Direct descendant is highlighted in red

FATHER

John Blair

MOTHER

Isabel Eaton

WIFE

Margaret Kyd

CHILDREN

1. Elizabeth Blair
    b. 27 Jan 1799 Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    m. 17 Feb 1821 William Mellis, Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    d. 22 Jan 1891 Wellington, Ontario, Canada

2. Agnes Blair
    b. 30 Mar 1801 Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    m. 6 Sep 1822 Duncan McDonald in Forfar, Angus, Scotland

3. Henny Blair
    b. 27 Apr 1803 Forfar, Angus, Scotland

4. William Blair
    b. 20 Apr 1805 Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    Administered father's estate 4 Jun 1844
    Skene Blair died intestate and had a fixed place of abode which was granted to William Blair of West Gwillembury.

5. John Ogilvy Blair
    b. 8 Aug 1807 Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    m. 21 Apr 1850 Ann Dinny in Forfar, Angus, Scotland

6. Rachel Blair
    b. Abt. 1808

7. Mary Blair
    b. 28 Jul 1810 Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    m. 28 Feb 1832 to Thomas Livingstone at St Cuthberts, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
 
   
8. Helen Blair
    b. 06 Jul 1812 Forfar, Angus, Scotland
    m. John Shaw
    d. 25 Oct 1897 Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

9. Margaret Blair     b. 11 May 1815 Forfar, Angus, Scotland     m. 20 Mar 1840 Alexander Barclay St Anne, Limehouse, England     d. 13 Feb 1875 Dundee, Scotland
10. David Blair     b. 21 Aug 1817 Forfar, Angus, Scotland     m. Jane Algeo     d. 23 May 1913 Peel, Wellington, Ontario, Canada

Biography of Skene Blair

by Chase and Susan Brooke

Aug 2020

Skene Blair was baptized 4 Nov 1771 in Cortachy and Clova, Angus, Scotland. (1)  His parents were John Blair and Isabel Eaton.  When he was 21 he began serving with the Royal Artillery. The records indicate he served from 1793-1799 and was discharged at age 30. The record says he was a private for 6 years and 18 days.(2)  He was a gunman at the time of his marriage to Margaret Kidd on 3 Feb 1798. (3)   After leaving the Royal Artillery he became a merchant in Forfar.  In an 1812 county register he is listed as a boxmaster in the Glover's Inc. and a collector of taxes. (4) Then from 1817 to 1832 Skene Blair was a brewer in Forfar.  In 1825 "Skene Blair & Co on High Street" was one of five breweries in Forfar. (5)
Skene Blair was 63 years old when he received a free land grant for his military service. (6)  He had been granted 100 acres in Lot n 1/2 21 Concession 14 in West Gwillembury on 2 Jan 1834.  He left for Ontario, Canada. His children Rachel and David Blair were unmarried and probably travelled with him.  The 1911 census for David Blair says he arrived in 1834.  Skene also started receiving a pension on 17 Oct 1836  of 1 shilling 3d. for his military service. (7) His daughter, Rachel, is mentioned at that time as a school mistress. His daughter Helen married John Shaw and her first known child was born in Ontario in 1837. His son William Blair is listed in the History of Simcoe Co as being in West Gwillembury on Lot 13, concession 13 before 1837.  He was also the administrator of his father's estate in 1844.  His daughter Elizabeth had married William Mellis back in Forfar in 1821, and William Mellis is listed in the census for Wellington in 1851.  His daughter Agnes married Duncan McDonald back in Forfar in 1822, and her daughter Mary Blair McDonald married James Gibson in Wellington in 1858.  So, at least six of his ten children followed Skene to Ontario.  John, Mary and Margaret were married and seem to have stayed in Scotland.  Nothing is known of his daughter Henny.
Skene was a witness to a marriage in Innisfil in 1842. (8)  He died the next year, intestate.  That record says he died in West Gwillembury on July 5, 1843. (9)   When the estate was settled his fixed place of abode was granted to his son, William Blair.

Many thanks to Karen Smart in Canada for sharing her research.

Sources

(1) Baptismal Record
"John Blair and Isabel  Eiten in Salting wynd had a lawful son baptized named Skene; witnesses David Chalmers Senior, James Stuart Cook to the Earl of Airley and James Stuart Lawful son to the said James Stuart."

(2) Discharge papers 

(3) Marriage Record
"Skene Blair, gunman in the Royal Artillery and Margaret Kidd in this parish"

5. Scottish Breweries in 1825
 http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2011/11/scottish-breweries-in-1825.html

(6)  Skene Blair was given Lot N1/2 21 Con. 14 West Gwillimbury Township as a free grant for militia service on 2 Jan 1834 (RG series 01 C13 Vol. 125 pg. 073) The patent book shows that Skene Blair patented N1/2 21 C 14 in W. Gwill. on 21 Jul 1839 After that all official record of this man and his family is lost. He or his family does not appear in W. Gwill. in the 1861 census. The 1851 census for Simcoe County has not been kept over the years and only the portion with the totals is now available. For burial records: see Rev. William Fraser Presbyterian minister for many years in the 1830 and 40s and 50s and about the Session Book of the W. Gwillim. Presbyterian Church.

(8) Inisfill marriages

Charles TODD & Isabella MALCOLM, both of Innisfil, blank, on December 30, 1842, by Proclomation, wtn: Hugh TODD & Skene BLAIR, William Fraser, Un Sep Presbyterian

(9) Died: 5 Jul 1843 West Gwillembury, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada Estate of Skene Blair # 42128 Recorded 23 Feb 1866 Simcoe County On 4 Jun 1844 letters of administration on personal estate were submitted on Skene Blair who had died at the Township of West Gwillembury about 5 July 1843.  He had a fixed place of abode which was granted to William Blair of West Gwillembury.  Skene Blair had departed intestate.

Estate of Skene Blair LDS film 178906 General Register for Simcoe County J pg 176-7

Estate of Skene Blair LDS film 178906 General Register for Simcoe County J pg. 178

.