Article Comments



     Comments on the article,

"The James Blairs of Chester County, South Carolina in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries"

by Don and Janet Dickason,
BSGR Mem. #826, taken from the Blair Family Magazine, Volume XVI, No. 4, Winter 1998.



Comments by Richard J. Carlson
richard-j-carlsonuiowa.edu:

     "I question a couple of points in it on the line of James #2. First, in the 1792 transfer of 162 acres from James to Thomas, it hardly seems likely that Thomas was James’s son, since Thomas was only six years old at that time. Second, the wording in the transcription of Thomas Blair (Sr.)’s 1795 will that I’ve seen makes it clear that John Blair was Thomas Blair’s son, not a second son of James #2. In any case, the reconstruction of James Blair (#2)’s family that you sent shows that he did not have a son named John until 1804. So I’m taking the other conclusions in the article with a grain of salt, though I think the article will be useful in proposing hypotheses to test."



Comments by Debbie Blair Owen
BSGR Mem. #93
owenpkgulftel.com:

     In the first page of the article "The James Blairs of Chester County, South Carolina in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries", during the introduction of James Blair #2, son of Thomas Blair, the authors state that "Revill’s work does not cite the acreage warranted to Thomas." This is incorrect. A Compilation of the Original Lists of Protestant Immigrant to South Carolina 1763-1773 by Janie Revill (a PDF file of the first four pages of this book, and then pages 87 - 93) lists Thomas Blair and his wife Margaret who received 250 acres on Rocky Creek in 1767.

     Blair DNA Participant ID# 4288 is a descendant of James Blair (#1) born 1735 in Ulster, County Down, Ireland, died 1812 Chester County, South Carolina and wife Margaret (Junkins) Jenkins born April 6, 1739 in Cork County, Ireland, and died in Chester County, South Carolina. James is believed to be the son of William Blair b. Ulster, Ireland; d. Chester County, South Carolina. Participant #4288 is part of the Blair DNA Group 5.

     The descendants of James #2 are represented in Participant ID# 5502, 8466, and 255954 Blair DNA Group 4, proving that these two families are not related.



Comments by Perry Lee Blair
BSGR Mem. #1246-L14
pblair8402aol.com:

     I would like to make a few comments and perhaps, answer a few questions about James Blair #2 mentioned in the article "The James Blairs of Chester County, South Carolina in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries" from a historical perspective.

WHY DID'NT JAMES #2 REGISTER HIS LAND BEFORE 1787?
  1. The British did not leave Charleston until late in 1783, so as to relocate 8,000 to 10,000 loyalist.

  2. The British Army invaded South Carolina in 1780. James #2 would have been 21 years old and most likely a militiaman. He was not a loyalist, as his neighbor and fellow traveler on the ship "Lord Donegal", Dr. Daniel Harper, was hanged in Chester for his loyalist activities, after being relocated to Ireland, then returning to Chester in 1792.

  3. I believe the 162 acres in question was a bounty for his service in the war. The draft was for men between 16 - 60 years old. Enlisted men could choose their land but had to pay a fee. Officers were awarded free land but could not choose. Documentation for this bounty does not exist, most likely due to General William T. Sherman's attempt to destroy all records of land ownership in South Carolina by burning down the courthouses. It was General Sherman's idea to divide up all of South Carolina and part of Georgia into 40 acre plots, and grant them to freed slaves; and he did not want litigation. Thus, the expression, "Forty Acres and a Mule", attributed to president Lincoln. Lincoln had no such policy.

  4. When the U.S. government took over power, in early 1884, they would have been inundated with requests for bounties, grants, warrants, etc. Charleston was the only place this business could be done. So, James Blair #2 would have to make 3 trips to Charleston, and maybe more, if the filing was not complete and this takes time especially if you have a crop to take care of. And, you are riding a horse that covers about 30 miles a day. So, his receiving possession of the 162 acres in 1887 is not so odd.
THE QUESTION OF WHO JAMES BLAIR #2 SOLD HIS 162 ACRES TO.
  1. I have not seen the original probate document, but I interpret it to read, James son of Thomas agrees to a "Bargain Sale", (def. An agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take), basically a mortgage. Thomas to give things like equipment, seed, and tools to start a plantation. James to give collateral as his 162 acres.

  2. This 162 acres is not to be confused with the 163 acres indentured to Thomas Jr. which bordered the southeast side of Thomas Blair Sr. 250 acres. I have hi-lighted this 163 acres on a plat map accompanying this article.

  3. According to the "Deed of Conveyance" of 1797, this 163 acres was granted to Thomas Sr. under the "Bounty Act of 1761", by His Excellency Edward G. Montague. E. G. Montague was the British Governor of South Carolina. So, Thomas received this grant before 1776. This act allowed grantees to apply for another grant if certain conditions were met, including property improvements and proof of residency. The new grant could not exceed the original grant. Apparently Thomas Sr. took advantage of this.

     NOTE:

     The plat map that Don and Janet Dickason included with their article "The James Blairs of Chester County, South Carolina in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries" is very incorrect in describing Francis Rea's border lines. Rea was granted 200 acres. Rea's lines on the plat map are impossible to follow. They show 400+ acres (using the scale on the plat map). This is because the land indenture to Thomas Blair Jr. has been omitted. I used the "Conveyance Deed" of Thomas Blair Jr. and the grant survey of Francis Rea to lay out Thomas Blair Jr's land on Elmer Oris Parkers plat map. I am sending my revised version of E O. Parker's plat map with this commentary. Debbie Owen has been kind enough to overlay it with a Google Satellite map of the property. Many of these lines were still visible last year (2014) most likely due to the season. Along with the revised plat map, I am posting The "Deed's of Conveyance" of Thomas Blair Jr. and Francis Rea. Both of these properties were sold in 1797 without dispute.