BlairAndCernyFamilie..

J
I
I
I
-t
J
I
I
I
l
l
l
I
I
PATRICK E FRANCES BLACKBURN BLAIR
Patrick Blair, our grandfather was born in the year 18J0. He
cane as an inmigrant to America at an early age from County
Antrim in Northern Ireland near Belfast with his parents, John
and l{ary Blair along with hfs brothers, Edward and John and his
sisters Catherine, f'laria and Annie. Thei r boat landed in Glen
Cove, New York. Ssne of thenr must have worked on the boat on
their way over to Fmerica to earn what little money they could.
They all lived there for a while and Patrick worked for the railroad
and any other available kind of work he could find and have
the capability and strength to do the uork. Hany of these poor
people were suffering from famine and it must have been an extrerne
hardship on all of thern.
He married Frances Blackburn in 1879. He bought farm land in Hacon
county for $35.00 an acre and they lived and farmed there for many
years. They had six children, Hayne, John Thomasl Kathryn and Ella.
Trro daughters died in infancy.
In l8l8 Patrick Blair served as road cormissioner for many years. He
was a diligent and industrious hard worker and always uould keep busy
at one thing or another. One day he was trinming a row of hedge on the
farm and by accident got a hedge thorn in one of his eyes. The doctor
had to r€rnove the eye and after that he always wore a glass eye.
Our grandfatherr Patrick was a person with keen foresight and he had a
most amiable disposition as well as being kindhearted. He had the
ability to see and understand clearly the inner nature of things. His
fortitude of courage and strength of character could never be surpassed
and most of all his perseverance was unequalled. His trait of kindness
and generosity was due to his qualities of being a man of good nature.