Person:Colbert Blair (5)

Information on Colbert Blair

James Blair (father of Colbert Blair) was born abt. 1704 in either the United Kingdom and immigrated to Bucks County, Pennsylvania, or was born in Bucks County. He was married to Mary Colbert. His son, Colbert, believed to be a Quaker from Pennsylvania, married Sarah Morgan, said to be a first cousin of Daniel Boone. Colbert died in 1805 and was buried in Cedar Valley Methodist Cemetary in Caldwell County, North Carolina.

Colbert's son, James, was born in Augusta County, Virginia in 1761. While a resident of Burke County, North Carolina, he enlisted in the Continental Army in 1778 and served at various times until the end of the Revolutionary War as orderly sargeant, ensign, and Indian spy with the North Carolina troops. Tories wounded him in the shoulder while on duty as an express rider. He served at the battles of Pacolet River, Sumter's Defeat, Cane Creek, Kings Mountain, Black Stock, and the siege of Augusta. He also served as captain for eleven months under Generals Pickens and Anderson during the Indian War.

He was the first Representative from Habersham County, Georgia in the Georgia Legislature, and a State Senator from 1819 until his death in 1839. He was allowed pension on his application executed October 16, 1837 while residing in Habersham County, Georgia. He had previously lived in Rhea County, Tennessee, Pendleton County, South Carolina, and Franklin County, Georgia.

James was a surveyor, and surveyed "The Blair Line" , the historic line between the State of georgia and the Cherokee indian Nation in the early 1800s. it ran from the forks of the Soque and Chattahoochee Rivers in a direct northerly line to the Tallulah River. It was the boundry line established in 1817 for the purchase of all lands east of the Chattahoochee by the State of Georgia from the Cherokee Nation by the Treaty of 1818.

The following is part of an interesting article printed in the Toccoa News, and derived from pages 179-180 of "Frankin County History:"

The paper states that the story concerning the sale of Dry Pond began in the year 1830. The land where Toccoa now stands belonged to a man whose name is now lost. However, this man had decided to move West and had disposed of all his property except the area known as Dry Pond. one night as he was making a regular visit to the local grocery store, he spoke of leaving, and the fact that the only land he had left was that within sight of the store. He said he would take any offer for the land. One of the early settlers of the area, Col. James Blair, who was present, jokingly remarked, "I'll give you a cowbell for it."

"Well, said the man,"I need a cowbell and the land is almost worthless. I'll trade." Whereupon, the cowbell was produced and the deed transferred to Col. Blair.

James' children were George, Anbnie, James, Jr., Powell, elizabeth, Mary and Jane. Powell Blair, born 3 Sept. 1800 in Augusta County, Virginia was married to Sarah Dixon (b. 9 Feb 1804, d. 6 April 1880. To this marriage was born nine (9) children: James Marion, Catherine, Elizabeth, william D., George H. Sarah F., edley Powell, Benjamin C., and Lucy. Four sons of this union served in the War Between the States: James Marion, Edley Powell, George H. (killed at gettysburg) and Benjamin C. (killed in Jackson, Mississippi.

James Marion Blair and Sarah, wife of Powell, were members of Camp Creek Baptist church. Sarah moved to Walton County, Georgia. Then James Marion Blair and three others applied for letters of dismission in order to form a new church at Hazel Schoolhouse, thus the beginning of Hazel Creek Baptist Church.

George Powell Blair (b. 18 Feb 1851, d. 12 Dec 1902) married elizabeth M. Bond. They lived in the James Marion Blair house at the corner of Hazel Creek and recently constructed Hwy 365. Their family included William W., Mary Elizabeth, George Marion, Alpha S. Sarah S., Fannie L. Oscar Lamar and Rilla May. Two of these sons and the husbands of two of the daughters were section foremen on the Tallulah falls Railway: Bob Smith, Cornelia Section; Garnet James, Turnerville Section; George Blair, Tiger Section; William W., Dillard section.

With construction of Hwy 365, the James Marion Blair house was torn down. It was still occupied at the time by Garnet Blair, great grandson of James Marion Blair.

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

• Page 275.--11th April, 1770. Elizabeth ( ) Ray and John ( ) Haye to John Parks, £36, 220 acres, Borden's patent line. Teste: William and James Ray, Colbert and James Blair, James Buntin.

1. ↑ Edmund West (compiler). Family Data Collection - Births (not a reliable source). (Ancestry.com Operations Inc).

   1730, Bucks, PA, USA

2. ↑