Robert Blair and Margaret McLuckie

Robert Blair, son of John Blair and Margaret McLuckie, was born in Bucklyvie, Kippen Parish, Stirlingshire Scotland about 1755. Robert married Margaret McLuckie in 1784. We have found reference to a Robert Blair and Margaret McLuckie, married on Apr 17, 1784 in Greenock, Renfrew. They sailed for America a few days latter and reached Barnet VA in August. Robert and Margaret had 8 children; John, Andrew, Christian, Robert, Alexander, Margaret, Joseph, and Janet. According to the History of Barnet Vermont Robert died May 21, 1821 at the age of 67. Margaret died Dec 13, 1833 at the age of 83.

The date of birth of both Robert and Margaret varies depending on the source. For Robert we have four sources:

1. The History of Barnet VT says he was born in 1755, yet based on his age at his death he probably would have born in 1754.

2. A letter from his father, John says he was born July 1754.

3. A letter from a brother dated Feb 29, 1796 says "you are 43 years old", implying that he was born in 1753.

4. The Buchlyvie Associate Session Baptisms (some marriages) 1752-1785 lists Robert as the son of John Blair and Margaret McLuckie, baptized on Jul 15, 1753 in Kippen, Scotland.

For Margaret we have two sources:

1. The History of Barnet VT says she died Dec 13, 1833 at the age of 83, making her birth 1850.

2. A letter from her brother Robert says she was born in 1753.

Letters from Robert's family in Scotland and Margaret's brother Robert, also in Scotland lead us to believe that Margaret had at least five brothers and sisters. Reference is made to brothers John and Andrew, and sisters Janet and Elizabeth. Reference is specifically made to brother John being in South Carolina and sister Janet marrying John Wright.

Robert was one of the earliest settlers in Barnet VT. He was part of a group of Scottish immigrants from Perth and Stirling to settle in Barnet. Among these early settlers were Gilfillans and Lackies.

The farm that Robert settled on was kept in the family up until 1950; passed down from Robert to his son Joseph, then to his grandson Gilbert, and finally to his great grandson Joseph. The farm, now owned by the Bogie's and called Bogie Mountain, is one of the most photographed farms in New England. It has been on several calendars and the covers of Ideal and Yankee magazines. In 1950 there was still no running water or indoor plumbing. The barn and most of the outlying structures are still the original, but the house itself was burned to the ground in the 1970s and rebuilt to the original footprint. The farm is an active dairy farm and also produces Vermont maple syrup.

Robert's son Andrew Blair, along with Elihu Sabin, Reuben Smith, Elisha Sheppard, Reuben Crosby, Thomas Ransom, Azatiah Boody, and Ephraim Perrin, were the earliest settlers of Goshen Gore (now called Stannard) VT, around 1803. The Vermont Historical Magazine noted that "Mrs. Andrew Blair sent her girl to the first school, and paid the tuition with a pink silk handkerchief. 'Schoolmarm know'd I had it, and she wanted it to make her a bonnet' (Good old Mrs. Ann Blair's testimony)" Of Andrew Blair, the magazine reports: "Had the Olympic races come down to our times, Mr. Blair, according to report, might have, become a successful competitor for a crown. It is current that he once ran down and captured a fox, and was overheard holding a parley with the captive, whether the thing was done fair. But, unlike the Olympic races, not having an impartial judge to decide the points, the fox seemed to dissent from his victor's boast of fair play. Now,' says Mr. Blair, 'if you think the thing was not done fair, we'll try it again.' Whereupon the fox was let go, and was allowed to have a few rods the start, when Blair took the track. Away went the fox-away went Blair; one for life, the other for victory, over hill, over fence, over brush, till Blair caught the breathless trophy, a second time, in triumph.

The 1850 Vermont Census contains the following information:

Group Sheet
Robert Blair and Margaret McLuckie (son of John Blair and Margaret McLuckie)
Robert Blair
Born:		bef July 15, 1753	in:	Buchlyvie (Kippen), Stirlingshire, Scotland
Christened:		Jul 15, 1753	in:	Buchlyvie (Kippen), Stirlingshire, Scotland
Married:		April 17, 1784	in:	Middle or New Parish, Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died:		January 21, 1821	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
Buried:			in:	Barnet Center Cemetery, Barnet, VT
Father:		John Blair
Mother:		Margaret McLuckie
Occupation:		Farmer
Margaret McLuckie
Born:		1753	in:	Scotland
Christened:			in:
Died:		December 13, 1833	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
Buried:			in:	Barnet Center Cemetery, Barnet, VT
Father:
Mother:
Occupation:
Children
1	Name:	John Blair
M	Born:	May 28, 1785	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married	May 03, 1810	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Died:	Jane 25,1873	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Buried:		in:	Barnet Center Cemetery, Barnet, VT
	Spouse:	Nancy Kelly, Agnes Kelley
2	Name:	Andrew Blair
M	Born:	November 29, 1786	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married:	Oct 31, 1809	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Died:	December 06, 1865	in:	Goshen Gore (Stannard), VT
	Buried:		in:	Stannard Cemetery (Old), Stannard, VT
	Spouse:	Elizabeth Ronnalds
3	Name:	Christian Blair
F	Born:	August 29, 1788	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married	December 20, 1812	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Died:	June 10, 1876	in:	Ryegate, Caledonia, VT
	Buried:		in:	Blue Mountain Cemetery, Ryegate Corner, Vermont, USA
	Spouse:	William Gibson
4	Name:	Robert Blair
M	Born:	September 10, 1790	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married		in:
	Died:	1806	in:
	Buried:		in:
	Spouse:
5	Name:	Alexander Blair
M	Born:	March 30, 1792	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married	Mar 26, 1823	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Died:	April 14, 1883	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Buried:		in:	Barnet Center Cemetery, Barnet, VT
	Spouse:	Jean Gilfillan
6	Name:	Margaret Blair
F	Born:	August 03, 1794	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married	April 20, 1820	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Died:	January 06, 1877	in:	Ryegate, Caledonia, VT
	Buried:		in:	Barnet Center Cemetery, Barnet, VT
	Spouse:	David Gibson
7	Name:	Joseph Blair
M	Born:	August 10, 1796	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married	December 09, 1824	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Died:	September 28, 1878	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Buried:		in:	Barnet Center Cemetery, Barnet, VT
	Spouse:	Marion Gillfillan
8	Name:	Janet Blair
F	Born:	August 16, 1797	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Married		in:
	Died:	1807	in:	Barnet, Caledonia, VT
	Buried:		in:
	Spouse:

[My Blair Family History] [Donald Blair and Janet McAdam]  [John Blair and Margaret McLuckie]  [Robert Blair and Margaret McLuckie]  [Peter Blair and Elizabeth Bell]  [Peter Blair and Elizabeth Rodger]  [Peter Blair and Etta Pratt]

This Website was last updated 04/05/2015