BIOGRAPHY: Celestine J. BLAIR, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by David Monahan. USGENWEB ARCHIVES (tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information are included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ ____________________________________________________________ From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 452 ____________________________________________________________ Celestine J. BLAIR CELESTINE J. BLAIR, ex-register and recorder of Cambria county, is a son of John and Mary Ann (Evans) Blair, and was born August 11, 1857, in Ebensburg, this county. He was educated in the public schools and Mount Gallitzin seminary, of Ebensburg. In those days his father was a very active and prominent politician of the county, and young Celestine was soon inducted into public life. In 1879 he entered the office of the county treasurer as deputy, where he remained nine months, and shortly afterwards entered the office of register and recorder. His father having been elected sheriff of the county, he became his father's deputy, and continued in that relation the full term of three years. His father was followed in that office by Joseph A. Gray, and Mr. Blair was made his deputy, serving in that capacity until he was elected to the office of register and recorder, in the autumn of 1886. He served in that office one term, and that his administration of its affairs was satisfactory to the public, is evidenced by the fact that he was re-elected. September 10, 1880, Mr. Blair married Kate M. Fenlon, a daughter of John Fenlon (whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume), and their marriage has been blessed in the birth of twelve children: Frank J., Mary Grace, Maria Marmaleta, deceased; Ellen M., deceased; C. Louisa, Pauline, Jessie M., Katherine, Jeanette, deceased; Celestine J., Fenlon L., Marian, Basil, deceased, and four died young.