My Genealogy Hound

MRS. EUNICE MARIA BLAIR, a highly esteemed resident of Ware, is the widow of the late Francis Blair, who passed away at his home on West Street, on August 3, 1883, when but forty-seven years of age. He was born in the west part of the town of Ware, and was a son of Ambrose and Sarah (Dunbar) Blair, the former of whom was a native of Warren, Mass. His father was a successful farmer, spent his life in cultivating the land, and died in 1886, eighty-four years of age. His wife, who was a daughter of Seth Dunbar, of Ware, reared him a son and daughter, respectively named Francis and Almira. The latter died at the home of her brother’s widow in 1893, when fifty-four years of age. She was a lady of the most amiable disposition. For many years she gave the most tender care to her invalid mother, who died in 1879, when about sixty-five years of age.

Mrs. Blair is a daughter of Deacon Milton and Maria (Snell) Lewis, respectively natives of Dedham and Ware, Mass. Her father was a well-informed man, and taught school both before and after his marriage. The latter part of his life, however, was chiefly spent in agriculture, on his farm in the West Parish of Ware. He was a zealous member of the Congregational church, in which he served for many years as Deacon. On April 6, 1831, he was united in marriage with Miss Maria Snell, who bore him eight children. Of these a son died in infancy, and Nelson C. who lived but seventeen years. Thomas A., whose death occurred when he was thirty years old, was a graduate of Amherst College in the class of 1859, and had prepared for the ministry. He served as chaplain in the Civil War; and at the time of his death, in 1865, was engaged to be married. William E. died in 1891, at Lake Geneva, Wis., leaving a widow and seven children. He enlisted for service in the Civil War as a private in Company E of the Thirty-seventh Massachusetts Regiment, with which he shared in many hard-fought battles, and was wounded in the last. When mustered out of service he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He was a man of fine intellectual ability, an earnest Christian worker, and was associated at one time with D. L. Moody. For fourteen years he was connected with the Young Men’s Christian Association, and was beloved and highly esteemed in the West. He served as State Secretary, and was at one time a member of the legislature. The next in order is Eunice Maria, the subject of this sketch. Martha M., the wife of Dr. C. B. King, of Belchertown, died in March, 1891, aged forty-nine years, leaving one son. Henry M. died when two and a half years old; and another child died in infancy. Their father’s death occurred on September 26, 1885, at the age of seventy-seven years; and their mother died three years later, in the eighty-first year of her age. They rest in the West Parish burial-ground in Ware.

Eunice Maria Lewis received a good common-school education, and prior to her marriage was successfully engaged in teaching. On September 13, 1866, she was united in marriage with Francis Blair. He was a man of superior business ability, and in addition to managing his farm, he devoted much time and attention to other business and to town affairs. He dealt quite largely in real estate and mortgages, and at his death left besides his farm the present large farm-house and barn erected by him in 1862. He was interested in the Otis Company, to whom he proved a valuable assistant. Though not a member of any church, his influence was always on the side of uprightness, integrity, and truth. In politics he was a loyal Republican, and for several years he was Selectman and Road Commissioner. After their marriage he and Mrs. Blair took up their residence in the house now occupied by her alone. She lost two infant daughters. A son and two daughters are living, namely: Lewis Monroe Blair, residing on the farm and conducting it, who has a wife and two sons; Mary Estella, who recently graduated from the Ware High School; and Alice Gertrude, fourteen years of age, who is now attending the high school. Mrs. Blair and her children are the last representatives of the family, with the exception of an uncle, Royal E. Blair, who resides in Springfield, Mass.