Blair Blunders

  

Part I - Colbert Blair and Sarah Morgan

A few days ago, I read an article titled "The Family of Edward1 Morgan of Pennsylvania," by Stewart Baldwin, published in The Genealogist, Volume 15 Number 1 (Spring 2001), Volume 15 Number 2 (Fall 2001) and Volume 16 Number 1 (Spring 2002).  It shed quite a bit of light on the family of Colbert Blair and Sarah Morgan.  The brightest light regarded their son James.  Most family trees and websites say that he was born in Augusta County, Virginia, married Margaret Sudderth, and died in Pickens County, Georgia.  However, according to the article, Colbert's son James died during the Revolutionary War.  The Blair Family DNA Project confirms this.  According to the DNA test results, Colbert Blair is not related to James and Mary (unknown last name, probably not Colbert) and their son James Blair, husband of Margaret Sudderth, and their descendants are not related to Enos Blair (1750-1834), who is the only proven child of Colbert Blair and Sarah Morgan.  The other children are considered theirs according to geographic proximity, family naming patterns, etc.  Enos Blair is the linchpin:  if a DNA test does not show a match to him or his descendants, then you're not a descendant of Colbert Blair and Sarah Morgan.

Children of Colbert Blair and Sarah Morgan:  unless otherwise cited, source is the above mentioned article.

1.  Enos Blair, born 1750 (a), probably in Pennsylvania (the first record found for Colbert Blair in Virginia is in 1765), married Hannah Millikan 10 May 1775 in Centre, Guilford County, NC, died 13 Jul 1834 in Randolph County, NC (b).

2.  Mary Blair, born about 1752 (c), probably in Pennsylvania, married Moses Guest about 1772 (c), died before 8 May 1829 in Franklin County, GA, when Moses married his second wife (c).

3.  Isabel Blair, born 13 Dec 1761, probably in Pennsylvania, married John Grider in 1781 (d), probably in Burke County, NC (the first record of Colbert Blair in North Carolina was in 1778), died 23 Feb 1857 in Henderson County, TN (e).

4.  James Blair, probably born in Pennsylvania, died before 22 Oct 1783 in Burke County, North Carolina, when his widow Anna was granted administration of his estate, estate inventory taken 10 Nov 1783 (i).  According to John O. Hawkins in his article titled "Caldwell County Area," North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 16 Number 2, May 1990, he was born before 1767 and his widow moved to Pendleton Co., TN with their eldest son George Blair, who was also mentioned in the estate records of his father.  The estate records also noted that James and Anna married in Virginia (i).

5.  Colbert Blair, born about 1771 (f), probably in Augusta County, Virginia, married Jane Murry (g) about 1794, probably in Burke County, NC, died between 28 Aug - 5 Sep 1846 (the dates of his will and probate) in Mongtomery County, IL (h).

Sources:

a.  Gravestone, Springfield Friends Meeting House Cemetery, High Point, Guilford County, NC

b.  The Johnsons and their kin of Randolph, Jessie Owen Shaw, McGregor & Werner, Inc., Washington, D.C., 1955, hathitrust.org

c.  Guest-Guess History and Lineage in America, Alta Louise Biggs Martin, Bowman Printing Co., Atlanta, TX, 1981, familysearch.org

d.  Isabel Grider Revolutionary War Pension Application, W358, fold3.com; The National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Volume 22 Number 3, Sep 1934 has an abstract by Jessie McCausland Casanova.

e.  United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872, familysearch.org, citing National Records and Archives Administration micofilm publication T718, Washington, D.C.

f.  United States Federal Censuses 1790, 1800, 1820, 1830, 1840 and Illinois Census Returns, 1810 and 1818, Illinois, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index for 1820 and 1825, ancestry.com

g.  History of Benton County, Oregon, David D. Fagan, A. G. Walling, Printer, Lithographer, Etc., Portland, OR, 1885

h.  Will & Probate records in my personal possession, obtained from the Montgomery County, IL Probate Court

i.  North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, ancestry.com

Part II - Colbert Blair and Jane Murry

I recently received some information from the Montgomery County Genealogical Society, and thanks to my new discoveries concerning Colbert Blair and Jane Murry, I've corrected some errors and confirmed information about Colbert Blair and some of their children.

I confirmed that he died on or about 29 Aug 1846 (2, 7) and that he was buried in Clear Springs Cemetery, Hillsboro, Montgomery Co., IL. (7).  I've created a corrected memorial for him at Find a Grave, and you can search under Memorial #221516100.  I don't have him connected to Jane or his children, however.

Little is known about his wife Jane, but she was born between 1771-1780 (1) and died between 1840 and 28 Aug 1846 in Montgomery Co., IL (1, 2).

Children of Colbert Blair and Jane Murry:

1.  Dolly Blair born circa 1795 in Burke Co., NC (1, 4) married Paul Beck 19 Oct 1815 in Adair Co., KY (4).  She died before 23 Jun 1832 in IL when Paul married second Margaret Brents in Montgomery Co., IL (5).  Paul and Dolly are my 5th great-grandparents.

2.  Enos Blair born circa 1798 in Burke Co., NC (1) married Nancy Jones 16 Jan 1817 in Adair Co., KY (6), died between 5 Sep 1846 and 1 Oct 1850 in Montgomery Co., IL (1, 2).

3.  Nancy Blair born circa 1798 in Burke Co., NC (1) married John Beck 3 Feb 1814 in Adair Co., KY (6) and died 3 Jan 1851 in Montgomery Co., IL (7, 8).

4.  John Blair born about 28 Feb 1799 [calculated] (13) in Burke Co., NC (9) married Elizabeth Jane Isaacs 3 Sep 1817 in Adair Co., KY (4) died 22 Apr 1871 in Fillmore, Montgomery Co., IL (13) and died 22 Apr 1871, age 72 years 1 month and 22 days, buried 26 Apr 1871 in Clear Springs Cemetery, Hillsboro, Montgomery Co., IL (9, 13).  He wrote his will 20 Mar 1871, probated 31 Oct 1871 (7).

5.  Elizabeth Blair born about 1801 in Burke Co., NC (1) married first Hiram Beck 26 May 1820 in Bond Co., IL (5), married second Henry Ginger 2 Jul 1855 in Fayette Co., IL (5).  Some family trees incorrectly state that she married a Lee.  She was on the 1860 census in Dry Point, Fayette Co., IL but died before 8 Jul 1870 in Dry Point (1).

6.  Colbert Powell Blair born 30 Jan 1805 in Burke Co., NC (3, 10) married Elizabeth Hill 19 Feb 1824 in Montgomery Co., IL (5).  He was a member of the Oregon State Legislature in 1862 (3) and died, age 101, 16 Jun 1906 in Pendleton, Umatilla Co., OR (9, 11) and was buried 18 Jun 1906 at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton (9). 

 

7.  Meeky Montgomery Blair born 9 Mar 1810 in Adair Co., KY (1, 7) married first Gilham Scribner 16 Jan 1826 in Montgomery Co., IL (5), married second John Wesley Powell 15 Dec 1830 in Montgomery Co., IL (5), married third Jacob Styner 24 May 1857 in Clark Co., MO (12).  She died 12 Feb 1863 in Fort Madison, Lee Co., IA (7).

There may be additional Blair / Powell connections.  Why was Colbert's middle name Powell?  Some claim without providing proof that Meeky Blair and John Wesley Powell were cousins.  Records in the Montgomery County Genealogical Society say that John was the son of Elias Powell and Elizabeth Day, the daughter of Nicholas Day and Miss Blair.  If anyone has records confirming Blair / Powell connections, please contact me at wrxwoman@gmail.com.

Sources:

1.    United States Federal Census

2.    Will and Probate record of Colbert Blair

3.    History of Benton County, Oregon, David D. Fagan, 1885

4.    Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979

5.    Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900

6.    Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954

7.    Montgomery County Genealogical Society

8.    History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, William Henry Perrin, 1882

9.    Cemetery Transcription

10.  Oregon Historical Records Index, Oregon State Archives

11.  Colbert Powell Blair obituary

12.  Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002

13.  FHL #848951, http://genealogytrails.com/ill/montgomery/cem_clearsprings.html