History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky, ed.
by William Henry Perrin,  O. L. Baskin & Co., Chicago, 1882.  p. 733.
[Nicholas County]  [Carlisle City and Precinct]

ALEXANDER W. BLAIR, farmer, P. O. Carlisle, was born at the "Valley
Mills" in Nicholas County, Dec. 28, 1818.  His father, Wm. Blair, died
upon that farm formerly owned by the son, Dec. 24, 1822, aged thirty-four
years; he was born in Jessamine County, near Versailles; was a son of
Alexander Blair, who was born in the County Derry, Ireland; died Jan. 8,
1847, aged eighty-four years.  He was a son of Thomas Blair, who came with
his family to this country in the year 1777, settling in Pennsylvania,
where he died.  He was compelled on account of poverty to sell his older
children (of which Alexander was one), to pay their passage across the
ocean.  His children were John, William, unmarried, drowned in the
Mississippi river at an early date; Thomas, Alexander and James.  Mary
was the wife of a Mr. Clark, and Hannah wife of Elijah Admas, and Nancy,
wife of Moses Scott.  He settled in Pennsylvania, where he resided till
[sic] about 1784, when he came to Boone Licks where he worked at salt
making, subsequently renting the works and carrying on the business for
himself.  About 1790 he went to Jessamine County, where he was married
to Mary Black, a native of Pennsylvania.  He engaged extensively in
stock raising, and came at an early date to Cane Ridge, Bourbon County,
because of the unlimited stock forage of young cane; he subsequently came
to Nicholas County, where he engaged in milling, which proved disastrous
to his fortune, but by persistent energy he was enabled, after years of
hard labor and anxiety, to pay all honorable claims against him.  He served
two terms in the Kentucky Legislature from Nicholas County; also held the
office of High Sheriff, receiving the position through the magistracy.
He was in his religious belief, a Presbyterian of the strictest sect; he
attended school 14 days during his lifetime, and from the lowest depths
of poverty, without advantages for accumulating knowledge or property,
he started out with a mattock and axe and a determination to succeed, and
brought himself to the high position which he afterward held in the county.
Our subject received moderate educational advantages in his youth, one year
being spent at Hanover college.  In the year 1841, August 5th, he was
married to Miss Mattie Moore, a native of Nicholas County and daughter of
John A., and Nancy (Berry) Moore, she a daughter of "old Col. Berry," of
Indian fame.  John A. Moore was a native of Georgetown, and son of Samuel
and Mary (Archer) Moore, he from North Carolina; her family from Virginia.
Mr. Blair by this marriage had nine children--William, a member of
Company H., 18th Kentucky Federal troops, died at Cynthiana, Feb. 23,
1862; John G. (see history); James was also in Federal service; was
assassinated upon the 4th of July, 1876, in Carlisle, and died upon the
day following; Harlan A. married Lou T. Champ, of Millersburg, Dec. 11,
1873.  She died May 8, 1875, leaving one child: Willie A. Parks, a lawyer
at Carlisle, died Jan. 13, 1879.  Joseph, Martha A., wife of James T.
Clay (see hist.); Robert A., married June 20, 1878, Miss Annie E.
Arrowsmith, died Aug. 22, 1879, and Wallace M.  Mr. Blain in 1862 enlisted
in the 18th Kentucky Federal Regiment, in which he held the office of
Quartermaster under Col. Metcalf, and in 1863 he went into the 7th
Cavalry, in which he was made Quartermaster; was taken prisoner upon July
16, same year, at Cynthiana; was exchanged in the fall and left the
service.  He was Sheriff of Nicholas County from 1863 to 1867, inclusive,
and in 1868 was appointed by the government as Gauger, afterward Store
Keeper, and in 1878 was made Store Keeper and Gauger, which position he
now holds at Oakland Mills.  He is a strong Republican and member of the
Presbyterian Church.

Blair Clark Adams Scott Black Moore Berry Archer Champ Clay Arrowsmith
=
Jessamine-KY Scott-KY Bourbon-KY NC VA PA Ireland

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/nicholas/blair.aw.txt