I
        ROBERT (I) BLAIR, son of James and Rachel (Boyd) Blair, came from Aghadowey, County Antrim, Ireland, and settled in Rutland, Worcester County, Massachusetts, before 1720. He bought a farm in Worcester, County Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1726. This he purchased from Joseph Hubbard, of Concord, Massachusetts, for sixty pounds "this being part of Joseph Marablis' Second Division of the common lands in Worcester, on and adjoining a hill west of Prospect Meadow and east of Halfway River." He also bought, about the same time three acres of meadow land in Worcester for ten pounds, John Hubbard being the previous owner. In 1732 he was surveyor of highways; in 1735 one of a committee to "seat the meeting house". In August, 1733, he served on a committee to settle and renew the boundaries between the north and south part of Worcester. On December 14, 1751, an indenture was drawn in which much of his property was transferred to his youngest son Joseph, who agreed in return to work the farm, and care for his parents. Robert Blair died October 14, 1774, according to the inscription on his tombstone in what is now Worcester Common. ("New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 1869," p. 59, gives the date as February 2, 1775.)
        Robert Blair married, probably in Aghadowey, Isabella Rankin, daughter of David Rankin, who went from Scotland to Aghadowey, where he died in 1850.
Children:
  1. Matthew, born about 1704-05.
  2. David, born 1708-09.
  3. John, born in 1710.
  4. Sarah.
  5. Dolly.
  6. William, born in 1718.
  7. James.
  8. Robert, of whom further.
  9. Elizabeth, born in 1724.
  10. Mary, born April 1, 1725.
  11. Joseph, born in 1727.
(Reference as above, pp. 29-31.)