John Gray Blair (1883 - 1940)

Born 4 Nov 1883 in Blairs of Dumbarrow, Dunnichen, Angus, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Jessie Ramsay (Jamieson) Blair — married 4 Feb 1903 in Mid Peebles, St.Vigeans, Angus

Descendants

Died 1940 at about age 56 in Buffalo, N.Y., USA

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Born at Blairs of Dumbarrow, his grandfather's farm on 4 Nov 1883.^[1][2] Son to John Blair, Grocer's merchant at Letham and Annie Gray, farmer's daughter. His parents John (19) and Annie (18) were unmarried.

His mother married James Greig in 1883 a truck driver and the family moved to Arbroath. John was reared at Arbroath at 14 Robert Street in 1891 and attended school in Arbroath. About 1893 - 1895 lived at Fergus Square , Arbroath^[3] and after mother's death in 1895 at grandfather's farm, he lived with grandparents David Gray and Margaret Rennie at Blairs of Dumbarrow.

Gamekeeper at Dron^[4], and Dunkeld in Perthshire^[5] then on marriage moved to Ayrshire at estates Kirkbride, Kirkmichael near Maybole and Redheugh, Kilburnie.

On Kilwhaughter estate in Glens of Antrim around 1909/1910 then returned to Kilburnie to work as foreman in Glengarnock Steelworks.

John Blair and wife Jessie Jamieson had eight children:

• John b.1903 mar. Betsy Geddes d. 1982 Monifieth, Scotland
• Jeannie b.1904 mar. William Strain d. 1978 Phila. Pa.
• Jessie b.1906 mar. George McCaw d.1989 Phila.
• Wishart b.1908 mar. (1) Mary Buchannan (2) Lottie . 1985 Phila.
• Kathleen b.1910 mar. (1) Tonu Urik (2) Lewellan Laws d.1963 Phila.
• Allan b.1911 died infancy Kilbirnie, Ayrshire
• Annie b.1913 mar.(1) Robert Weaks (2) David Bissett d.1975 Phila.
• George b.1914 mar. Marian McCabe d. 1966 Phila. Pa

Served in Scottish Horse as Saddler 5105 batman to Major Pullar of Dunbarney, in Dardennelles Campaign. Ship torpedoed in withdrawal near Cyprus. Served in Egypt then returned at end of 1916 to munitions work.

Returned to steelworks at end of war and emigrated to America in 1926 and crossed from Canada at Niagara Falls in March 1927 to join his son-in-law William Strain in Phildelphia. ^[6]

Apart from oldest son, his wife with their family emigrated from Ayrshire to Philadelphia later in 1927.

Foreman steel erector on Buffalo Bridge.

Had son by Gwen Marlowe born at Grimsby, Ontario in 1932:

• Ronald G Blair b.1932 d. 2003

Lodged in Ward 21 Buffalo in 1940. ^[7]

John died at Bufflo on 7 Aug 1940. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Dunnichen Register of Births Dist. 283 Entry No.34 here
2. ↑ Scotlandspeople.com has Scottish Records of Births marriages and Deaths from 1 Jan 1855. Pre 1855 in Old Parish Registers
3. ↑ Arbroath Census 1891
4. ↑ Dron Census 1901
5. ↑ St Vigeans Register of Marriages Dist. 319 Entry No.2
6. ↑ Border Crossings see [1]
7. ↑ Buffalo Census see [2]
8. ↑ Obituary 6 Sep 1940 see [3]

British Army records - Scottish Horse Immigration records Family lore