ALBERT H. BLAIR.
Albert H. Blair, farmer, of Center township, Atchison county, was born March 6, 1862, near Astoria, Ill., and is a son of William and Alcinda (McCormack) Blair. He was one of five children, Daisy being the only other survivor. She resides in Center township and is now Mrs. Warner. Two other children died in infancy, and William died while living on the farm which Bert now owns. The father was born May 18, 1833, in Brownsville, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He was a son of William Blair, and was a glass cutter while living in the East, but when he went to Illinois, he engaged in farming. Later, he farmed in Fulton county, Illinois. In 1863 he came to Kansas and engaged in freighting between Atchison and Denver, with his brother, Edward. They followed this exciting occupation about three years, and in that short time had many experiences which they related with great delight in after years. They were never attacked by the Indians, for the reason that they drove in large numbers, with 100 wagons to the train, and the Indians were shy of such a large force. However, one night they thought that their luck had changed. Mr. Blair can just barely remember the incident, although his father has told it over so many times that it seems to him as if he remembered the original incident. One night the party camped on the trail between Atchison and Denver, lying asleep under their wagons. Indians had been seen that day and the freighting party was a little uneasy, and some of the more nervous members feared an attack. Late in the night the mules became frightened and woke up Mr. Blair. William jumped up, and off in the dark he could see a white object approaching. The cry of “Indians” went out and rifles were aimed. William shot, but could not hit the object. No one else could, for it was very dark and the object could not be seen distinctly. The white object kept approaching, and finally took a definite outline in the darkness. It was a white steer. One night when Indians stampeded the mules of the train, William and a comrade set out in pursuit of the Indians by flaying the mules with arrows and drove them so fast that the pursuers caught up with them by hard exertion and recaptured the horses. These are typical of many narratives which the elder Blair related of his early-day experiences on the plains. After quitting the freighting business, he and his brother engaged in milling in Atchison, Kan. Three years later William sold his interest to his brother, and started a livery business. A year later he went to farming in Doniphan county, Kansas, and moved from one farm to another for several years. In 1882 he was elected sheriff of Atchison county on the Democratic ticket, and his first term was so successful that he was re-elected. After his term expired he continued to live in Atchison for some time. He then bought 160 acres of land in Center township and remained there until 1891, when he removed to Effingham, where he lived in retirement until his death in 1899. The mother of Bert Blair was born January 11, 1842, in Brownsville, Pa. She is a daughter of Alonza and Sarah J. (Hibbs) McCormack, who were natives of Pennsylvania. They came west in the early days and farmed in Illinois and Iowa. The mother is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Daisy Warner, in Center township, Atchison county.
Bert Blair grew up on his father’s farm and in Atchison, and was educated in the district schools and the Atchison public schools. He lived at home until he was eighteen years of age when he engaged in railroading. It may have been the stories of his father about the travelers that prompted him to go into railroading. At any rate he found the adventurous work to his liking and he worked as a fireman on the Missouri Pacific railroad passenger train from Kansas City to Omaha, until he was promoted to the position of locomotive engineer. His run was from Hiawatha to Kansas City, which was a division of the Missouri Pacific then. In 1890 he rented his father’s farm, and at the death of the latter, he inherited eighty acres, and he has since increased his holdings to 160 acres. He has built a fine modern barn on his place, 50×54 feet in size, with a capacity of ninety-two tons of hay, and was designed and built by Mr. Blair himself.
In 1886 he married Sarah P. Jeffery, who was born February 20, 1869, in Missouri. She was a daughter of Ira P. and Mary (Farley) Jeffery, both of whom were born in Virginia. They came to Atchison county, Kansas, in the seventies, and are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Blair have been born four children, as follows: Roberta, deceased; Claude, Effingham, Kan., married Vera Pittman, of Effingham, and has one son, Thomas Albert, who was born December 24, 1909; William C., who married Elsie Stickler, of Lancaster, and has two sons, Chester Eugene, born April 23, 1913, and Bert William, born October 20, 1914. A daughter, Sarah, died in infancy in Kansas City. Mrs. Blair died November 20, 1915, and her remains were interred in the cemetery at Lancaster. Mr. Blair is a Democrat. He attends the Methodist church, and is a member of the Eagles and Modern Woodmen of America.