A Guide to the Jerome Blair Collection, 1836-1894 #1990.1

Biographical Information

Destined to become a prominent Wythe County merchant, Jerome Blair was born on 12 April 1819 in the Walton Furnace area. Blair evidently intended on studying law and migrating to Texas or Oregon. In an 1845 letter (Kegley Library Vertical File, Families-Blair #34), he admits to William Blair that "if times get any better perhaps I may stay in this county." Blair supported himself by teaching.

On 13 December 1848, Jerome Blair married Emily H. Caldwell (1828-1897). They raised several children together including Isabella Margaret Blair (1852-1917), Hannah E. Blair (1862-1956), Susan Blair, Charles David Blair (1869-1928), and John Blair.

Blair operated general merchandise stores in Grayson and Wythe counties. His Wythe County stores included Brown Hill Furnace, Hutsons Creek, Peirce Forge (Cripple Creek Forge), and Walton Furnace while his Grayson County stores included Cherry Grove and Blair and Hall.

His Walton Furnace property also proved lucrative for Blair. In 1872 he leased it to Millon Howard and Dr. Richard Walton Sanders. The Lobdell Car Wheel Company rented the property in 1879. Blair received preference for hauling goods and providing supplies.

Jerome Blair served as justice of the peace for the eastern part of Wythe County as well as postmaster for Ivanhoe. He died on 2 March 1900.

Contents List

Set 1. Wythe County. 1836-1894.

16 volumes.

Set 1a. Peirce Forge (Cripple Creek Forge). 1836-1850.

5 volumes.
- Item Ia1. Day account book. 25 March 1840 - 27 March 1841.
  
  144 p.
  
  Unpaged index in front.
- Item Ia2. Time records and day account book. 1840-1850.
  
  [25] p.; [90] p.
  
  Time records dated April 1840 - May 1842. Day account book dated 1 September 1843-1850, includes number of hogs slaughtered for 1847 in a list at the end of the second section.
- Item Ia3. Account book. 19 September 1840 - May 1842.
  
  p. 16-48; [13] p.
  
  The first section of this volume has been used as a scrapbook.
- Item Ia4. Ledger book. 21 September 1840 - 18 April 1842.
  
  91 sheets.
  
  This volume includes some entries for blacks.
- Item Ia5. Jerome Blair's book and account book. 1836; 7 May 1842 - 26 October 1843.
  
  [62] p.
  
  Jerome Blair's book, 1836, p. [1] - [40] shows sample book-keeping records. Account book dated 7 May 1842-26 October 1843, has p. [41] - [44]; [47] - 62.
Set Ib. Hutsons Creek Store. 1853-1893.

7 volumes.

Store thought to be in the eastern part of Wythe County, but the exact location remains unknown.
- Item Ib1. Day account book. 2 June 1853 - 5 November 1853.
  
  120 p.
- Item Ib2. Day account book. 8 September 1853 - 13 February 1854.
  
  [39] p.; unbound.
- Item Ib3. Day account book. 7 November 1853 - 9 June 1854.
  
  136 p.
- Item Ib4. Cash book and account book. 11 August 1853 - 4 October 1854; 27 December 1867 - August 1871.
  
  19 p.; [55] p.
  
  Fourteen pages between the cash book and account book and a number of pages follwoing the second work were used as a penmanship copy book.
- Item Ib5. Journal account book. 2 June 1853 - 7 February 1855.
  
  227, [1] p.
- Item Ib6. Ledger books. 1853-1855; 1892-1893.
  
  291 p.; 115 p.
  
  Presumed to be a Hutsons Creek Store volume; unpaged index in front.
- Item Ib7. Pocket memorandum book. 1854.
  
  22 p.
  
  Presumed to be a Hutsons Creek Store volume. On cover: "Negro book;" lists names of slaves and their purchases.
Set. Ic. Brown Hill Furnace Store. 1870-1871.

3 volumes.

For additional records dealing with the Brown Hill Furnace Store please see: Set IIb9, Blair and Hall Store, Spring Valley, Grayson County, Va., p. 40-41, which cover day account records for 30 November 1870 and 6 December 1870.
- Item Ic1. Day account book. 22 March 1870 - 20 August 1872.
  
  110 p.
- Item Ic2. Journal and account book. 6 June 1870 - 9 February 1872.
  
  117 p.
- Item Ic3. Day account book. 4 June 1870 - 30 January 1871.
  
  129 p.
Set Id. Walton Furnace. 1882-1894.

1 volume.

For additional records dealing with the Walton Furnace Store please see: Set IIa2, Cherry Grove Store, Grayson County, Va. p. 496-506, which cover account reocrds for 16 May 1892 - 15 May 1893. Also see Set IIa4, Cherry Grove Store, Grayson County, Va., p. 513-666 which cover day account records for 13 May 1892 - 28 September 1893.
- Item Id1. Justice's judgement and execution book. 28 April 1882 - 16 July 1894.
  
  [40] p.
  
  Jerome Blair served as jutice of the peace in the eastern part of Wythe County. Court proceedings were held at Walton Furnace.

Set II. Grayson County. 1856-1893

17 volumes.

Set IIa. Cherry Grove Store. 1856-1893

5 volumes.
- Item IIa1. Day account book and account book. 13 March 1856 - 31 December 1856; 12 June 1891 - 7 May 1892.
  
  195 p.; 41, [1] p.
- Item IIa2. Account book; account records for Business College; account book for Walton Furnace Store. 1857-1893.
  
  434 p.; p. 481-495, 694-697; p. 496-506.
  
  Account book, 1 January 1857 - 9 November 1861, 434 p., p. 435-480 are missing. Account records for Business College, 15 February 1873 - 1 September 1873, p. 481-495; 694-697. Account book for Walton Furnace Store, Wythe County, Va., 16 May 1892 - 15 May 1893, p. 496-506.
- Item IIa3. Account ledger for individuals. January 1857 - 30 July 1873.
  
  p. 1-3323; 437-498.
  
  Unpaged index in front, p. 333-436 are missing.
- Item IIa4. Day account book; Day account book, Day account book for Walton Furnace Store. 1857-1893.
  
  510 p.; p. 511-512; p. 513-666.
  
  Day account book, 1 January 1857 - 3 November 1862, 510 p. Day account book, 6 December 1862 - 3 January 1868, p. 511-512, heading on these pages reads Wythe County, Va., exact location unknown. Day account book for Walton Furnace Store, Wythe County, Va., 13 May 1892 - 28 September 1893, p. 513-666.
- Item IIa5. Day account book. 3 September 1858 - 27 October 1859.
  
  [215] p.
Set IIb. Blair and Hall Store, Spring Valley. 1868-1878.

12 volumes.
- Item IIb1. Account book no. 1. 1868.
  
  47 p.
  
  Inside front cover: Jerome Blair, Samuel P. Hall.
- Item IIb2. Day account book. 1 January 1868 - 18 September 1868.
  
  98 p., [2] p.
- Item IIb3. Day account book. 1 January 1868 - 9 March 1869.
  
  127 p.
- Item IIb4. Account book. February 1868 - 10 May 1870.
  
  51 p., [9] p.
- Item IIb5. Invoice book. 8 May 1868 - 22 March 1870.
  
  282 p.
  
  Unpaged index in front.
- Item IIb6. Account ledger for individuals. 1 January 1868 - December 1870.
  
  112 p.
  
  Unpaged index at front.
- Item IIb7. Account book(s). 1869.
  
  [290] p.
  
  May be one volume; covers dates in 1869; unbound.
- Item IIb8. Account book. 6 May 1869 - 9 December 1870.
  
  113 p.
- Item IIb9. Day account book. 23 March 1870 - 6 December 1870.
  
  128 p.
  
  Day account book, 23 March 1870 - 24 September 1870, 40 p. Last entry on p. 40, 30 November 1870, and entry on p. 41, 6 December 1870, are for Brown Hill Furnace Store in Wythe County, Va. Pages 42-123 are blank; pages 124 and 128 contain entries.
- Item IIb10. Ledger book. 1870 - 1871.
  
  105 p.
  
  UNpaged index at front.
- Item IIb11. Account book. January 1872 - December 1873.
  
  47 p.
  
  Unpaged index at front.
- Item IIb12. Account book. January 1873 - September 1878.
  
  82 p.
  
  Unpaged index at front.

A Guide to the Jerome Blair Collection, 1836-1894

A Collection in
Special Collections, Kegley Library
Collection Number 1990.1

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Use Restrictions

Preferred Citation

Acquisition Information

Biographical Information

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