James Blair (abt. 1816)

Born about 1816 in Virginia, United States

Descendants

Biography

Jim's daughter Virginia Bell was interviewed in Houston, Texas in 1937 about her life, and her time as an enslaved person.

"Massa [Tom Lewis] had a big plantation near Opalousas and I was bo'n there. I 'member the neighbor folks used to bring their cotton to the gin on his farm for ginnin' and balin'. My mother's name was Della. That was all, jes' Della. My pappy's name was Jim Blair. Both of them was from Virginny, but from diff'rent places, and was brought to Louisiana by n----- traders and sold to Massa Lewis. I know my pappy was lots older than my mother and he had a wife and five chillen back in Virginny and had been sold away from them out here."

Interview: daughter Virginia Bell was interviewed in Houston, Texas as part of the Federal Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The results are made available by the Library of Congress. ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ [1] Library of Congress - WPA - Slave Narrative - Virginia Bell - Vol. 16, Part 1, Texas, pages 62-65, images 68-71 of 315.

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M87V-XFK : 29 May 2021), William Blair in entry for James Blair, 1870.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDXX-LX6 : 19 February 2021), James Blair, 1st Ward, St Landry, Louisiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 39, sheet 168C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,469.

• Daughter's death record names parents:

"Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSBS-LZH : 4 March 2021), Virginia Bell, 15 Jan 1944; citing Jennings, Jefferson Davis, Louisiana, certificate number 726, State Archives, Baton Rouge; FHL microfilm 1,220,636.