Nancy Blair was born March 5, 1834 in
Raloo, County Antrim, northern Ireland. She
was the second child of Patrick Blair and Mary Sloan Bell.
Nancy, sometimes known as Agnes, was just a baby when her family emigrated to America and
settled in Woodcock Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. She spent her
childhood in Pennsylvania and then followed some of her siblings West to Illinois in the
1860's. In Illinois she married John D. White, who was in the well digging business.
They lived in the town of Shannon, Carroll County, Illinois. Shannon
was just a few miles from Forreston and Adeline, Illinois where many of
Nancy's Blair relatives lived. John and Nancy's first child, Mary Hortense,
was born July 25th, 1869. Their second child, Sarah Eliza, was born December
8, 1870. In the Fall of 1871, Nancy returned to Pennsyl-vania to visit
her ailing brother-in-law, Henry Bole. Henry passed away and
following the funeral, Nancy was involved in a train accident
which took her life and the life of her half-brother, Daniel Blair.
The accident occurred October 14, 1871 and both Nancy and Daniel were laid to rest in
Mt. Blair cemetery in Crawford County, Pennsylvania.
After her death, her widower, John D. White,
married Nancy's sister, Sarah Elizabeth, who was the widow of Henry Bole. Her daughter
Mary Hortense and Sarah's daughter, Nina Bole, were raised by John and Sarah, but little
Sarah Eliza White spent most of her growing up years with another of Nancy's sisters,
Eliza and her husband, Francis H. Wilson.
The
following newspaper clipping about the deaths of Nancy Blair White and her
half-brother, Daniel Blair was taken from the Forreston Journal, dated October
28, 1871. It was a reprint from the Crawford Journal, Meadville,
Pennsylvania.
TWO PERSONS KILLED
Mr. Daniel Blair and Mrs. J.D.
White while returning from the funeral of their brother-in-law, the late H. M. Bole, who
was buried at Venango on Saturday afternoon, and while crossing the A. & G. W. R. R.
track near the Broadford bridge in Woodcock township, were struck by a locomotive and
instantly killed.
Mr. Blair was 52 years of age and
formerly lived in Woodstock township, but in 1850 went to California, where, by industry
and close attention to business, he had become quite wealthy--He was the son of Patrick
Blair late of Woodcock township, was unmarried and had recently returned to visit
relatives and friends in this county after an absence of 21 years. His untimely death is a
painful illustration of the uncertainty of human affairs.
Mrs. White, his sister, was also
visiting friends and relatives in Woodcock, and intended soon to leave for her home in
Illinois, where an anxious husband was awaiting her return. Instead of news of her early
coming the stricken husband received a telegram announcing her tragic death, and today,
Thursday, reached Woodcock where he found his wife’s and her brother’s remains.
The bodies were shockingly mutilated and will be buried at 11 o’clock on the morrow
in Woodcock Cemetery.
Mrs. Bole, widow of the late H. M.
Bole, is nearly distracted with grief over the almost simultaneous loss of husband, sister
and brother, as is also Mr. White, over the shocking death of his wife and sudden
departure of two brothers-in-law. The sympathies of the entire community are extended to
the stricken families. The late H. M. Bole was a brother to W. R. Bole, Esq., of this
city, and Mr. Blair and Mrs. White were brother and sister of F. S. L. Blair, also of
Meadville.--Crawford (PA) Journal.
We will add to the above that
Mr. Blair and Mrs. White are brother and sister to Capt. Blair of this place, and that the
Captain is now East to pay the last tribute of respect to his deceased relatives.
Forreston
Journal.
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