Francis Preston Blair Sr.
Born: April 12, 1791
Birthplace: Abingdon, Virginia
Father: James Blair 1762 – 1837
Mother: Elizabeth Smith 1762 – 1818
Wife: Eliza Violet Gist 1794 – 1877
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Married: July 31, 1813 in Frankfort, Kentucky
Signature:
Children:
Montgomery Blair 1813 – 1883
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Elizabeth Blair Lee 1818 – 1906
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)
Lt. James Lawrence Blair 1819 – 1853
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Major General Francis Preston Blair Jr. 1821 – 1875
(Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri)
Education:
1811: Graduated from Transylvania University
Occupation:
Contributor for Frankfort Argus Newspaper
1819: Member of Relief Party of Kentucky
Participated in Old Court New Court Controversary in Kentucky
President of Bank of Commonwealth
1828: Supporter of Andrew Jackson's Presidential Campaign
1830 – 1845: Editor of The Washington Globe Newspaper
Helped Start a printing house in Washington, D.C.
1844: Supporter of James K. Polk's Presidential Campaign
1848: Supporter of Martin Van Buren's Presidential Campaign
1852: Supporter of Franklin Pierce's Presidential Campaign
Helped organize the Republican Political Party
1856: President of Republican Party Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1856: Helped John C. Fremont win Republican Party Nomination
1860: Delegate to Republican Party National Convention
1860: Supporter of Edward Bates for Presidential Nomination
Civil War Role:
1861 – 1865: Adviser to President Abraham Lincoln
1861: Asked by President Lincoln to offer Colonel Robert E. Lee command of Union Army
1864 – 1865: Thought his friendship with Confederate Leaders might bring about peace resulting in Hampton Roads Conference
Life after War:
Advocate for a speedy reunification with former Confederate States
Spoke out against Radical Republicans and Radical Reconstruction
Supporter and Ally of President Andrew Johnson
Rejoined the Democratic Political Party
Died: October 18, 1876
Place of Death: Silver Spring, Maryland
Age at time of Death: 85 years old
Burial Place: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
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