Wikijunior:American Founding Fathers/John Blair

Who is this?

John Blair

What did he do that made him important?

Blair was a Patriot in the Revolution, meaning he supported the Americans against the British. He supported some measures against British taxes, but was a moderate, meaning he didn't go as far as other Patriots. However, he did support stopping importing British goods until the taxes were repealed.

During the war, Blair served as a member of the convention that drew up Virginia's constitution and held a number of important committee positions. The legislature elected him to a judgeship in the General Court in 1778 and soon thereafter to the post of Chief Justice. He was also elected to Virginia's high Court of Chancery. In 1786, the legislature appointed him Thomas Jefferson's successor on a committee revising the laws of Virginia. That was because they thought Blair knew a lot about the law.

Blair was one of the men Virginia sent to the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Blair was a Freemason. He was named Grand Master of Freemasons in Virginia under the newly organized Grand Lodge of Virginia in 1778.

What did he do when he was young?

Blair was born into a wealthy Virginia family in 1732. He went to the College of William and Mary, then went to London to study law. He returned to Virginia and practiced law. In 1766, he was elected to the Virgina House of Burgesses. He went on to become clerk of the Royal Governor's Council, the upper house of the colonial legislature.

What did he do afterward?

Blair went on to become a judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals where he helped influence the interpretation of the Constitution. He was also on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1789 to 1795. He died in 1800 in Williamsburg, Virginia.