Horace Blair took the long way in arriving at Paradise Township.  He was born in Cayuga County, New York in 1818, while still in his infancy his parents moved to Elmira, New York remaining there until he was eight years of age.  Again, on the move, the family went to Potter County, Pennsylvania  Potter County was where Horace learned the trades of a blacksmith and wagon maker.

It was the fall of 1836 he was to come to Michigan, worked a short time at his trade, and in the following June traveled on to St. Louis, Missouri.  There, he realized his calling, and became a preacher of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and was engaged in preaching in that state until the fall of 1879, he came to Grand Traverse County and located at the Kingsley Station, on the G. R. & I. R. R.

Now, Rev. Horace Blair. he was instrumental in organizing a Presbyterian Church of which,  he was for two years the pastor.  At the same time he was engaged in his trade of blacksmith and wagon maker and  various other employments, including, Justice of the Peace office..

Flora Hawkins of Kentucky married Rev. Horace on 14 Feb 1889, and proceeded to grow a large family of twelve children, of whom five survived her and are now residents of Missouri.  His second wife, to whom he married on th 4th of April 1860, was Mary A. Thorton, a native of England.

Source: The Traverse Region, published 1884.

@Created by Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore 18June2003