Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-02
John Il Blair, One Of the Original
Union Pacific Directors.
WAS OWNER OF MILLIONS.
Assisted In the Projection and Pro-
motion OF Thousands Of Miles
Of Line Building.

Word was received here today tina
John !. Blair, OF Blalrstown, n. j.. c
millionaire many times over. and one
OF the Oldest railroad builders and own.
ers IN the country died at o'clock this
Saturday morning.
John lnsley Blair was born IN War
rem county, n. j., August 90, 1902. and
was directly descended from John Blair
Who came to this country from Scot
land IN 100. The education received
by the boy was limited to few months
OF schooling during the winter. and
even this ceased when he reached the
age OF IL years. About 1873 he entered
the store Of a relative IN Hope. N. J..
Tor the purpose Of learning business.
ana remained so occupied untl 1921
when he settled IN Blalrstown. n. J..
Here, with his relative John Blair. he
established a general country store, but
Two years later the partnership was
dissolved and the business conducted
independently by John /. Blair before
he was Of age. For forty years he re.
manned in this place, constantly extend.
ing MS business and acquiring branches
az MarksbOrough, Paulina, Huntsville,
n. j., and Johnsonburgh, n, Y. I'm
which his brothers and brothers-in-law
We're associated with him as partners
during these years Mr.. Blair WAS also
developing business interests IN other
lines, such as Hour mills, the manufac.
ture OF cotton, and the marketing Of the
produce Of the country round about.
ana also In whOlesallng rany goods TO
other stores. He llkewis. filled the OF.
nee OF postmaster In BlairstOwn for 40
years. About 1893 he became associated
with others In the development OF iron
mines In the vicinity Of oxford Fur.
mace, a forge that had been in opera.
ton In prc-revOlunti0nary times. Sue
cess In this venture led. IN 1876 TO his
being connected with the Organization
OF the Lackawanna Coal and Iron Co
HIS ownership and interest In the
building Of railroads for the transpor-
tation Of the outputs from the mines.
OF which he was part owner. followed
as matter Of course. The road from
Owego to lthica. n. Y, was bought
and rebuilt by him and his associates
during lSi9. Later, the Legget's Gan
road, from Scranton TO Great Bend. was
constructed and thrown open in 1851.
In 1852, by consolidation, the corpora |
ton known as the Delaware. Lacka- |
wanna & Western railroad came into |
existence. In the development OF this |
road he was actively interested and !
was one Of its largest stockholders. He |
has been engaged in railroad building |
IN Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska. |
Dakota, Missouri and Texas. He was |
The organizer of the railroad system OF /
Iowa, having built the first railroad /
across that State from the Mississi1pi |
10 the Missouri rivers. and subseouentiy |
more than 1000 miles In Iowa and Ne
)raska. He was one Of the original az
'ectors OF the Union Pacific and was al
me time a director In seventeen con.
lervative companies, as well as presi.
lent OF three. Mr.. Blair was also con.
rolling owner OF a large number OF
'ther wealthy corporations in the east
ma west Mr. Blair has given in his
Rreer 10000 TO Princeton. OF which no
vas a trustee In 1866: s57 1000 To Lafav.
tie college. and 100000 to the Blair
'resbyterian academy. Over one hum
ired churches which have risen in
owns in which he was interested in the
vest have been built largely through
rs liberality. Religiously Mr.. blair
,as a Presbyterian and in politics a
republican one OF Mr.. Blairs daugb-
ers married Mr.. Charles scribner
1under Of the great publishing house
4 New York.
John /. Blair Of Blair & Co said
oday that the banking firm Of which
ohn |. Blair was the senior member
III not be impaired The partnership
)ntlnues as before, his interest remain !
" IN the firm. The partnership agree I
lent uartfpularlv On account - A.. | t,