Albion Z. Blair
was born on Friday, December 31, 1861, but has no superstition as to the concurrence of the two dates. His father was George Washington Blair, and his mother's maiden name was Nancy Miller Frazier. The place of his nativity was near Belfast, in Highland County. His grandfather, John Blair, was a native of the Emerald Isle, but was caught young, being brought from Ireland when but two years of age.
Our subject's father was a farmer, and he was reared on a farm. He qualified himself for a teacher and took up that occupation in 1878 and followed it for twelve years. In this period of twelve years he has taught in Jackson Township, Highland County. In 1880, he went to Kansas and taught there one term. He had the highest certificate of any teacher in the institute. He came back in 1881 and obtained a school in Highland County in the district where he first taught. While in Highland County, he was township clerk from 1886 to 1890. He taught in Highland County in 1888 when he began the study of engineering and surveying, and at the same time began studying law with J. B. Worley, of Highland County. In June, 1886, he obtained a ten years' certificate as a teacher. In 1888, he taught at Rome schools, consisting of four departments, and in 1889, he was appointed county engineer, with a salary of $5.00 a day, which amounted to about $1,000 a year. He held this position four years. He began practicing law in 1889, and while he was county engineer, he was a partner with Hon. F. D. Bayless, under the firm name of Bayless & Blair. In the years 1891, 1892 and 1893, he served as county engineer, to June, 1894. He is a school director in West Union.
On March 5, 1898, he formed a partnership with W. R. Mehaffey, as Blair & Mehaffey, which continues. He is attorney for the Farmer's Bank of Manchester and the Peebles Bank. He is a Democrat. He is a member of the Christian Church. He was married on the twent- first day of February, 1889, to Miss Alberdie Armacost. They have four children—Guy Mallen, aged nine years; George Benton, aged four years; Gladys Inez, aged seven, and Albion, aged two years. He is an active, energetic lawyer, a good pleader, a pleasant speaker and tries his cases well. He is a power in the Democratic party in Adams County, and a number of the Presbyterian Church of West Union.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900