Montgomery Blair
United States Postmaster General
United States Postmaster General
Born: May 10, 1813
Birthplace: Franklin County, Kentucky
Father: Francis Preston Blair Sr. 1791 – 1876
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Mother: Eliza Violet Gist 1794 – 1877
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Wife: Caroline Rebecca Buckner
Wife: Mary Elizabeth Woodbury 1821 – 1887
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Signature: Children:
Elizabeth “Betty” Blair Comstock 1841 – 1872
(Buried: U.S. Military Academy, Post Cemetery, West Point, N.Y.)
Minna Blair Richey 1850 – 1919
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Maria G. Blair 1851 – 1862
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Woodbury Blair 1852 – 1933
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Gist Blair 1860 – 1940
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Montgomery Blair II 1865 – 1944
(Buried: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)
Education:
1835: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (18th in class)
Occupation before War:
1835: Brevet, 2nd Lt. United States Army, 4th Artillery
1835 – 1836: Brevet, 2nd Lt. United States Army, 2nd Artillery
1836: Resigned from United States Army on May 20th
1839 – 1843: Attorney in Saint Louis, Missouri
1839 – 1843: United States Attorney, District of Missouri
1842 – 1843: Captain, Missouri State Militia
1843 – 1849: Judge, St. Louis, Missouri Court of Common Pleas
1853 – 1861: Attorney in Montgomery County, Maryland
1855 – 1858: United States Solicitor Court of Claims
1856 – 1857: Attorney for Dred Scott
1860: President of Maryland State Republican Convention
Civil War Career:
1861 – 1864: United States Postmaster General
Helped establish free city delivery of mail
Helped with adoption of money order system
Helped establish use of rail mail cars
Occupation after War:
1864 – 1883: Attorney in Montgomery County, Maryland
Supporter of Democratic Political Party due to radical Reconstruction
1874: Maryland Lay Delegate to General Convention of Episcopal Ch.
1876: Counsel for William W. Belknap during investigation
1882: Unsuccessful Candidate for U.S. Congress
Died: July 27, 1883
Place of Death: Silver Spring, Maryland
Age at time of Death: 70 years old
Burial Place: Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
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