Elias Blair
ELIAS BLAIR. hardware dealer. Bucyrus son of Joseph and Rebecca (Bennington) Blair, was born May 1, 1824, in Knox Co., Ohio. He lived on a farm until his 20th year. In 1845 he went to Mansfield. Ohio. where he engaged in the manufacture of plows until 1850, when he went to California. by the "overland route" to seek his fortune in the gold diggings. In 1853 he came to Bucyrus and opened a hardware store and has been engaged in that business ever since, except a brief period employed in the erection of his present building in 1863. His business block consists of a fine three-story brick. 10 1/2x155 in dimensions. He has done an extensive business and carries an immense stock of goods, representing every department of the hardware trade. In 1874. he invented the famous Blair's hog ringer. He is now manufacturing these rings by automatic machinery at the rate of 60,000 per day.
From History of Crawford County and Ohio, Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, Chicago, 1881