John Insley Blair
Encyclopedia
John Insley Blair was an American
entrepreneur, railroad magnate, philanthropist
and one of the 19th century's wealthiest men.
; he was the fourth child of ten children. He was born at Foul Rift
, just south of Belvidere, New Jersey
, and at the age of two the Blair family moved to a farm near Hope Township, New Jersey
. Even as a youth, Blair displayed a keen interest in the acquisition of wealth. At the age of ten, he is reported to have told his mother, "I have seven brothers and three sisters. That's enough in the family to be educated. I am going to get rich." The young Blair began earning money by trapping wild rabbits and muskrats and selling their skins at a price of sixteen for a dollar. The next year, Blair began working at a general store owned by his cousin John, and at the age of seventeen he founded a store of his own with his cousin as an equal partner, located in the community of Butt's Bridge, New Jersey. On August 25, 1825, the name of the community was changed to Gravel Hill and Blair was appointed postmaster
, a position he retained until July, 1851. He married Nancy Ann Locke on September 20, 1826, and the couple had four children: Emma Elizabeth, Marcus Laurence, DeWitt Clinton, and Aurelia Ann. Blair bought out his cousin's share of their store and expanded operations. By 1830, he owned five stores, each one run by one of his brothers.
On January 24, 1839, Gravel Hill was officially renamed Blairstown, New Jersey (2000 Population of 5,747) in Blair's honor. He established Blair, Nebraska
by purchasing a 1075 acres (4.4 km²) tract of land in Nebraska on May 10, 1869 after the Sioux City and Pacific Rail Road
chose to cross the Missouri river at that location.
Blair managed his multi-million dollar businesses from rural Blairstown, New Jersey or from his private rail car upon which it was common for him to log 40000 miles (64,373.6 km) annually. As president of 16 railroad companies, he amassed a fortune estimated at $70 million. Blair was the largest owner of rail mileage in the world. His religion as a Presbyterian and penchant for philanthropy led him to found more than 100 churches in close proximity to his railroads. In 1873, he was also an investor in the Green Bay and Minnesota Railroad, and the namesake of Blair, Wisconsin
.
He died in Blairstown, New Jersey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur, railroad magnate, philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
and one of the 19th century's wealthiest men.
Biography
Blair's parents John Blair and Rachel Insley immigrated from ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
; he was the fourth child of ten children. He was born at Foul Rift
Foul Rift
Foul Rift is an approximately quarter-mile long stretch of Class II rapids in the Delaware River, locate about a mile south of Belvidere, New Jersey. The rapids are caused by a descent in the elevation of the riverbed, and are considered by locals to be the most dangerous on the Delaware River,...
, just south of Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere is a Town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat of Warren County....
, and at the age of two the Blair family moved to a farm near Hope Township, New Jersey
Hope Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,891 people, 697 households, and 538 families residing in the township. The population density was 102.2 people per square mile . There were 747 housing units at an average density of 40.4 per square mile...
. Even as a youth, Blair displayed a keen interest in the acquisition of wealth. At the age of ten, he is reported to have told his mother, "I have seven brothers and three sisters. That's enough in the family to be educated. I am going to get rich." The young Blair began earning money by trapping wild rabbits and muskrats and selling their skins at a price of sixteen for a dollar. The next year, Blair began working at a general store owned by his cousin John, and at the age of seventeen he founded a store of his own with his cousin as an equal partner, located in the community of Butt's Bridge, New Jersey. On August 25, 1825, the name of the community was changed to Gravel Hill and Blair was appointed postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, a position he retained until July, 1851. He married Nancy Ann Locke on September 20, 1826, and the couple had four children: Emma Elizabeth, Marcus Laurence, DeWitt Clinton, and Aurelia Ann. Blair bought out his cousin's share of their store and expanded operations. By 1830, he owned five stores, each one run by one of his brothers.
On January 24, 1839, Gravel Hill was officially renamed Blairstown, New Jersey (2000 Population of 5,747) in Blair's honor. He established Blair, Nebraska
Blair, Nebraska
Blair is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,990 at the 2000 census. Blair is a part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
by purchasing a 1075 acres (4.4 km²) tract of land in Nebraska on May 10, 1869 after the Sioux City and Pacific Rail Road
Sioux City and Pacific Rail Road
The Sioux City and Pacific Railroad was a railroad in the U.S. states of Iowa and Nebraska. Built as a connection from Sioux City to the Union Pacific Railroad at Fremont, it became part of the Chicago and North Western Railway system in the 1880s, and is now a main line of the Union Pacific...
chose to cross the Missouri river at that location.
Blair managed his multi-million dollar businesses from rural Blairstown, New Jersey or from his private rail car upon which it was common for him to log 40000 miles (64,373.6 km) annually. As president of 16 railroad companies, he amassed a fortune estimated at $70 million. Blair was the largest owner of rail mileage in the world. His religion as a Presbyterian and penchant for philanthropy led him to found more than 100 churches in close proximity to his railroads. In 1873, he was also an investor in the Green Bay and Minnesota Railroad, and the namesake of Blair, Wisconsin
Blair, Wisconsin
Blair is a city in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, along the Trempealeau River. The population was 1,273 at the 2000 census.Blair is on the former Green Bay and Western Railroad, which ran down the Trempealeau River valley to Winona, Minnesota.-History:...
.
He died in Blairstown, New Jersey.
Holdings and joint holdings
- Lackawanna Coal and Iron CompanyLackawanna Steel CompanyThe Lackawanna Steel Company was an American steel manufacturing company that existed as an independent company from 1840 to 1922, and as a subsidiary of the Bethlehem Steel company from 1922 to 1983. Founded by the Scranton family, it was once the second-largest steel company in the world ....
(1846) - Delaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadDelaware, Lackawanna and Western RailroadThe Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company was a railroad connecting Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, rich in anthracite coal, to Hoboken, New Jersey, , Buffalo and Oswego, New York...
(1852) - Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
(1860)
- president, director, or joint in 20+ others.
Notable philanthropy
- Blair AcademyBlair AcademyBlair Academy is a private, coeducational, secondary boarding high school with an enrollment of about 448 students for grades nine through twelve. The school has 78 faculty members...
Founded (1848). - Lafayette CollegeLafayette CollegeLafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
Easton, PennsylvaniaEaston, PennsylvaniaEaston is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County.... - Grinnell CollegeGrinnell CollegeGrinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
(Grinnell, IowaGrinnell, IowaGrinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
) - Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New JerseyPrinceton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
- Endowed a geology professorship, first held by Arnold Henry GuyotArnold Henry GuyotArnold Henry Guyot was a Swiss-American geologist and geographer.-Biography:...
. The endowed chair is the second oldest at the school; as of the start of the 2000-01 school year there were 172 such endowed chairs. - Served as trustee from 1866 until his death. In remarks at his installation as trustee, Blair noted that he had received little formal education and had spent most of his life as a businessman learning addition, but that now "I have come to Princeton to learn subtraction."
- Provided funds to build Blair Hall, which was constructed in 1897 by Cope & StewardsonCope & StewardsonCope & Stewardson was an architecture firm best known for its academic building and campus designs. The firm is often regarded as a Master of the Collegiate Gothic style. Walter Cope and John Stewardson established the firm in 1885, and were later joined by Emlyn Stewardson in 1887...
.
- Endowed a geology professorship, first held by Arnold Henry Guyot
Descendants of
John Insley Blair - Nancy Ann Locke- DeWitt Clinton BlairDeWitt Clinton BlairDeWitt Clinton Blair , born in Gravel Hill, New Jersey , was the son of John Insley Blair and Nancy Anne Locke. He continued his father's varied business interests and philanthropy. He graduated from Princeton University with the Class of 1856, and served as a Princeton trustee from 1900-1909...
Son- Continued businesses and expanded his father's philanthropy
- Princeton University trustee (1900-1909)
- C. Ledyard BlairC. Ledyard BlairClinton Ledyard Blair was a prominent American investment banker and yachtsman.Blair was the grandson of John Insley Blair, one of the wealthiest men of the 19th century, and the son of DeWitt Clinton Blair and Mary Anna Kimball Blair...
Son of DeWitt Clinton Blair- Grandson of John I Blair founded Blair & Company investment bankers (1 Wall Street, New York, NY)