Biographies, Adair County KY; William A. BLAIR 1835- Submission Date: 13-Nov-2001 Source: "Kentucky: A History of the State" by J.H. Battle, W.H. Perrin & G.C. Kniffin, 4th edition, 1887. May be found on Adair County Kentucky Biographies Project REV. WILLIAM A. BLAIR, a native of Adair County and the fifth of the twelve children of WILLIAM and LUCY (HOPKINS) BLAIR, was born 04-July-1835. His father, Rev. WILLIAM BLAIR, born 29-July-1803, was a minister of the church of the United Brethren in Christ. His early education was limited, but after entering the ministry in his thirty-second year he was a close student and an extensive general reader, so much so that his style of delivery implied scholarship. He was first licensed to preach in Decatur, Indiana in 1837, on trial by the quarterly conference of his church, and in 1842 was regularly ordained in Franklin County, Indiana. The last twenty years of his life, he was presiding elder of the church work of the United Brethren in Christ in five counties - Russell, Adair, Metcalfe, Clinton and Wayne, part of Cumberland and part of Casey. Rev. WILLIAM BLAIR was twice married, first to Miss LUCY HOPKINS, a daughter of WILLIAM HOPKINS of Adair County, and his marriage was blessed by the birth of thirteen children: ELIZABETH (who died in childhood), a second (unnamed, deceased), JOHN, another (who died unnamed), DICY JANE (wife of SYDNEY HELM), GEORGE W., WILLIAM A., JAMES B., LUCY ELLEN (died in her nineteenth year), ELIZABETH (wife of WILLIAM H. HELM), JESSIE K. POLK, ROBERT J., and one who died in infancy. Mrs. BLAIR, a member of the United Brethren in Christ, died 17-Sept-1873, in the sixty-sixth year of her age. In 1874 Mr. BLAIR married Mrs. MARTHA E. (WHEAT) GRIDER, of Russell County, who was the widow of FREDERICK GRIDER, and who is at-present wife of HENRY SMITH, of Casey County. Rev. WILLIAM BLAIR departed this life, having been a minister of the gospel about forty years. His father, ALEXANDER BLAIR, was a farmer, though he also worked at shoemaking, and was a native of Virginia. He married Miss ELIZABETH BREEDING, and became the father of twelve children. Rev. WILLIAM BLAIR received no ordinary English education in youth and was reared to farming. He was married, 14-Feb-1854, to Miss MARY MIRANDA SCOTT, a daughter of THOMPSON and ELIZABETH (PEAKE) SCOTT, the former of Virginia, the latter of Metcalfe County KY. His marriage was blessed by four children: GEORGE PASCHALL (who died in childhood), ELIZABETH ELLEN (wife of E.H. ROSENBAUM), LUCY JANE (wife of R.A. BLAIR) and MARY FRANCES. Mrs. BLAIR, who was a member of the United Brethren Church, died 06-Nov-1885, in the sixty-first year of her age. Mr. BLAIR has owned six different farms in Adair County at different times, and at present owns eighty acres of well improved and fertile land on Glen's Fork, worth $20 per acre. He has erected a comfortable farm residence, barns and stables, and all necessary farm improvements. Five years ago Mr. BLAIR was licensed to preach by the quarterly conference, and two years ago he was regularly ordained as a minister of the church of the United Brethren in Christ. JAMES B. BLAIR, a brother of Rev WILLIAM A. BLAIR, was born 31-Jan-1838 in Adams County. His life-long vocation has been farming, and his marriage occurred 04-Oct-1864, to Miss ARMINTA WILSON, a daughter of ANDREW and URSULA (STOTTS) WILSON, natives of Adair County. ANDREW WILSON was a son of JOHN and SALLY (MILLER) WILSON, natives of the Old Dominion. There was an estate of $2,000,000 in litigation, which was compromised in 1883, which estate was originally the property of SAMUEL MILLER of Virginia, and the heirs of SALLY MILLER, who were parties in the suit, received nothing in compromise. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. BLAIR has been blessed by four children: ELDRIDGE, LUCY LILLIAN, URSULA J. and MINNIE. Mr. BLAIR has settled two different farms, the present place in 1873. This contains 170 acres of fertile land on Glen's Fork, with good buildings and general improvements, and he turns his attention principally to the raising of corn. Besides his home place he owns a part of a farm of 110 acres, and a part of a town lot in Glenville. He and his wife are both members of the United Brethren in Christ. Surnames: BLAIR, BREEDING, GRIDER, HELM, HOPKINS, MILLER, PEAKE, ROSENBAUM, SCOTT, SMITH, STOTTS, WHEAT, WILSON *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. Commercial entities must ask for and receive permission from submittor before downloading. ***********************************************************************