Evening star., 1928-06-03
House Has Been Associated With Many Historic Events

organization Of the Republican party.
with which he continued to act up to
the close OF the war, since whicn ne
has not figured In politics.
THE funeral Of Mr.. Blair will take
place on Saturday at the Rock Greek
Church. The pallbearers have not yet
been selected -
On the day Of the funeral, October
81, The Star said
THE funeral Of the venerable Fran
els p. Blair. who died at his residence
at Silver Spring Montgomery County.
Md, Wednesday evening, took place
from there this morning at II o'clock.
and the remains we're taken for inter
ment in Rock Greek Church. The body
was embalmed and looked very natural.
II was In a handsome walnut casket
covered with black cloth, with panels
Il black velvet, and was furnished With
silver bar handles and lined through
out with white rnerino On top silver
plate bearing the inscription. Francis
p Blair. aged 36 years. On the lid Of
The coffin there was a great pr0fustCn
# flowers arranged IN Wreath5, an
Chors. etc.
at the family mansion there we're
gathered the immediate family conuec-
tions of the deceased, and about Il
O'Clock Rev Mr. Everett cf Grace
Church. nearby having arrived, the
funeral procession started TO St Paul's
Church fPock Creek, At the church
a large number Of the friends Of the
family had assembled. among them
Secretary Robson. Hon. Peter Parker,
Marshall Brown, Richard Wallach. Or.
J. 2. Brodhead, Judge DIN, Mr. W ".
Corcoran. DR.. c. r. Nichols, Capt.
Wright Riyes. Capt Patterson, Gen
J. z. ParEe. eX-Goy. Shepherd Admiral
Sands. 3 T. SWart and others
The cortege arrived al the church
few minutes past Il O'Clock, and the
corpse was borne 20 the front o. the
chanCaj. being met ov Rev Dr. Buck
and Rev. Mr. JACKSON. The remains
gere followed by Admiral Lee and Mrs.
Lee daughter % the deceased, Hon.
Montgomery Blair ard other members
Ct the family some years ago Mr..
Blair remarked that al the associates
Of his young days having deceased, he
wished when his time came that his
remains should be borne to the grave
by his grardsons, and, in compliance
With that wish. eight Of the sons Of
Gen. 2. p. Blair and James Blair. de-
ceased, and Hon. Montgomery Blair
dCbCA - @dlsDCaE-45, 4lULl lLEJLE&-&F
Blair. II, bright-lookiuZ boy OF about
49, walking az the head Of the cssket.
"On entering the church, services Of
the Episcopal Church we're read by Rev.
Mr.. Everett, assisted by Or. Buck and
Mr.. Jackson, during which the hymn
Come Ye D1scOnsolate' was sung By
the choir. At the conclusion Of the
services an opportunity vas given those
present 20 view the remains, and many
did 50. after which the corpse was re-
moved to the vault nearby, IN which It
was placed
NTOETGOMERY BLAIR. who vas
~ Postmaster General in Lincoln's
cabinet. died at Falkland. his country
residence. near Silver Spring. Nd. pass
ing away early IN the morning Of july
u. 1889. The cause Of his death was
inflammation Of the membranes Of the
spine, from which he had suffered for
some years.
At the time Of his death he was 70
years Of age. and besides MS wife, Mary
Elizabeth Blair. he left three sons ard
z. daughter. Woodbury. Cist. Mont
gomery and Minna Blair. II is rather
unusual that Francis P. Blair. father
Of Mon tgonlery Blair, also left three
sons and daugnter--Montgon1
Francis. James and Elizabeth.
Montgomery Blair was born in Frank
/ lin County. Ky, May 70. 1913, vas
graduated from West Point in 1885.
After serving in the Seminole War he
resigned MS commission one year after
graduating and began the practice Of
law in St Louis, Mo. where he achieved
/ prominence. He became United states
district attorney for Missouri ana n
l643 was elected 20 the bench. In 1882
he removed 70 Maryland and became a
prominent figure in politics there. Orig
| ina}ly the Biairs were Democrats. but
they joined the Republican ranks a.
! the inception Of the party. returning
again 10 their first love some years after
the close Of the Civil War.
Montgomery Blair vas counsel for
the plaintiff in the famous Dred Scott
( case in 1857, and represented Samuel }.
Tilden before the electoral commission
Of i3T6-77. As Postmaster he vas the
first to advance the idea Of the free 6e-
! livery system.
HIS funeral took place at Rock Creek
Church. July %, 1888. and he vas In
tered IN the family vault in that
churchyard. The palIoearers were Jc-
seph II. Bradley. Fred PilIing, Spen-
Ger Watkins. z. p Jones, julius E
Marlow, DR.. James II. Davidson and
J. G. S. Carroll
The distinguished gathering at the
last rites included Secretary Folger.
Secretary Lincoln, Postmaster General
Gresham. Gen. A. D. Hazen. Gen. II. C.
Wright, Gen. Joe Johnson Gen. NJ. G.
Meigs, Gen. Emory. Judge Hsgner. ex-
Secretary w W. Belknap. 3. Fl. Warner.
Crosby S. Moves. H A. Willard. NJ. w.
Gait and ex-Secretary McCulloch.
Mai Gist Blair. who Is a World War
veteran, told me u was intended some
CAV % restore the house in even the
most minute detail TO what il originally
vas Even the large modern panes Of
glass must give way TO the small type
used IN Construction when this house
was erected more than century ago.
Mai. Blair takes pride in this old
home, vet he finds il impossible TO admit
the public 20 view il and its contents,
and strangers 70 the household must
content themselves with an exterior
vieW-at least for some years to come.