Genesee-Wayne County MI Archives Biographies.....Blair, William 1843 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 26, 2006, 4:49 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

WILLIAM BLAIR, the popular railroad agent of Fenton, is a native of Lincoln,
Ontario County, Canada, and was born February 12, 1843. He is a son of John and
Margaret (Ross) Blair, natives of Scotland, where the former was born December
25, 1818. He was a blacksmith by trade, and emigrated to Canada in 1842, and was
engaged at his trade until 1859. He then bought a farm in Lincoln County, the
garden spot of Canada, between lakes Ontario and Erie. He has since followed
farming with gratifying success. John Blair is an Elder in the Presbyterian
Church, and is a man who is highly respected by all who know him.

  The mother of our subject died at the age of thirty-seven years, leaving four
children, three of whom are living. The father has since married again. Our
subject was reared on a farm. He attended the common school in his home district
until he was thirteen years of age, and then determined to become a telegraph
operator. He entered an office on the Welden Canal, and in three weeks had made
such progress that he was at once placed in charge of the office. A year later
he became a sailor and spent five years on the lakes, and during that time was
advanced from a deck hand to the position of mate, and had charge of a schooner.
In November, 1861, during a terrible gale he and his crew were shipwrecked on
Timber Island in Lake Ontario. The crew were only saved from watery grave by the
heroic efforts of Mr. Blair, who swam ashore and securing a rope, enabled the
balance of the crew to get to land.

  After quitting the lakes, the original of our sketch became a cooper,
following the trade for two or three years. He again accepted a position as
telegraph operator, and was stationed at Hamilton, on the Great Western
Railroad. A short time afterward he was transferred to London and promoted to
the position of Train Dispatcher. In January, 1874, our subject accompanied Mr.
W. K. Muir, the manager of the Great Western, to Detroit and accepted the
position of Chief Dispatcher for the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee Railroad,
which position he filled for fifteen years, and during his term of service the
company was not at the least expense on account of any neglect on his part. On
the failure of his health he resigned his position, but his resignation was
handed in three times before it was finally accepted.

  Mr. Blair came to Fenton in 1889, and, accepted the position as operator and
agent. He was married on the 23d of June, 1864, to Miss Rebecca Calvert, a
native of Lincoln County, Ontario. Seven children have been born of this union.
They are Margaret, William Thomas, Everetta E., Annie M., James H., David J. and
Florence Rebecca. Margaret died when young; William Thomas, who was a bright and
promising young man died at the age of twenty-three years; he had already filled
positions of trust and responsibility in the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee
Railroad; Everetta is the wife of Charles F. McKee, who is in the custom service
at Windsor, Canada; Annie is an accomplished Jr0ung lady who has made a
specialty of music, and ranks high among the professional musicians of this part
of the State; David has a position with the Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee
Railroad at Fenton, The others are deceased. Our subject has not yet become a
citizen of the United States. He has always stood high socially, and is a man of
the most irreproachable morals.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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