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James Blair (abt. 1706 - abt. 1776)

James Blair
Born about in Irelandmap [uncertain]
Ancestors ancestors
Son of and [mother unknown]
Brother of [half], [half] and [half]
Husband of — married about 1725 in North Carolinamap [uncertain]
Descendants descendants
Died about at about age 70 in Guilford County, North Carolinamap [uncertain]
Problems/Questions Profile managers: Elizabeth Harris private message [send private message] and Kathy Blair private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 23 Aug 2012
This page has been accessed 2,844 times.

Biography

Ailene Beeson's book[1] says that he came from Scotland and married Mary Eosentrice Colbert. Unfortunately, we have very little solid documentation about his life.

Elizabeth Harris adopted this orphaned profile on December 6, 2013, and added the following comments:

1) Based on the birthdate of his son Colbert, James Blair was probably born before 1710, but I have no documentation for the 1706 birthdate that appears on this page.

2) Based on my own research, I think the 1776 death date listed on Travis Wagner's original submission belongs to a different James Blair, who is buried at Alamance Presbyterian Church in Guilford Co. NC

3) I think it unlikely that James and Mary married in North Carolina. I think Virginia is more probable, but I have no documentation so I've left both the name and date as they were on the original profile, but marked them as "uncertain. I would be grateful for more exact information.

4) Please see Mary Colbert's profile for why I think she did NOT have the middle name Eosentrice.


Most Blair genealogies state that this James Blair is the one who died in 1776 and is buried at Alamance Presbyterian Church in Guilford County, NC. I think there are good reasons to believe this is NOT true. Does anyone have hard evidence either for or against this assertion?

James "Blear" who died in March 1776 and is buried at Alamance Presbyterian church is almost certainly the James Blair whose will is recorded in Guilford County that year, naming wife Mary, and children John and Agnes. Agnes was under age, probably a young child, since she was still unmarried in 1796 (she is named in her grandmother Mary McConnell's will). Our James Blair, if that is in fact his name, has to be old enough to be the father of a son born before 1730, thus probably born before 1710 himself. While he might still be fathering children after 1760, the mother of those children must be a younger woman, i.e. she would have to be a second wife. I believe that the couple buried at Alamance are James Blair and Mary McConnell, and I am not convinced they have any connection to our family.


Sources

  1. Ailene Beeson "A Genealogy of the Beeson Family, 1973


  • Ailene Beeson "A Genealogy of the Beeson Family", 1973

original profile by Travis Wagner

  • Travis Wagner, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Travis and others.

additional sources by Elizabeth Harris, December 2013

  • Source: S37 Text: Descendants of James and Mary Colbert Blair, typescript descendancy chart circulated by Gene Blair 17 July 1995. CONT Frederick E. (Gene) Blair CONT 112 Wesley Oaks Drive CONT St. Simons Island GA 31522-1808
  • Source: S46 Text: communications from members of the Blair Society for Genealogical Research




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with James by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree: It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with James:

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Comments: 4

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I'm not sure if I'm responding to the appropriate discrepancies between the James Blair pages. However, I found a document stating that James' son Colbert, was actually named James Colbert and was born before 1730 (this would explain the listing of a James and a Colbert as two separate children in several places. The birthdays are a year apart in some profiles and from my research are only estimated dates, though I know that the possibility does exist of two children close in age). There were several James' in this family and each handed the name down to sons. In translation and recording, could it be possible that there is an overlap between the Jr and sr members in the families regarding dates, children, and spouses? I know I have found this in researching other ancestry lines in my family. As far as the marriage, I have found it recorded in both NC and VA due to the differently defined state lines in those days. I have referenced and cross-referenced this poor James to death! I am now trying to determine if I have found a correct father for him. Please comment, email me if I am completely incorrect or if I can help with this in any way.
posted by M Blair
edited by M Blair
Blair-4390 and Blair-842 appear to represent the same person because: Same person, same wife.
posted by Tess (Mapley) Cameron
Blair-842 and Blair-4390 are not ready to be merged because: We need more discussion about the discrepancies between the two profiles, and about the probable errors in both. Please see notes on Blair-842.
Blair-4390 and Blair-842 appear to represent the same person because: same son Colbert
posted by Sally x

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