Blair, James

BLAIR

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/27/2019 at 19:50:00

JAMES BLAIR

JAMES BLAIR, farmer and stock-raiser, resides on section 24, Long Creek township, where he owns 170 acres of land, part of which is in a good state of cultivation, and part in timber and pasture. He was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, May 18, 1826, a son of JOHN BLAIR, Sr., who was a son of BRICE BLAIR, his mother’s maiden name was MARY PERDEW, daughter of WILLIAM PERDEW, a son of WILLIAM PERDEW, a native of France. His father died on the 28th day of February, 1855, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, aged sixty-eight years; and his mother, July 9, 1879, aged nearly eighty-seven years. He was married in Pennsylvania on the 18th day of April, 1850, to Miss MARY LOUISA BAKER, daughter of MICHAEL and MARGARET BAKER. Her mother was a daughter of J. G. BLOCKER, of Cumberland, Maryland. LOUISA BLAIR was born August 14, 1829. Their children are OLIVER H., married Miss EMMA ROBERTS; EDMUND J., married LANA KEMP; M. ALICE, married H. B. OLIPHAN; MARY E., married NOAH HAND; CLARISSA E., married HOWARD SISSLE; GEORGE PECK, deceased; WILLIAM F., married Miss MARTHA JORDON; ELLA B., married SHERMAN HOLLENBECK; HILA MITCHEL, deceased; JAMES SIMPSON, living at home. Mr. BLAIR was converted on the 24th day of August, 1840, and joined the Methodist Episcopal church on August 26, 1840. He was licensed to exhort in 1849, and ordained deacon by Bishop SIMPSON, at Osceola September 3, 1865. He joined the Methodist Protestant church, December 26, 1874, and was ordained elder by WILLIAM REMSBURG, September 30, 1882. He taught several terms of school in Pennsylvania and several in Iowa. He moved to Van Wert, Iowa, April 19, 1856, and has lived on the farm he now occupies for thirty years, without a lawsuit or church trial. He loves Iowa, her institutions and her people.