Re: Charles Blair (1753-1810) of PA
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In reply to:
Re: Charles Blair (1753-1810) of PA
Karekin Yarian 1/04/06
1. If you are sure its the same family (John Blair & wife, Mary Ramsey) I may have more detailed information about earlier generations that would be of interest to you.I had the good fortune (perhaps) to be raised in the immediate vicinity of Plaingrove, PA and am thus familiar with most of the local cemeteries and -- which farms belonged to which family, etc.
2.The "Ramsey" family is one I have little or nothing upon. This is largely because there were so many Ramseys in the immediate vicinity.I could never establish to which family Mary belonged.I really would like to get that Ramsey line more clearly identified.
3.On the other hand, Charles Blair's (1753-1810) is buried in the old Presbyterian cemetery at Plaingrove, near the back row (distant from road), about half way up the length along the road that runs on the east side.The father of Charles Blair was a JAMES Blair.Both Charles and his father are mentioned by name in the WILL of John Blair, who was an uncle of Charles Blair (1753-1810).Charles Blair had another uncle, William Blair, who apparently died single (left his brother, John Blair, as HIS i.e. William's sole heir).
4.If there were other uncles or aunts, I don't have their names.I do feel that there were.I have a very sound reason to believe there was SOME connection with an Alexander Blair resident in the late 1700s early 1800s in Huntington County, PA, in particular.Indeed that revolves specifically around events involving my John Blair (1790-1869) of Lawrence County. I just don't know precisely where that Alexander fits in.
5.I have a good deal of precise information on Mary (Irwin) Blair, if you are interested.She was FIRST married to a James Smyth who died at the battle of Crooked Billet (HATBORO, PA) in MAY 1778.She married Charles Blair very soon after that -- same year.
6.Of course, if Elverda and Jay were cousins raised by John and Mary Blair, they may not have been descendants of Charles Blair (1753-1810) but of some collateral line. Let's face it, his (Charles) children and grandchildren have been pretty well identified in the public record for many years (DAR and SAR records).
Even Charles Blair's step daughters (his wife's daughters and son by HER FIRST marriage) have families that are well documents because Mary (Irwin) Blair's first husband was killed in the Revolutionary War and that family was subsequently well documented - albeit the children were later raised by Charles Blair.
7.Mary Irwin's family were fairly prominent farmers in Chester County, PA. There still is an annual Irwin Family Reunion, there. There is a lot of highly documented information on that Irwin family -- for several prior generations.Some of the Irwins are very active in the Clan Irwin Association, a Scottish heritage organization, that participates in various Scottish Games held around the USA. My Irwin information is voluminous and probably better sent by US Mail, if you want it.
8.Still, I am some what surprised by Elverda and Jay. I had nothing on them.But farm folk often raised children of deceased relatives etc. in the old days. I can think of other examples among my people. It could be that they were cousins from some unidentified branch of Blairs.There were such cousins elsehwere in Pennsylvania.I know that for a fact, though I do not know much about them.Some of my Blairs within living memory (Floyd C. Blair, a Lawrence county farmer of my grandfather's generation, i.e. Ed Gibson, 1887-1953 was a grandson of Robert Gibson and Margaret Blair (1823-1881) kept in touch with distant cousins in the east.Floyd C. Blair, now deceased, actually visted with distant cousins in central Pennsylvania as recently as the mid-1950s.
9.I was never able to get Floyd to tell me much, about them.His brother-in-law (also my cousin), Willis Myers told me of Floyd's trips to visit the Blairs.But, when I approached Floyd (fifty or so years ago), Floyd did not seem to want to give me much detail.Of course, I was younger then. He maybe did not want to discuss the matter with a younger person.Let me know if you can establish where Jay and Elverda fit.Let me know if you want Irwin information.And, stay in touch.