Born, Abingdon, Va. Son of James Blair (died 1837) and Eliza Smith Blair (1762-1818). His siblings included John Smith Blair (1789-1790), Samuel Durbarrow Blair (1794-1795), William Preston Smith Blair (1796-1828), Susanna Trigg Blair Ward Hunnicutt Stevenson (1798-?), Louis Marshall Blair (1801-1805), and Eliza Jane Blair Speer (1804-1859).

Graduated, Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.

Volunteer, War of 1812

Married Eliza Violet Howard Gist (Nov. 10, 1794-July 5, 1877), daughter of Nathaniel Gist and Judith Cary Bell Gist. Eliza Gist’s sister Maria Gist was married to Benjamin Gratz of Philadelphia, and the Blairs and Gratz families interacted frequently.

Birth of son Montgomery Blair (died July 27, 1883)

Birth of daughter Juliet Blair (died 1816)

Birth of daughter Laura Blair (died 1819)

Admitted to the Kentucky bar

Birth of daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” Blair Lee (died Sept. 13, 1906)

Contributor, Argus of Western America, Frankfort, Ky.

Birth of son James Lawrence Blair (died Dec. 5, 1853, in San Francisco, Calif.)

Birth of son Francis “Frank” Preston Blair, Jr. (died July 9, 1875)

Moved to Washington, D.C.

Founder and editor, the Globe, a pro-Andrew Jackson newspaper in Washington, D.C. The Globe was published in daily, weekly, and semiweekly editions during the course of Blair’s editorship.

Debut of Congressional Globe in 23rd Congress, 1st Session. The predecessor to the Congressional Record, the Congressional Globe was initially published by Francis P. Blair and John C. Rives.

Member, Andrew Jackson’s “Kitchen Cabinet”

Purchased house at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C., which would become known as “Blair House.”

Built “Silver Spring,” in what is now Silver Spring, Md.

Retired from active involvement with Congressional Globe

Elected to preside over Republican Party convention, Pittsburgh, Penn.

Supported and advised President Abraham Lincoln

Returned to the Democratic Party

Died, Silver Spring, Md. Interred Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

Born, Franklin County, Ky., son of Francis Preston Blair and Eliza Violet Gist Blair

Graduated, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

Lieutenant, United States Army, serving in Seminole Indian War

Studied law, Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.

Married Caroline Buckner (died Jan. 11, 1844)

Moved to St. Louis, Mo., admitted to the bar and practiced law

United States district attorney for the State of Missouri

Birth of daughter Elizabeth “Betty” Blair Comstock (died Aug. 6, 1872)

Mayor, St. Louis, Mo.

Judge, Court of Common Pleas, St. Louis, Mo.

Death of first wife, Caroline Buckner Blair, in childbirth

Delegate, Democratic National conventions

Married Mary Elizabeth “Minna” Woodbury (Aug. 22, 1821-Jan 27, 1887), daughter of former Treasury Secretary Levi Woodbury (1789-1851) and Elizabeth Williams Clapp Woodbury (1796-1873). Her siblings included Charles Levi Woodbury (1820-1898), Frances Anstris Woodbury Lowery (1823-1895), Virginia Lafayette Woodbury Fox (1824-1908), and Ellen Carolina Woodbury (1828-1909).

Birth of daughter Minna Blair Richey (died Sept. 12, 1919)

Birth of daughter Maria G. Blair (died Sept. 4, 1862)

Moved into Blair House, 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C., after parents made “Silver Spring” in Maryland their primary residence.

Birth of son Woodbury Blair (died Oct. 14, 1933)

Moved to Maryland

Solicitor, United States Court of Claims

Counsel for enslaved man Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom after being removed to territory in which slavery was illegal. Blair represented Scott when the case of Scott v. Sandford reached the Supreme Court of the United States.

President, State Republican Convention, Baltimore, Md.

Birth of son Gist Blair (died Dec. 16, 1940)

United States postmaster general

Sponsored International Postal Congress, in Paris, France

“Falkland” estate in Montgomery County, Md. destroyed by Confederate troops under General Jubal Anderson Early

Birth of son Montgomery Blair (died Apr. 28, 1944)

Electoral Committee counsel for Samuel J. Tilden

Member, Maryland House of Delegates

Unsuccessful candidate for United States Congress

Died, Silver Spring, Md. Interred Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

Born, Lexington, Ky., son of Francis Preston Blair and Eliza Violet Gist Blair

Attended preparatory school, Ellington, Conn.

Briefly attended Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

Attended University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Attended Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. Diploma dated 1842 due to a disciplinary action in 1841 that prevented his graduation.

Studied law, Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.

Admitted to the Kentucky bar

Traveled west to New Mexico, where he stayed when war between the United States and Mexico commenced.

Prosecuting attorney, United States territorial government, New Mexico

Married Agatha Apolline “Apo” Alexander (Sept. 14, 1828-Sept. 8, 1908), daughter of Andrew Johnson Alexander (1796-1833) and Mira Lewis Madison Alexander (1803-1886) of Kentucky

Birth of son Andrew Alexander Blair (died Jan. 25, 1932)

Birth of daughter Christine Biddle Blair Graham (died Mar. 8, 1915)

With political associates, acquired the Morning Signal newspaper (renamed the Missouri Democrat) to which he contributed editorials.

Member, Missouri House of Representatives

Purchased summer home “Rose Bank” in St. Louis County, Mo.

Birth of son James Lawrence Blair (died Jan. 16, 1904)

Birth of son Francis Preston Blair III (died Nov. 2, 1914)

Member, United States House of Representatives

Birth of son George Madison Blair (died 1881)

Colonel, 1st Missouri Infantry

Colonel, 1st Missouri Light Artillery

Brigadier general, United States Army

Major general, United States Army

Temporarily took his seat in U.S. House of Representatives, after missing opening of the 1st session of the 38th Congress due to his ongoing military service in Fall 1863.

Commander, Seventeenth Army Corps

Invested in the Cabin Teele cotton plantation, Milliken’s Bend, La.

One of three federal commissioners charged with examining railroad construction

Birth of son Cary Montgomery Blair (died Nov. 15, 1944)

Democratic Party nominee for United States vice president (running mate Horatio Seymour)

Birth of daughter Eveline M. Blair (died 1876)

Elected, Missouri House of Representatives (resigned from Missouri legislature when elected as U.S. Senator in January 1871)

Member, United States Senate

Suffered stroke that paralyzed his right side

Birth of son William Alexander Blair (died Mar. 12, 1898)

Missouri superintendent of insurance

Died, St. Louis, Mo. Interred in Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo.

Statue dedicated in Forest Park, St. Louis, Mo.

Statue placed by state of Missouri in Statuary Hall, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Born, Washington, D.C., son of Montgomery Blair (1813-1883) and Mary Elizabeth Woodbury (1821-1887)

Graduated, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.

Practiced law, St. Louis, Mo.

Moved to Washington, D.C.; practiced law

Married Laura Lawson (Sept. 10, 1859-Oct. 8, 1942), daughter of Franklin Hey Lawson (1834-1910) and Annie Ryland McDougal Lawson (1837-1917). Laura Lawson had been married previously to Frank Ellis (1856-1917), with whom she had a son, Franklin Henry Ellis (1884-1960).

Died, Washington, D.C. Interred at Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.