Difference between revisions of "John Blair Jr."
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'''John Blair''', a firm supporter of independence and the Constitution, was a member of a leading [[Virginia]] family who gained more renown as a lawyer-jurist than as a politician. President Washington appointed him as one of the original Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.<ref>http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/constitution/bio4.htm</ref> | '''John Blair''', a firm supporter of independence and the Constitution, was a member of a leading [[Virginia]] family who gained more renown as a lawyer-jurist than as a politician. President Washington appointed him as one of the original Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.<ref>http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/constitution/bio4.htm</ref> | ||
| − | ==Early | + | ==Early life== |
"Scion of a prominent Virginia family, Blair was born at Williamsburg in 1732. He was the son of John Blair, a colonial official and nephew of James Blair, founder and first president of the College of William and Mary. Signer Blair graduated from that institution and studied law at London's Middle Temple. Thereafter, he practiced at Williamsburg. In the years 1766-70 he sat in the [[Virginia]] House of Burgesses as the representative of William and Mary. From 1770 to 1775 he held the position of clerk of the colony's council. | "Scion of a prominent Virginia family, Blair was born at Williamsburg in 1732. He was the son of John Blair, a colonial official and nephew of James Blair, founder and first president of the College of William and Mary. Signer Blair graduated from that institution and studied law at London's Middle Temple. Thereafter, he practiced at Williamsburg. In the years 1766-70 he sat in the [[Virginia]] House of Burgesses as the representative of William and Mary. From 1770 to 1775 he held the position of clerk of the colony's council. | ||
==Career== | ==Career== | ||
| − | An active patriot, Blair signed the Virginia Association of June 22, 1770, which pledged to abandon importation of British goods until the Townshend Duties were repealed. He also underwrote the Association of May 27, 1774, calling for a meeting of the colonies in a Continental Congress and supporting the Bostonians. He took part in the Virginia constitutional convention (1776), at which he sat on the committee that framed a declaration of rights as well as the plan for a new government. He next served on the Privy Council ( | + | An active patriot, Blair signed the Virginia Association of June 22, 1770, which pledged to abandon importation of British goods until the Townshend Duties were repealed. He also underwrote the Association of May 27, 1774, calling for a meeting of the colonies in a Continental Congress and supporting the Bostonians. He took part in the Virginia constitutional convention (1776), at which he sat on the committee that framed a declaration of rights as well as the plan for a new government. He next served on the Privy Council (1776–78). In the latter year, the legislature elected him as a judge of the General Court, and he soon took over the chief justiceship. In 1780 he won election to Virginia's high chancery court, where his colleague was George Wythe. |
===Constitutional Convention=== | ===Constitutional Convention=== | ||
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
In 1789 Washington named Blair as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, where he helped decide many important cases. | In 1789 Washington named Blair as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, where he helped decide many important cases. | ||
| − | ==Later | + | ==Later life== |
Resigning that post in 1796, he spent his remaining years in Williamsburg. A widower, his wife (born Jean Balfour) having died in 1792, he lived quietly until he succumbed in 1800. He was 68 years old. His tomb is in the graveyard of Bruton Parish Church." <ref>http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_founding_fathers_virginia.html#Blair</ref> | Resigning that post in 1796, he spent his remaining years in Williamsburg. A widower, his wife (born Jean Balfour) having died in 1792, he lived quietly until he succumbed in 1800. He was 68 years old. His tomb is in the graveyard of Bruton Parish Church." <ref>http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_founding_fathers_virginia.html#Blair</ref> | ||
| Line 37: | Line 37: | ||
{{reflist|2}} | {{reflist|2}} | ||
| − | ==External | + | ==External links== |
*http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/RevWar/ss/blair.htm | *http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/RevWar/ss/blair.htm | ||
*http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/constitution/bio4.htm | *http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/constitution/bio4.htm | ||
{{Supreme Court|jay=y}} | {{Supreme Court|jay=y}} | ||
| − | [[Category:Virginia]][[Category: Founding Fathers]] | + | [[Category:Virginia]][[Category:Founding Fathers]] |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, John}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, John}} | ||
Revision as of 03:36, June 27, 2016
| John Blair | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Former Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court From: September 26, 1789 – October 25, 1795 | |||
| Nominator | George Washington | ||
| Predecessor | None | ||
| Successor | Samuel Chase | ||
| Information | |||
| Religion | Presbyterian | ||
John Blair, a firm supporter of independence and the Constitution, was a member of a leading Virginia family who gained more renown as a lawyer-jurist than as a politician. President Washington appointed him as one of the original Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.[1]
Early life
"Scion of a prominent Virginia family, Blair was born at Williamsburg in 1732. He was the son of John Blair, a colonial official and nephew of James Blair, founder and first president of the College of William and Mary. Signer Blair graduated from that institution and studied law at London's Middle Temple. Thereafter, he practiced at Williamsburg. In the years 1766-70 he sat in the Virginia House of Burgesses as the representative of William and Mary. From 1770 to 1775 he held the position of clerk of the colony's council.
Career
An active patriot, Blair signed the Virginia Association of June 22, 1770, which pledged to abandon importation of British goods until the Townshend Duties were repealed. He also underwrote the Association of May 27, 1774, calling for a meeting of the colonies in a Continental Congress and supporting the Bostonians. He took part in the Virginia constitutional convention (1776), at which he sat on the committee that framed a declaration of rights as well as the plan for a new government. He next served on the Privy Council (1776–78). In the latter year, the legislature elected him as a judge of the General Court, and he soon took over the chief justiceship. In 1780 he won election to Virginia's high chancery court, where his colleague was George Wythe.
Constitutional Convention
Blair attended the Constitutional Convention religiously but never spoke or served on a committee. He usually sided with the position of the Virginia delegation, of which he was a member. Others in his delegation included James Madison, George Mason, James McClurg, Edmund Randolph, George Washington, and George Wythe.
While in the commonwealth ratifying convention, Blair helped win backing for the new framework of government.
Supreme Court
In 1789 Washington named Blair as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, where he helped decide many important cases.
Later life
Resigning that post in 1796, he spent his remaining years in Williamsburg. A widower, his wife (born Jean Balfour) having died in 1792, he lived quietly until he succumbed in 1800. He was 68 years old. His tomb is in the graveyard of Bruton Parish Church." [2]
References
External links
- http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/RevWar/ss/blair.htm
- http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/constitution/bio4.htm
| The U.S. Supreme Court | ||||||
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| Chief Justice John Jay's Court (1789–1795) | ||||||
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