Francis Preston Blair

Francis Preston Blair, Sr. (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist and politician.

Biography

Blair was born at Abingdon, Virginia. He moved to Kentucky, graduated from Transylvania University in 1811, took to journalism, and was a contributor to Amos Kendall's paper, the "Argus", at Frankfort. In 1830, having become an ardent follower of Andrew Jackson, he was made editor of the Washington "Globe", the recognized organ of the Jackson party. In this capacity, and as a member of Jackson's "Kitchen Cabinet", he long exerted a powerful influence; the "Globe" was the administration organ until 1841, and the chief Democratic organ until 1845; Blair ceased to be its editor in 1849. During his time in Washington serving Jackson, Blair acquired in 1836 what later became known as the Blair House.

In 1848 he actively supported Martin Van Buren, the Free Soil candidate, for the presidency, and in 1852 he supported Franklin Pierce, but soon afterwards helped to organize the new Republican Party, and presided at its preliminary convention at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in February 1856. He was influential in securing the nomination of John C. Frémont at the June 1856 convention, and of Abraham Lincoln at the 1860 convention.

After Lincoln's re-election in 1864 Blair thought that his former close personal relations with the Confederate leaders might aid in bringing about a cessation of hostilities, and with Lincoln's consent went unofficially to Richmond and induced President Jefferson Davis to appoint commissioners to confer with representatives of the United States (although this may have been a result of internal pressure). This resulted in the futile "Hampton Roads Conference" of February 3, 1865. After the Civil War Blair became a detractor of President Andrew Johnson's reconstruction policy, and eventually rejoined the Democratic Party. He died at Silver Spring, Maryland.

Founder of Silver Spring

In 1840 Blair (and perhaps his daughter Elizabeth) encountered a "mica-flecked" spring in the vicinity of Seventh Street Pike (now Georgia Avenue), and liked the location so much that he bought the surrounding land and created a summer home for his family called Silver Spring. The city of the same name took its name from Blair's estate.cite book | last = McCoy | first = Jerry A. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Historic Silver Spring | publisher = Arcadia Publishing | date = 2005 | location = Silver Spring, Md. | pages = 26-32 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0738541885 ]

Georgia Town Named to Honor Blair

At the top of the state of Georgia lies Union County, named after the Union Party who strongly supported President Andrew Jackson for his policy of Indian removal. On Dec. 26, 1835, the Georgia General Assembly designated Union’s county seat in an act that read, “lot No. 273 of the ninth district and first section of, originally Cherokee, now Union county, and at a place now known by the name of Blairsville” (Ga. Laws 1835, p. 113). It is believed that the town (Blairsville, GA) was named after Francis P. Blair who was not only a prominent and influential man of his time but was a strong supporter of the Union Party in which the county itself had been named after. Adjacent towns and counties in the area have similar ties to the Union Party that help to support this connection.

Family

Blair had two sons, Montgomery Blair (1813–1883) and Francis Preston Blair, Jr. (1821–1875), as well as a nephew, Benjamin Gratz Brown (1826–1885), who were also prominent in American politics. He had a daughter Elizabeth Blair (1818-1906) who married Rear Adm. Samuel Phillips Lee. He is also a great-great-grandfather of actor Montgomery Clift (1920–1966).

ee also

*Old Court-New Court controversy

References

* [http://www.pgdp.net/c/tools/project_manager/downloadproofed.php?project=projectID3eec8bccd1240&fileid=1667872808&state=save_second]

External links

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2938 Francis Preston Blair, Sr.] at Find A Grave