Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-10
JOHN BLAIR DEAD.
Ole of wsteTbuy's Best Known Ct-
 izens Dies at Winchester.

oAi oA 6oo I1lllSlQe avenue died suddenly last night at his sum- mer residence In Winchester. MT biair's health had not been good for some time past, but his condition was not considered serious and he expect ca to be back in Waterbury before long much improved. A letter re- ceived here from him Sunday held out hope for his recovery. and mo- Dody in Waterbury knew anything 70 the contrary until telephone message was sent here this morning stating that Mir Blair died at 8 o'clock last night. Death was due to heart failure.
 MT Blair was born in Derby in lS49. After leaving school he went to work for lumber and coal con cern in that town and remained there until the railroad bought up the con- cern, after which he was employed Tn Naugatuck and remained there until he located in Waterbury For thirty years and over he was em- pioyed at the Apothecaries Hall Co, Where he proved himself an honest, eMcient and very popular business man. He was republican registrar or voters for twenty-five years and filled the position not only to the satisfaction of his own party, but also to the approval of the democrats. He was a strong partisan, but withal ne was honest, and his sense of fair ness deterred him from doing any, thing-and he had opportunities In an underhanded way which would give his party an advantage over the democrats. He had the business re- duced to a science and knew more about the political leanings of the electors of this town than anybody who survives him. In the election of 1903 he was elected to the office of town clerk for term of two years During his term of office few clever fellows in different parts of the state started out to get an act passed through the general assembly pro- viding for the appointment of town clerks by the superior court judges, Instead of electing them by the peo- pie. MT Blair refused to have any thing to do with the scheme and when called upon to express an opin- lon on the question he said that the office of town clerk vas very i'm portant position, but not so much so but that the people could be trusted to elect suitable person to fill it from time to time. He didn't think any man should hold an office of that kind except by the consent of the people. This won him many admirers In the democratic party. but it hurt him with those who believe in the standardization of power and wrestling from the people by degrees so as not .o arouse too much con ment, the right to elect their own public ser rants. In the election held last fall, Mr Blair was defeated by F. P. Brett, he same candidate whom he had won from at the previous election.
 MT Blair was prominent society nan and held important positions in he Odd Fellows and Red Men. Be- tides his widow he leaves two sons md two daughters, Robert s. Blair, | patent attorney in New York, and Paul A. Blair, patent lawyer at Washington. D. c. One of the daugh- .ers is the wife of David B. Meth. n electrician in the employ of the ,. R. & L. Co. The other daughter Mrs Wallace Farnham of South Winchester. He also leaves a broth IT, Samuel Blair.
 The death of Mir Blair removes an- ,ther prominent member of the First Congregational church. He was an !ctive member of that church and at he time of his death held the posi- don of chairman of the society's com nittee.
 The body will be brought here at Ii o'clock tomorrow morning and he funeral service will be held Sun my. Mir Blair preferred that his re- aains be disposed of by cremation nther than burial. but just what will done about that will not be known ntil the family get together. This ras a subject he frequently talked of nd always said that he believed it
 more fitting way for all that Is ,ortul of man to return to ashes han by the slow process of decom- osition fin mother earth.