Biography of Dr. S. N. Blair

	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1898. Pages 385-386

	Scan and OCR by Joy Fisher, 1997. This file may be copied for non-profit 
	purposes. All other rights reserved. 


DR. S. N. BLAIR, a veterinary surgeon and auctioneer of Volga, Brookings 
county, South Dakota, was born at Richford, Vermont, March 31,  1845.  
His father, John Blair, was also a native of Vermont, born in 1819, and 
died at the place of his birth June 25, 1894, having passed the most 
part of his life in the vicinity of his nativity. His mother was, in her 
girlhood, Miss Elizabeth Mitchell, and was born in Vermont in the year 
1825, and is still living in her native state.

	Dr. Blair, in his boyhood, resided in Milton, Vermont, where he 
attended school until 1862, and then enlisted in the United States army. 
He was large of his age, weighing two hundred and five pounds, and, with 
one exception, was the tallest man in his company. He enlisted in 
Company E., Eighth Vermont Volunteers, and was mustered in at 
Brattleboro, Vermont, December 26, 1862.  From there he went with the 
command to New Haven, and then to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they 
went into quarters in a cotton press. His first duty was to guard a 
number of Rebel prisoners, called the Louisiana Tigers, and had orders 
to shoot the first man that tried to escape. Being relieved from that 
task he visited, respectively, the following places: Algiers, Brasier 
City, Franklin and Thibadeaux. At the latter place there was some lively 
skirmishing until he left there with a detail of sixteen men to guard 
bridges at Bayou Dezalmond. While at this place a Southern planter was 
captured while burning bridges, and for some time was guarded at the 
camp. In July, 1864, our subject was transfered to the Army of the 
Shenandoah, under General Sheridan. In August of the same year, while 
camping at Halltown, he participated in a lively skirmish with the " 
Johnnies, " in which seven hundred of the latter were captured. He also 
participated in the battles of Winchester, September 19, 1864, Cedar 
Creek, and Fishers Hill, then followed the retreating foe to Strewsbury, 
Virginia. A week later the army fell back to Summit Point. On the route 
they destroyed all the grain and mills for fifty miles and then went 
into winter quarters at Summit Point. Here they remained until after the 
assassination of President Lincoln and were then ordered by General 
Hancock to Washington, and did duty outside of the city until Booth, 
Payne, Herold and Mrs. Surrat were captured, and then he was on duty 
inside the city until they were executed. He was mustered out at 
Alexandria, Virginia, and discharged July 11, 1865, at Burlington, 
Vermont. During the war he received two slight wounds, one in the head 
by a spent ball, and a four-inch wound in the thigh. The latter occurred 
at the battle of Winchester.

	After the close of hostilities Mr. Blair resumed his school, and 
later studied veterinary surgery. He then settled at Lowell, 
Massachusetts, where he practiced his profession until 1879, when he 
went to Brookings county, South Dakota, and located there on a homestead 
claim. In 1893 he moved to Volga, where he has since made his home.

	The marriage of our subject to Miss Louellar L. Libby, the 
daughter of Charles G. Libby, was celebrated at Newport, Virginia, 
December 26, 1872. Mrs. Blair was born in Concord, New Hampshire. The 
names of their seven children are as follows: Martha L., Florence E., 
Lydia A., Charles N., Sam J., Roy W., and Dolley May. The Doctor has 
held the office of justice of the peace for a term of two years. He has 
an extensive veterinary practice, and is a first-class auctioneer. He 
also operates a general store in Volga.