died on October 19, 1956 at Rapid City, South Dakota and is buried at the G.A.R. cemetery in Miller, South Dakota. Her parents were Adelbert Oman ("Bert") and Mary Adena Tidrick. Robert Delmer Biddle died on December 17, 1970 in Highmore, South Dakota; he is buried in the G.A.R. cemetery with his wife. They had the following children:
(a. George Bruce Biddle: He was born on August 2, 1928 in Miller, South Dakota. He married Asae Fuchigami on August 17, 1951. She was born on February 3, 1922 in Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan.
SOURCES:
1. Tennessee Ancestors, vol. 8 (2). August 1992. pgs. 113-114.
2. John Blair of Guilford county, North Carolina and some of his Decendants, compiled by Lucy Echols Blair (1979 - LaMesa, Texas).
3. Query of Margaret Vance Webb in Blair Magazine (vol. IX. No. 3. p. 15). Fall, 1991.
4. Blair Magazine, (vol. X, No. 4. pgs. 7-8). Winter, 1992.
5. Blair Magazine (vol. X, No. 3. p. 12). Fall, 1992.
6. Marriage Records of Washington county, Tennessee 1787 - 1840 by Grammer, N.R. Fort Worth Library (downtown), Fort Worth, Texas.
7. Marvin Smith Blair (both personal conversations and his family history chart on the Blair family).
8. Two articles from the East Tennessee Historical Library in Knoxville, Tennessee:
a. "Early Blair Families of East Tennessee: An Overview".
b. "Blair Genealogy" (7 pages).
9. DAR application of Mrs. May Weatherly Cannon, Natl. No. 146, 264.
10. History of Tennessee. East Tennessee Edition, pp. 825-826, 1081-1082, and 1262. Goodspeed Pub. Co. Nashville, Tennessee 1887.
11. History of Roane county, Tennessee by Emma Wells.
12. King's Mountain Men by Kate White (page 150).
13. George B. Biddle correspondence, February 1988. (The line of Elizabeth Blair, who was the daughter of John and Hannah Carruthers Blair). Tacoma, Washington.
14. Blairlin 3, compiled by Preston Groome. p. 325.
15. History of Loudon County, Tennessee by Emma M. Wells.
16. Annals of Tennessee by J.G.M. Ramsey. Published in 1882.
17. Article titled Knoxville to Texas by Jack and Jean Carmichael. Hurst, Texas. Submitted by Margaret Vance Webb. Knoxville, Tennessee. Article printed in Tennessee Ancestors in Aug. 1992. Vol. 8 (2).
18. History of Tennessee. Containing Historical and Biographical Sketches of Thirty East Tennessee Counties. The Goodspeed Publishing Company (Chicago and Nashville). 1887.
19. Kristy Newman Rochat: She had information on the Blairs back to 1700. (Kristy Newman Rochat's fourth great grandfather, William Columbus Gardenhire, sister was Elizabeth Gardenhire, Jefferson Eldridge's mother).
20. Watauga Association of Genealogists, vol. 20. # 2. 1991 (page 141). The source for the "Blair-Carmichael" article is Jean R. Carmichael, Hurst Tx.
21. Watauga Association of Genealogists, vol. 10, # 1. page 43. Letter from Margaret Vance Webb to Dessie Simmons about the family of Thomas Biddle Sr.
22. The Carmichael Clan, Westbrook, and Allied Families, compiled by Mrs. Opal Carmichael. Phoenix.
Scotpress. Morgantown, West Virginia, 1984. pages 131-132, 144, 226. Fort Worth,Texas library (downtown).
23. Washington County, Tennessee Willbook 1, page 445. April, 1820. (Will was probated in January, 1820; one source says pages 126-127, not 445).
24. Washington county, Tennessee Marriages, vol. 0, page 119.15
25. Coy Blair (William Wiley Blair - Elizabeth Taylor information).
26. Emilee Davis
27. Pioneers of Roane County: 1817-1819. List of Cherokee Reserves 1817 - 1819 (pgs. 69-70).
28. Roane County,Tennessee.
29.
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, Stephenville, Texas.
30. Charles E. Rhodes. Roswell, New Mexico. Website on the "Blair" family of Van Zant, Texas.
31.
An Encyclopedia of East Tennessee, edited by Jim Stokely and Jeff D. Johnson. Children's Museum of Oak Ridge. Oak Ridge, Tennessee. 1981.
32. Dene Arp Williams. Lives in Loudon, Tennessee and was born in the old Arp building that used to be owned by the Blairs (Blair's Ferry Storehouse). E-mail on November 24, 2001.
33.
Goodspeed Histories
34. Marvin Smith Blair letter to Billy Blair dated February 25, 1997 (containing article on "Blair Genealogy" from East Tennessee Historical Library).
35. Recollections of 60 Years Ago by R.M. Edwards. (This article appeared in The Loudon County Herald, September 14, 1893 and was reprinted in The Loudon County Herald, Centennial Edition, June 13-20, 1970. Although this article is about people and land in present day Loudon county, the area was a part of Roane county until 1870). http://www.roanetnheritage.com/research/historical%20articles/ha01.htm
36. Tom Green.
37. Robin Kline (Her husband's line is William Wiley Blair of Blair's Ferry). Her sources include: LDS records; Bessie Blair Kline's Death Certificate; Loudon county Rootsweb website; Ancestry.com, and a few other assorted sites).
38. Jane Douglas. Her great, great, great grandparents were Samuel Blair and Ann Rodgers.
39. Angie Draper
40. Jane Creasman Douglas.
41. Charles Barkley Blair III: On March 9, 2016, he provided a correction on the name of Dr. James Thomas Blair, his great great grandfather, whom I had incorrectly listed as Dr. James L. Blair.
