Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 1).djvu/309

Rh man's campaigns in 1864-'5, including the march to the sea. In 1866 he was nominated by President Johnson as collector of internal revenue at St. Louis, and afterward as minister to Austria; but in each case his opposition to the reconstruction measures led to his rejection by the senate. He was afterward commissioner of the Pacific railroad. His dissatisfaction with the policy of the republicans led him to return to the democratic party, and in 1868 he was its candidate for the vice-presidency. In January, 1871, Gen. Blair again entered the legislature of Missouri, and in the same month he was elected to fill a vacancy in the U. S. senate, where he remained until 1873, when he was a candidate for re-election, but was defeated. At the time of his death he was state superintendent of insurance. He published "The Life and Public Services of General William 0. Butler" (1848).—His son, Andrew Alexander, chemist, b. in Woodford co., Ky., 20 Sept., 1846. He was graduated at the U. S. naval academy in 1866, and subsequently entered upon the practice of chemistry as an analyst. He settled in St. Louis, and soon became an authority on the analysis of iron. The analyses of coals, iron ores, and irons of Missouri made for the geological survey of that state and published in the report of 1873 were executed by him in conjunction with Regis Chauvenet. From 1875 till 1878 he was chief chemist to the U. S. commission appointed to test iron, steel, and other metals, and from 1879 till 1881 chief chemist to the U. S. Geological Survey and the tenth census. Afterward he became associated with James C. Booth and T. H. Garrett as an analytical and consulting chemist in Philadelphia. He has published papers on the analysis of iron and similar subjects in the "American Journal of Science," "Metallurgical Review," "Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers," and "American Chemical Journal." Among his reports furnished to the government are "Methods of Analysis of Iron, Steel, Copper, Tin, Zinc, and other Alloys" (1818), and "Methods of Analysis of Iron Ores" (1881).

BLAIR, Henry William, senator, b. in Campton. N. H.. 6 Dec, 1834. His parents died before he had completed his thirteenth year, and his boyhood was spent in the family of Richard Bartlett, of Campton, where he worked on the farm, and attended school at intervals until he was seventeen, when he began to teach, hoping to earn enough money to take him through college. Compelled by ill health to give up this plan, he read law with William Leverett, of Plymouth, N. H., was admitted to the bar in 1859, and in 1860 was elected prosecuting attorney for Grafton co. When the civil war began he enlisted in the 15th New Hampshire volunteers; was chosen captain of his company, soon became major, and finally lieutenant-colonel. He was twice wounded severely at the siege of Port Hudson, and was prevented by his wounds, and disease contracted in service, from taking any active part in the remainder of the war. He was elected to the New Hampshire house of representatives in 1866, and in 1867 and 1868 to the state senate. He served in the U, S. house of representatives from 1875 till 1879, and, declining a re-nomination, was elected to the U. S. senate in the latter year, and reelected in 1885. Senator Blair has given much attention to social questions, and is an ardent temperance reformer. He is the author of the "Blair Common School Bill," which was introduced by him in the 47th congress. As passed by the senate in April, 1884, the bill appropriates 177,000,000 to be distributed among the states in proportion to their illiteracy. In the original bill the amount was $105,000,000. In the 49th congress the senate again passed the bill, making the appropriation |79,000,000. Senator Blair has also introduced prohibitory temperance and woman suffrage amendments to the national constitution, is the author of the Blair scientific temperance education bill and the Blair pension bill, and has made important speeches on financial subjects.

BLAIR, James, educator, b. in Scotland in 1656; d. in Williamsburg, Va., 3 Aug., 1743. He was educated in Scotland, and became a clergyman of the Episcopal church ; but, discouraged by the situation of that establishment in his native country, he resigned his preferments and removed to England in the latter part of the reign of Charles II. There his talents brought him to the notice of Compton, bishop of London, who prevailed upon him in 1685 to go as a missionary to Virginia. Here, in 1689, he gained by his ability the office of commissary, the highest ecclesiastical post in the province, by virtue of which he had a seat in the colonial council, presided at ecclesiastical trials, and had. in general, the powers of a bishop. Perceiving that the province was greatly in need of a seminary, he resolved to establish one, and began by taking up a subscription, which amounted to £2,500. In 1691 he was sent by the colonial assembly to England to secure the patronage of the king and queen, and on 14 Feb., 1692, obtained the charter of William and Mary college, and was. named as its first president. He did not formally enter upon the duties of his office until 1729, although he watched carefully over the interests of the institution. The college was not at first successful, as the wealthy planters still sent their sons, to England for education, and in 1705 the college building was destroyed by fire. Mr. Blair was opposed in his plans by the royal governors and even by the clergy, and, had it not been for his energy the enterprise would probably have been given up. He was for some time president of the colonial council, and rector of Williamsburg. In 1727 he assisted in compiling "The State of His Majesty's Colony in Virginia," and in 1722 published "Our Saviour's Divine Sermon on the Mount Explained and Recommended in divers Sermons and Discourses" (4 vols., 8vo); republished with a commendatory preface by Dr. Waterland (1740).

BLAIR, John, statesman, b. in Williamsburg, Va., in 1689; d. there, 5 Nov., 1771. He was a nephew of President James Blair noticed above. As early as 1736 he was a member of the house of burgesses, and he was president of the council, and acting governor of Virginia in 1757-8 and 1768. Campbell, on page 554 of his "History of Virginia" (Philadelphia, 1860), gives a letter concerning the Baptists, written to the king's attorney of Spottsylvania by Blair, when he was acting governor, and showing a spirit of toleration as rare at that time as it was creditable.—His son, John, jurist, b. in Williamsburg, Va., in 1732; d. there, 31 Aug., 1800, was graduated at William and Mary college, studied law at the Temple, London, soon became prominent in his profession, and was a member of the legislature as early as 1765. On the dissolution of the assembly in 1769, Blair was one of those that met at the Raleigh tavern and drew up the non-importation agreement. In June, 1776, he was a member of the committee that drew up a plan for governing the state, was chosen to the council, and in 1777 became a judge of the court of appeal. He was afterward chief justice, and in 1780 judge of the high court of chancery. When.