Hi John: I believe that this particular Jacob Blair belongs to me, though I haven't seen the reference in the History of Aurora in Chapter One. I'd appreciate it if you could let me know what it says. Anyway, my Jacob was born January 6, 1774, to Jacob Blair and Martha Gilmore in Blandford, Mass. Jacob married Dorothy Ferguson in November of 1799 in Blandford. Below are some of my notes for him: Came to the Mantua, Ohio area in 1804 with his brother James. The other brother, John, came in 1806. In 1806 there were only 127 males in the Mantua area. The area was first surveyed in 1798, so the Jacob and his brothers were some of the earliest settlers. After coming here in 1804, he returned to Massachusetts, but returned to Mantua in 1806. 7/4/1805, sold 400 acres in Aurora, Ohio, Lot 25. 12/27/1805, bought 300 acres in Mantua, Ohio from David King, Lot 32. Land agent and farmer. Killed in a house-raising in 1807. His was the second death in Mantua Township. He settled on the Peter Carlton farm in Mantua, Ohio. After his death, the family moved to Blair Place. Jacob's was the second recorded burial at Pioneer Cemetery in Mantua, Ohio. His headstone reads: "In Memory of Mr. Jacob Blair who departed this life Apr 9, 1807 in the 33rd year of his age. Killed by a fall from a building. Let this vain world ingage no more. Behold the gaping tomb. It bids us seize the present hour. Tomorrow death may come." >From Abstracts of Probate Records, Trumbull County, Ohio, 1803-1843: "Inventory of personal estate of Jacob Blair of Hiram Twp. Administrators, Amzi Atwater, Charlotte Blair,; S-Oliver Snow, Ebenezer Sheldon Jr.; Appraisers: Elias Harmon, Moses Pond, Jothan Atwater. Final settlement filed March 1820. Details: This day Charlotte Granger & Gershom Judson, guardians to Benjamin Blair and Dolly Blair, heirs at law of Jacob Blair deceased, filed their final settlement of guardianship - accepted. Also addition amount, to that exhibited Mar. 21, 1809, additional amount set off to the widow $143.55, Otis Kennedy forgoing to collect money $.50, minor heirs Benjamin and Dolly by cash received of Estate of Mathew Blair, James Blair pays taxes; dated Aurora, Feb. 7, 1820. >From "Mantua Manuscripts" LDS film 0547524: In 1804, there came into Mantua, Jacob Blair, David Pond, Samuel Forward Jr., Calvin Loomis and also Amzi Atwater returned to Connecticut on a visit and brought back with him his mother and three sisters, Lois, Mariam, and Mary and Ella Wilmot, a boy about 16 years old as a hired man. Jacob Blair came from Blandford Massachusetts and was previously in the country in 1799. He then selected and bought 300 acres north side of Lot No. 25 in Aurora. In the fall of 1799, he returned to Mass. and sold his land selected to Russel Atwater. In 1804 he came again to this country and selected and purchased 300 acres the north side of Lot No. 32, in Mantua, built a log cabin on his land near the northeast corner of the lot and made some improvements about it. In the fall of 1804 he returned to Mass. for his family and in the Spring of 1806 he came again into Mantua and settled on his land with his family occupying his log cabin built in 1804. On April 9, 1807 whilst engaged in raising himself a new and better log cabin, a log slipped and struck and killed him. He was buried in the burying ground about one mile south of the Centre of Mantua and was the first person buried therein. His widow whose maiden name was Charlotte Snow, December 10, 1808 married Horace Granger of Aurora and immediately removed to Aurora to reside." I hope that this helps. I do not know of this Jacob being in Bedford County PA at any time, so I don't think that he is the Jacob Blair that you are searching for. Let me know if you have further questions, and if you wouldn't mind letting me know what the Aurora History says about him, I'd appreciate it. I also have information on the Jacob Blair that married MaryAnn Bierce and Charlotte Fleming. They are the same Jacob Blair, married twice to these women. That Jacob Blair's father was John Blair who was the son of Jacob Blair and Martha Gilmore, that I mentioned earlier in this email. Take care Laura Hine [email protected] On Mon, 31 Jan 2000 22:08:19 -0000 "John Blair" <[email protected]> writes: > I and many others have been trying to trace one of our ancestors > named Jacob > Blair. He is last found in Bedford Co. PA in 1790....Recently I > found a > link to a History of Aurora and in Chapter One of the book, it has a > JACOB > BLAIR, as a early landowner (early 1800's). Is anyone researching > BLAIR's > or have any info on this particular person?? Thanks so much, John > Blair > > Need an ADVANTAGE in life?... > http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=BPJ-453 > >