New-York tribune., 1880-03-07
SENATOR BLAINE And HIS ANCESTRY.
rron The p;jtsbura Gazette.

From The PitSbur0 gazette
Mr.. Blaine came into public life, II not by law
of ucredty. vet by strong association IN ms
Immediate family. His great -grandfather, Colonel
Ephraim Blaine. Of Carlisle. Cumberland County
PENNSYLVANIA. was Commissary-GeneTal OF the
Revolutionary Army from l77S TIL the close or the
struggle In 1888 The high esteem IN which Colonel
Blaine was held by Washington and his great COM
patriot leaders In the Revolution Il aticsttd by nu-
mer0us letters from them official and unoihcal stlll
in the possession of Colonel Blalnes descendants I'D
this state.
Nr. Waino's grandfather, for whom he Is named,
intended originally to enter upon proiesslona ana
pnlfical career but a somewhat prolonged residence
in Europe after he had completed his studies,
diverted him. as II has so many young Americans,
from following bis first and better ambition. lie
returned to his home in 1898, bringing with MN
as special bearer of dispatches celebrated treaty
with foreign government, since become historic,
and afterwards led chiefly the lie OF private gen.
Mr Blaine's father was born and reared in Car
Isle and after an extended tour IN Europe c9uth
America aud the West Indies returned to spend the
greater portion Of his life In the adjoining County
of Washington, whore he died before ms son was
fully grown. He came West about 1918, having
the largest landed possessions of any man OF Hs axe
in WesteIn Pennsylvania owning an estate which,
had It been preserved, would have amounted to-day
to many millions
es,nt generation Of burgers TO recall that IN
1926 Mr. EphraJm l.. Blaine lthe senator's 1atherl
decided 10 the Economics the spendld Iacl oi Ial1
on winch their town with all IT. improvements ana
all its wealth now stands. The price was TZ0'OOO
for n property whose value to-day, even If unim-
proved would be a pTiHcely fortune. There were
also timber tracts on the Allegheny ana coal lIhcls
on the MonOUgahcla, at that day OF no special
value. which now represent large fortunes II tue
hands of those lucky enough 20 hold them. very
near the large tracts owned 10y his father and grand
father Senator Blaine IS now the possessor OF one
qt the most valuable coal properties IN the Monon-
II is manifold greater than the whole landed estate
OF his father fifty years ago. .-... l.,
II is not matter Of much interest II II
political annals, but there are some sun
iiying who remember that Mr.. BIaines father
and grandfather were especially ana Wluey
noted as gentlemen Of great elegance OF Ihan-
lands in the carly days when travelling abroad vas
r,re hoth were highly educated, ana bOuh hau a
GREAT deal of that arstocracy OF bearing ana PIlG
of family from which the senator Is loOuslIy anu
cheertully tree. NJ p,oi,,,s fotLor
IN plye his son thorough intellectual raluIng.
Ue was under the best tutOrdge IN ms earnest
wears and AZ the ago Of eleven was stuI ~ L.u-
caster Ohio 70 school. who're he lIVed 10 thc lduil
of his relative the Hon. Thomas Ewing, at tha'
t,,,' SECRETARY of the Treasury. General ! Ihomas
Ewing at present In Con-rcss, MS cousin, anu ot
f,o same e WAS his class mate under the ull" a
nm Iuulisnan named William Lyons a bto;hg! 9l
fine elder Lord Lyons, and uncle OI the Idlc hl'S"
Minister at Washington. r.,
H. Vornmher 1913 Mr. Blaine entered the Fresh
man class OF Washington College. ana eia"utted y
September, 1871 at the age ol seventeen eILS ",''
cight months. In class OF thirty ,iItT ~ -
MIR Bioinc shared the first honor WIN john e. her
~ un,y Superrt cndcnt OF Public Instruction at
Wheeling lie was Il dill gent, ambitious student,
su,ci9lly cXccllcd IN mathematics ana L1iu' dhu
y'.s marked al-o for hs proficiency ln Los'c "uu
Political Economy. lis coiie6e Ri"u!WH" W "SS 80 ~,
r,,lr tho Hon john H. Ewing nt that time hePie'
.',,t.i .y, nm CouErcs. iToM the Washington I,s
-i.t and IS ho still lives al an adNanctG age WIN
vcry lively interest IN the fortunes OF ms nephew