Blair Society for Genealogical Research [newsletter]
(Periodical)

Quarterly

Quarterly.

Vol. 1 no. 1 (spring 1983) - vol. 2 no. 4 (winter 1984)

Editor: Kathleen B. Rheman.

Newsletter for the interchange of genealogical data and history of the Blair (and variant spellings) families who came to America mainly from Ireland and Scotland. One ancestor was William de Blair, who lived in 1260 in Scotland. Some of his descendants immigrated to America; others moved first to Ireland and then came to America. One immigrant ancestor was Dr. James Blair, a graduate of Edinburgh University who was sent as a missionary to the American Indians. He later founded a college at Williamsburg in 1693; he also founded the William and Mary College. Other Blair immigrants settled in Quebec and Upper Canada, and in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia. During the 1800s, some moved to Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin. Later descendants also lived in Nova Scotia (Canada), Barbados (West Indies), and in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, and elsewhere.

Also available on microfilm and digital images.

The Blair Society for Genealogical Research was first organized 1925. It fell into dormancy ca. 1937, due to the Great Depression. It was revived in 1983 through the efforts of Raymond Blair of Louisville, Kentucky and William E. Osborne of St. Louis, Missouri. In 1991, the Society was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1984, and granted exempt status. It is a member society of the American Family Records Association (AFRA), the Association of One Name Studies (AONS), the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), and the National Genealogical Society (NGS). This Society is not a part of the Clan Blair Society, USA, but does work in cooperation with it. The Blair Society promotes the policies of excellence and ethical standards in genealogical and historical research of all these fine organizations. It has various local branches throughout United States and Canada. Their Web site includes an index to the 1850 Blair Census, which is a database searchable on first name, age, place of birth, and census state for over 7,800 Blairs in the 1850 census. Their 1850 Census Update contains new listings to the 1850 Census, as well as comments from those who purchased the census and found listings that pertain to their family. Their Web site includes Blair cemetery listings, and other valuable data bases and indexes. For more information see their Web site.

Index found in "Blair family magazine, complete index" (1983-1987).