A review of:
The Blair Family of New England Revisited
By Mary J. Powers, Blandford, Massachusetts, 2008
This book is the long-awaited update and expansion to The Blair Family of New England, published in 1900, and used as a bible for New England Blair researchers.
The current volume attempts to document the undocumented text in the earlier book, updating and expanding the data contained, and providing new connections between the early Blairs. It takes the family back to northern Ireland and Scotland, and shows the immigration in 1718 of Robert Blair and Isabella Rankin, and of William Blair and Mary Gray, and greatly expands and follows down the lines of their children.
Robert and Isabella had eleven children and at his death in 1774, he left 209 living descendants. These have multiplied into thousands of descendants today. These descendants are followed into the frontiers of New York, Ohio and points west as they settled and helped to build towns and cities across the country. Many spouse and female lines are covered, especially those of the Nova Scotia female Blair lines (Archibald, Whidden, Higgins, Lynd, etc.) through the meticulous work of Elsie Thoresen; Robert and Isabella’s daughters’ lines are brought down in the early generations (Hamilton, Watson), connecting many other early New England families to the Blair family. Several as yet unconnected Blair lines are touched on (Robert Blair and Janet Combs; John Blair and Ann Pepper, etc.).
The book is 580 pages including a source list and extensive every-name index with over 6,500 names. It is hard cover, casebound, 8-1/2" x 11". To order, send your check or money order payable to Mary J. Powers to: Mary J. Powers, 41 Beech Hill Road, Blandford, Massachusetts 01008-9531.
For U.S. orders the price is $40.00 plus $5.00 p/h for members and $45.00 plus $5.00 p/h for non-members.
For non-U.S. orders and further information or questions, please contact Mary at above address or by e-mail by selecting contact form.
Contents of the The Blair Family of New England Revisited:
Part One - Origins of the Blair Family of New England - Scottish Roots; Immigration to Ulster Province; The Movement Towards New England; The Earliest New England Blairs; Connections, Capt. William Blair of Boston.
Part Two - Robert Blair and Isabella Rankin - their eleven children’s lines: Matthew Blair of Blandford, Massachusetts married Mary Hamilton and Jane (nee Knox) Alexander; David Rankin Blair of Western (Warren), Massachusetts and Mary Howard; John Blair of Western (Warren), Massachusetts and spouse, Mercy Hayward; Sarah Blair of Blandford married to John Hamilton; Dolly Blair; William Blair of Nova Scotia married to Jane Barnes; James Blair of Rutland, Massachusetts; Robert Blair, Jr., of Blandford and Hannah Thompson; Mary Blair and John Watson of Spencer, Massachusetts; Elizabeth Blair and Oliver Watson; Joseph Blair of Worcester, and Mary Duncan.
Part Three - William Blair of Framingham and Mary
Gray - their children’s lines:
Elizabeth Blair and Samuel Patterson; William Blair, Jr. and Mary Alexander;
John Blair of Pelham and Cambridge, New York and Sarah Kelso; Robert Blair
and Margaret Macclenain; Samuel.
The Londonderry, New Hampshire Blairs - Abraham Blair; "Children of my Uncle David."
Part Four - Other Early Blair Families of New England as yet unconnected - Robert Blair of Western (Warren), Massachusetts and Angenette "Janet" (Mc)Combs; Other Early New England Blairs.
Sources; 6,500-name index cross-referenced with spouse names "Blair, Robert (Rankin), 25"
