LIFE OF C OM M ISS A R" j A M ES BLA IR FO"N D E R OF

WI LLI A M AN D M A R" COLLE GE

N S E I "I o. I o R ES " . J OHNS HOP"INS "N IVE RS IT" ST"D I ES

IN

H I S T O I P O I I S I C R . C A L A N D L T C A L C E N E

— E i 2 1 b H B Adams d ted 1 88 I 0 . . ( 9 y . )

i M . I V C T d r . J . N EN , E to

H I" P ol i ics and P olit ics ar e m - F r u m " is tor y pu t t p ent H is tor y .

LIFE OF C OM M ISSA R" J A M ES BLA IR FO"N D E R OF

WI LLI A M AN D M A R" COLL EG E

B" D ANIE L E STEN M OTLE"

BA LTIMO RE TH E j o H N S H O P "I N S P RE S S P"BLIS H E D M ONTH L"

OCTOBE R 1 0 1 , 9

CONTE NTS

— ’ CH A P TE R I . B LA I a s RE L I G I O"S WOR "

Birthplac e and E du c atio n

l M i e H i B ai r, in st r at enr c o

A t J ame wn st o . A t Bruton Ch u r c h

H is S e r mo ns

H is appointment as Commissary Government o f the Churc h Conditi o n of the Clergy

’ H indran c es in Blair s Work E fforts to bet ter the Clergy Cleric al Conventions E fforts to disc ipline the Clergy E fforts to get more M inisters Blair’ s life and e xample Results of his religious work

CH A P TE R I L— B L A I R a s TH E Fo r mo s a o r W I L LI A M A N D M A R " CO L L ao a

Blair' s desire fo r a C o llege E arly efforts to establish a College Blai r moves I s sent to E ngland t o get a Charter D iffi c ulties in obtaining a Charter Ch arte r granted Organi z a tion of the College Obstac les in erec t ing t h e Building Teac hing begun Causes of slow gro w th D estruc tion of the fi rst College Building Rebuilding I ndi an E du c ation and the I ndian Building G ifts S c hol arships F u ll F ac ulty of 1 729 Work of the College Th e D ebt of the S o uth to Blair ’ — ' ' ‘ CH A P TE R I I I . B L u a s Co x xxor xox w I r n r a t Govaau z s r Bl air s M embe r of th e Co unc il F unc tions of the Counc il Rel ation s of Commi ssary and G overnor Governor A ndros and Blair Ch arges agai ns t A n dros A nd r os removed Governor N ic hol son and Blair Ch arge s agains t N ic hol son N ic hol so n removed G overnor S po tsw o od and Bl air S po ts w ood and the B u rgesse s and Counc il P oint in D ispute be t wee n S pot swood and Bl air S po tsw ood removed ’ Cl ose of Bl air s Life I nsc r ipti on on h is Tombstone A ppendix PRE FAC E

t L The writer is grea ly indebted to President yon G .

fo r th e o f Tyler , use old college papers and letters of the

presidents and professors . The numerous papers and letters o f B President lair and Professor Inglis , were placed at my dispo sal and have been of great service in determining the

o f o f . o rigin the college , and the construction the building

Some o f these have been printed from time to time in the

for William and Mary College "uarterly , but are the most

part unpublished .

LI FE OF COM M I S SA R"J A M ES BLA I R

CH A P TE R I .

B I R ’ S RE I G I O "S W O R" L A L .

B Of the early life Of James lair , very little is known . 1 6 6 He was born in Scotland in the year 5 , and clearly showed a his origin by his ch racteristic , hard Scotch nature, o f strength moral character and his indomitable courage . He received his early education in Edinburgh and gradu ated at Edinburgh "niversity with the degree Of Master 1 6 Of Arts in 73. Soon after his graduation he was bene fic ed for in the Episcopal Church in Scotland , and several years was rector of Cranston parish in the diocese of ‘ Edinburgh . He served his church with such diligence , care and gravity ” that he won the admiration Of the B ishop Of the Edinburgh diocese and when he left Scotland ’ received from him a recommendation O f the highest order . Young B lair went to England in the latter part O f the reign o f the Charles Second . There he met Dr . Compton , the B L Of B ishop Of ondon , and the energy and zeal lair soon ’ “ attracted that prelate s further attention . B L B fo r The ishop Of ondon seeing in lair a power good , spoke to him o f the need O f ministers in the American colonies and prevailed upon him to gO to Virginia as a ‘ O f es missionary . The religious condition the colony , and e iall p c y the Odium into which the clergy had fallen , were

’

c l c . 2 . Perry s Histori a Colle tion , Virginia , p 47 ’ Ibid . ‘ ’ ‘

. S . . c . J M Anderson s History of the Colonial Chur h , Vol II ,

D 384» Life of ommissar am Bla ir C y J es .

no t at all enticing to the better ministers of England . It ‘ was hard to get any of them to go there . Again the livings O f the churches in Virginia were managed in such a precarious way that it was not certain that a minister could get a necessary support by his profession . Ander son , the English historian of the Colonial Church , in speak “ B i " ing of la r , says Nothing can be imagined more dis ” ur a in c o g g than the field of duty which there awaited him .

- Notwithstanding these hindrances , which we to day are B too apt to underestimate , Dr . lair decided to venture , 1 i and in 685 sailed for Virg nia . He immediately went to Henrico City , which both in importance and interest f stood next to Jamestown . Excepting the ef orts made at Fail s R o and the of the James iver , at Nansem nd Hampton , Henrico was next to Jamestown the oldest settlement in i 1 6 1 1 Virg nia , having been planted in by Sir Thomas Dale B W . . a and Rev. William hitaker Dr l ir soon after his arr ival was accepted as minister of Henrico parish and in ‘ ducted into it . He preached there for nine years until he o 1 6 M iddl e moved to Jamest wn , in 94, in order to be nearer

Plantation , at which place he was establishing a college . He became minister of the Jamestown Church in 1 694 and at r emained pastor there for sixteen years . He became tached to the people there , and nothing but duty calling ' i him elsewhere caused him to leave . Some time dur ng ' the early pa rt of his ministry B lair was ma rried His th B W wife was e daughter of enjamin Harrison , of ake ” ’ field , Surry County .

1 1 0 Rev W . B In 7 , Solomon hately , the rector of ruton W Church , illiamsburg , having died , the vestrymen called

‘ ' r c c Pe ry s Histori al Colle tion , Virginia , p . 335 . ‘ ’ t l 8 i Vo . . Anderson s His ory of the Colon al Churc h , II , p 3 4 “

c r . 2 . Perry s Histori al Collection , Vi ginia , p 4 c w v . 606 v Chur h Re ie , Vol viii , p . , or the estry book of Bruton

Churc h . th e w c . If date is kno n , it has not been po ssible to as ertain it ‘ z v 1 1 6 . Virginia Maga ine of History , Vol . i , p . ’ r r k Blai s Religious Wa .

r a meeting fo the purpose Of employing a minister . After o f a brief consideration a few prominent candidates , by m B Rev. e the Majority of Votes , the Ja es lair was elect d minister The church wardens informed D r . B t B lair that he had been called o the ruton Church . Here B ’ t . o is inserted a part of Dr lair s letter , addressed the B fl vestry Of ruton Church before his election . It may brie y tell the cause O f his leaving Jamestown "

t h 1 1 0 . December 4 , 7 Gentlemen so m It is true , I have any Obligations to ye Par ish Of James City , that nothing but the urgent Necessity o f W health , Often impaired by such long inter Journeys , infir maties not and a fear that as age and increase , I shall be able to attend that Se r vice (being at such a distance) so punctually as I have hitherto done , could have induced me i m” to entertain anything as of leav ng the . B Dr . lair entered at once upon his duties in connec tion with the church at Williamsburg and continued his W ministry there as long as he lived . illiamsburg had been known in former years as Middle Plantation from the fact Of its lying midway between James and York

R B L - N ichol . ut 1 00 ivers , in 7 , when ieutenant Governor son moved the seat O f government from Jamestown be cause o f the damage to that town by fire and the unhealth iness o f n d the place , he pla ned a large town at Mid le Plan ta i n m t o . The new capital was na ed Williamsburg in honor “ o f " I II B W . B ing illiam y the time Dr . lair became rector 1 1 0 there , in 7 , the town , with its beautiful location and W a Co l broad and straight streets , with illi m and Mary o f lege and the capitol , was a centre attraction to all

r parts Of Vi ginia . Many Of its inhabitants were courtly

” c w . 1 2 Chur h Revie , Vol viii , pp . 59 , 59 .

‘ p c w v 606 . . v t Chur h Revie , Vol iii , , or the estry book of Bru on h 1 C urc h .

Virginia State Papers , Vol . i , p . 73. B ir 45 8 Life of Commissar y James la . [

and refined , and during college commencements and the sessions of the B urgesses the place is said to have pre sented on a small scale the scene O f a court in the mother ‘ B . B country . At the time Dr lair was called to ruton Church its parish was ten miles square and its members ” included the most distinguished men of the colony . B r u ton or Middle Plantation Parish was three quarters of a i century old at that time . It is ment oned in the acts of ” 1 1 6 the Grand Assembly as far back as February 7, 44 , “ a but it was established several ye rs before then , for the

York Records mention it at an ea rlier time . It once con

sisted of two parishes , the Harrop and the Middle Planta A r il 1 . 6 8 tion I n p , 5 , Harrop and Middle Plantation

parishes were incorporated into one , which was to be ” i known as the parish o f Middletown . Marston par sh w 1 6 was joined to that of Middleto n in 74 , and the united parishes took the name Bruton The deri B vation of the name ruton is not known , but it is thought

e L . by John C . M c Cab and Dr . yon G Tyler to have been B L o f Wil called ruton in honor of Thomas udwell , or Sir B n B liam erkeley , the Gover or , who were from ruton , Som e r set County , England . W B o f B hen Dr . lair took charge the work at ruton

Church he found its communicants , among whom was Gov er nor Spotswood , making preparations for erecting a new

building . He immediately entered heartily into the pro ’ ec t j , and presented to the vestrymen the Governor s plan , encouraging the undertaking with means as w ell as with words . The new church building was to be seventy

five - feet long , twenty eight feet wide , and to have two

- - wings twenty two feet in width , and walls twenty three feet

high constructed of brick . Governor Spotswood agreed

’

c c 2 . Perry s Histori al Colle tion , Virginia , p . 99 ’ H enin s 1 g Statutes , Vol . i , p . 3 7. ’ H enin s g Statutes Vol . i , p . " c i m . ork Re ords , W llia and Mary College "uarterly, Vol iii , 1 p . 70 . ’ r Blair s Religious Wo k .

- to put up twenty two feet Of its length at his ow n expense . The General Assembly contributed means fo r the two B 1 1 wings . y the end Of 7 5 the spacious building was practically finished . The ground plan formed a Greek cross , fo r and the same church , except some changes in the size and

W . interior adornments , still stands at Old illiamsburg

B . Dr . lair preached at his church every Sunday morning

Rev. On Sunday evenings lectures were given . Hugh

A . . . Jones , M . , lectured there some years Although Dr B fi lair had three other important Of ces to fill , besides that

Of minister , yet he was never neglectful Of his church . to Whenever he took a trip England , as he frequently did , he was particular to see that his church was supplied with preaching during his absence , and Often refused salary was that it might gO toward supplying his pulpit . He much beloved and respected and especially in his own par ish and among his nearest neighbors who knew him ” F best . o r thirty years he continued to serve B ruton

Church . B ’ Dr . lair s preaching was plain , strong and especially practical for that time . His audiences were composed Of " the lite Of the colony . His sermons were always forcible " denunciations Of all forms Of sin . I n his work as min

“ ’ ister he wrote four volumes Of sermons on Our Savior s

” ‘ ne hu ndr ed Divine Sermons on the Mount . There are o and seventeen sermons in the volumes and each volume contains about five hundred pages . They were first pub lished in England in 1 72 2 A new edition was published in They are interesting in that they are among

r to the ve y first contributions American religious literature . Four volumes are in the library Of William and Mary C ol to lege , which they were presented in 1 860 by B ishop ” ’

. B Meade Dr . lair s purpose in writing these sermons was to arouse the people to a more diligent consideration

’ c c 1 0 Perry s Histori al Colle tion , Virginia , p . 5 . ’ m Blair s Ser ons . r Blair Life of Commis sa y James .

i o Re and practice O f Christian Morals , and br ng ab ut a vivai O f the true Spirit Of The character of the sermons is well described in the words of Dr . Daniel “ " Waterland , who wrote the preface of the new edition As to the Subject here made Choice of it is the highest and the ’ D ivine viz . Lo noblest that could be , our rd s Sermons on the Mount " And as it is here explained with good Judg ment due or ce , so it appears likewise to be pressed with F ; in a clear and easy , but masculine Style , equally fitted to common the Capacities of Christians , and to the improved "ndersta ndings of the "nowing and Of B " them , ishop Meade says As an accurate commentary on that most blessed portion of the Sc ripture , I should “ think it can never have been surpassed . For many years previous to Blair ’ s arrival in Virginia the clergy and others had complained of the need of a o f bishop Virginia , who might discipline the ministers and raise the religious condition to a higher and more respecta ” T ble plane . hey thought the sole remedy lay in the ap pointment of a bishop . It was hard to find a man equal to f B “ that O fice , but Dr . lair , by his regular conversation , L W exemplary Conduct , and unwearied abors in the ork ” R of the Ministry did good Service to eligion , and gained to himself a good Report amongst all " S o that B ishop Compton , being well apprized of his true W 1 68 and great orth , made choice of him , about the year 9 ” ommissar w as his C y for Virginia . He as the first to hold o flic e . D r v that in the colony of Virginia . Temple , pre ious

r e to this time , had done the work of a Commissary in some s ec ts p , but had never been appointed as such . The commis sar shi y p was a very weighty and creditable post , the high

’ m . c . 22 . Blair s Ser ons , Vol i , Prefa e , p ’ m . c . . Blair s Ser ons , Vol i , Prefa e , p 7 ’ O ld c m . 1 . Meade s Chur hes and Fa ilies Vol . i p , , 55 ’ H 6 Anderson s istory of the Colonial Churc h , Vol . II , pp . 35 .

’ r m c . 2 . Blai s Ser ons , Vol . i , Prefa e , p ’ or k B lair s Religious W .

” o f est Offi ce in the Church in Virginia . The duty the

Commissary consisted in visiting the parishes , correcting ” the lives Of the clergy , and keeping them orderly . Dr . B m o f lair , as Com issary , called conventions the preachers , an o ne presided at trials , and pronounced sentences when y O f of the preachers was proved guilty crime or misconduct . With respect t o the clergy he exercised about all the func tions Of a bishop except ordination and the probate Of N O wills . meeting Of the clergy treating Of ecclesiastical matters was to be held without the Commissary . He never fo r attempted to set up a court the laity . It must be here ’ remarked that the Governor O f Virginia was the king s ffi ordinary , by virtue Of which o ce it was his duty to induct ministers into parishes when they should be presented by f ” the vestrymen in the name O the parishioners . He had the power Of both presentation and induction , if the vestry men did not present a minister to him in the space O f six months from the time the church became vacant . It was the duty Of the Governor to suspend or silence any man he should find preaching without having been ordained by some bishop Of England or if he should be leading a scan ” dal s o u life .

Twelve men in each parish , known as vestrymen , were el ected by the parishioners at its beginning and any vacan cies caused by death or otherwise were filled by the choice of the vestry . According to the law it was the duty O f the vestrymen to proport ion the levies and assessments fo r i building and repair ng the churches and chapels , provisions fo r the poor , maintenance Of the minister , and such other necessary duties fo r the more orderly management Of all ff ” parochial a airs . They employed the minister and ac

” ’ mo . c 2 . Blair s Ser ns , Vol i , Prefa e p . ” ’ ’ c c erry s Histori al Colle tion , Virginia p . 2 0. Anderson s P , 5 c V O I History of the Colonial Chur h , . ii p . 8 . , 3 3 ” ’ c c 2 2 Perry s Histori al Colle tion , Virginia , pp . 43, 44. ” ’ c c erry s Histori al Colle tion , Virginia . aws of Virginia P L , ’

. H i . en n s Vol . . . 2 2 p 3 g tatutes , iii , p 44 erry p . . S P , 4 ” ’ H enin s . . . 2 2 g Statutes , Vol ii , p 44 Perry , p . 4 . Life of Commissar y James Blair .

cording to the rules of th e church should have presented

him for induction , but the fact that they rarely did this was the cause of much disturbance . Out of their number i two church wardens were chosen yearly , whose dut es may " be summed up in a general way under three heads First , The church wardens acted as censors for the church in

- reporting all swearing , sabbath breaking, drunkenness and “ other abominable sins , to the court held in December th e t e and April . Second , They kept church building in pair and saw that the means for the sacrament were pre ’ pared . Third , They collected the minister s salary and presented to the vestry an account of all the disbursements “ l . sa ar O f and receipts The v the preacher , according to i 1 6 6 a law passed by the General Assembly of Virg nia in 9 , was sixteen thousand pounds of tobacco . This was gener ally considered equal to one hundred pounds sterling in

- y sweet scented tobacco and eight in lower grades , but as a matter of fact it ranged from One hundred and forty to

one hundred and sixty pounds sterling , according to the

grade of the tobacco . Five per cent was deducted for the ’ collection of the minister s salary . B At the time Dr . lair was appointed Commissary the i “ relig ous condition Of the colony was at a low ebb . The ” clergy was much demor alized . It will not do to make sweeping statements in regard to the clerical morality o f

t . that day , for the bet er class was probably in the majority

The preachers were sometimes unj ustly treated . There is evidence that some of them were truly religious and devoted

to their work . The precarious hold o f the clergy upon their ” livings begot in them a spirit O f indifference to duty . The

most common sin among them was drunkenness , and the

things belonging thereto , such as profane language , quarrel

” ’ m 1 2 He ing s Statutes , Vol . ii , pp . 5 , 5 . “ ’ H . 1 w c c ca Perry , pp 5 , Ha ks E lesiasti l istory , Virginia , 86 8 on , 7. - 8 0. 1 w . . 2 H 0 1 2 6 . Perry , pp 5 , 3 , 3 , 5 , 3 3 a ks , pp 79

. 1 . w . 8 0. Perry , p 5 Ha ks , pp 9, 9

r B r 464 Life of Commissa y James la i . [

o Scot hireling . Yet every page of contemp rary history of the time shows there was no man in Virginia whose char acter and mental ability was equal to that of Blair for n fi h filli g the of ce of Commissary . A second incidental o i stac e was found in the enemies he had created . He was a member of the Council , Judge of the High Court and W l President of illiam and Mary College , as wel as Com i missary and preacher , and by his earnest act vity in these ffi i o ces came in connect on with all sorts of men , some of a l them bec me hosti e to him . His troubles with the gov er n r s o caused many of the clergy to be Opposed to him . W B hile Dr . lair , being human , made errors , yet had he been pe rfect he would have made enemies , for he had to fi deal with of cials , and others who were acting from self interest and policy . A third unavoidable hindrance was the lack of a suffi cient number of prea chers for the churches . r There were not enough to supply the parishes , so the e a was no such thing as making choice . A few ye rs after B Dr . lair was made Commissary there were fifty parishes “ - in Virginia and only twenty two preachers all told . We have now briefly stated the government of the B church , the condition of the clergy at the time Dr . lair 1 68 became Commissary , 9 , and the hindrances under which and he had to labor . His endeavors to better the clergy ener al the religious condition of Virginia , in g , may be

. spoken of under four heads " ( 1 ) by admonition and in i struction to the min sters , for which purpose he usually called a convention of them ; (2) by efforts to get more preachers from England ; (3) by educating men in Virginia for the ministry . This will be spoken of in the following chapter and must be taken into account when estimating B the good Dr . lair accomplished for the clergy and the colony ; (4) by his ow n example . That he might get all the preachers together for encouragement and admonition , the Commissary called

“ r 1 1 Per y , p . . ’ B l ir R li iou r k a s e g s Wo .

n general conve tions . At first these assemblies were held B ut the yearly . when political factions arose among to f clergy in regard the governors , it became di ficult to

so get them together , the conventions were held only on or certain occasions , as at the accession Of a king,

o f o f L o r . a bishop ondon , the appointing Of a governor

The Commissary presided over the convention . One o f the preachers was chosen as clerk Of the meeting . m On convening , the Com issary preached a sermon , then

to delivered any special charge the ministers he wished , and read such letters as he might have from the B ishop o f m London or fro the Governor addressed to the clergy .

Then the convention was resolved into a free conference , so tha t any minister might propo se anything he wished for ” the good of the church . In these assemblies the lives Of the clergy were inquired into and efforts were made to correct any evils existing l in them . The whole re igious situation was Often dis ’ cussed . Occasionally , differences Of Opinion created a n storm Of discussion . Ma y papers were presented in these conventions and flashes O f satire and sarcasm show that

Virginia had some ministers Of no mean intellectual ability . It also appears that the American spirit o f religious free dom sometimes brooded over these clerical as semblies c o nven long before the days O f Thomas Jefferson . The tions Often lasted two days , holding sessions morning , o f afternoon and night . The proceedings Of some these m o f eetings are intensely interesting , and if the scope this m in work allowed it , they ight be entered here with both ter m es . B t and profit . Dr lair preached many able ser ons to the clergy and gave them much fatherly and Chris B u t m not tian advice . his preaching and ad onition did

do as b e always much good as they should have done , cause Oi the prejudice Of some Of the clergy and the hard ened corrupt character Of others . Their preconceived no

“ - - 1 1 1 2 1 . Perry , pp . 44 79 , 99 7 r l ir Life of Commissa y James B a . tions prevented them from catching the spirit of what was said . In reading over the papers and proceedings of these f clerical conventions , one is impressed by the calmness o B mind maintained by Dr . lair amid hot debates and even when shameful and undeserved sarcasm was hurled at him . W 1 0 hen , in the convention of 7 5 , the ministers made a B an number of bitter attacks on the Commissary , lair sw er ed them in a quiet and masterly way . His calmness and earnestness amid angry and oftentimes thoughtles s m n e . B , win our admiration lair possessed a rare power

- o f self control . The Commissary not only used these public assem blies to discipline the clergy , but as far as time permitted , visited the parishes and spoke to the preachers individ l " ua ly . Wh en any minister was charged with drunkenness B difiic l t . u or other misconduct , Dr lair said he found it to get reliable evidence , for while people would report such things in a general way , no one would come into his presence and testify to them . This kept him from getting at the truth , and hence from dealing properly with immoral ministers . Perhaps the greatest hindrance encountered by the Commissary in his visiting was the determined Oppo sitiou and general aversion of the people to anyt hing like a “ spiritual The very air of Virginia seemed to breathe a spirit of freedom into every one who placed a foot upon her soil . Although Blair had a spirit of righteous indignation r a t against immo lity , yet , on the whole , he dealt gen ly with the clergy . He said that unless they were notoriously scandalous he found it necessary to content himself with man one admonitions , for if he suspended a he had no to “ - five put in his place . During the first thirty years of his commissaryship he only suspended two ministers . June 20 1 2 " B , 7 3, he wrote to Mr . Forbes ecause of the want o f e clergymen to fill vacancies , I choose rather to l an to the

“

. 1 . . 2 0. erry, p 30 Ibid . p . 2 1 . p 5 P , 4 ’ B lair s Religious Wor k .

” gentle than the severe side . The Commissary earnestly r e endeavored by instruction , by encouragement and by

t o . buke , when necessary , correct and purify the clergy Every speech and letter t o the clergy unmistakably breathes a deep and earnest spirit fo r the improvement o f i o f for the relig ous condition the colony , and especially rais

ing the ministers above reproach .

B t o r Dr . lair endeavored secure a preacher fo every par I t B ish . is certain that in writing t o the ishop o f London n the concer ing Church , he nearly always expressed a “ t desire o have more preachers sent over t o Virgi nia . The intensity Of his spirit in pleading fo r more ministers when materially they were to benefit him in no respect is

striking . The explanation of all this is short "it is simply that B lair was a man Of Go d and had the good Of his people B . L at heart The ishops of ondon , though they had much m of at home to occupy their ti e , were always mindful the religious welfare o f Virginia and ready t o aid in any

way . The thoughtfulness and the spirit o f their letters t o

the Commissary are exemplary . They sent over ministers

B u t t when they could . owing o the fact that in the colony

the preachers were employed by the year , instead Of being

inducted into their parishes or livings as in England , made it ve ry diffi cult t o get ministers to leave home and a place

o f certainty fo r a foreign land and a precarious living . Min ister s to - day accustomed to being employed by the year hardly know what a hindrance this was to securing preach

f r a m ers o Virginia . As alre dy entioned , it was the duty m b t o f the Governor to induct inisters into the churches , u the vestrymen Of each parish practically ruled all church ff Off a airs , employed and turned their preachers according to their ow n desires and the Governor dared not Oppose m the . A preacher was rarely presented to the Governor

”

2 1 . Perry, p . 5 8 62 2 0 1 . Ibid . , pp . 5 , 3 . 334, 357, 3 i ommissar s ir L fe of C y Jame Bla .

“ i a for induction . The Comm ss ry wished the Governor to induct the clergymen in order that more and better ones in might come from England . He said ministers living such precarious circumstances could not “ match so much ” to their advantage as if they were settled by induction . He wished them to ma rry in the best families for two reas ons , that they might have helpful wives and raise them in O f selves the estimation the people , and thus be able to Th do more good . e Commissary did what he could to keep the glebes in good condition and to raise the salary of ministers , that he might better their lot , yet the deep Odium under which the ministry labored in the colony made a it h rd to persuade good men to come over , for the stand ing of the clergy appears to have been reported in England worse than it was . These obstacles did not abate , in the

’

f . least , the Commissary s ef orts to obtain more preachers

He kept writing to the bishops to send more ministers , and whenever he made a trip to England he urged them per

' ll fi r s so na . e o t . 1 6 6 y His were not in vain In 9 , there were at lea st fifty parishes in Virginia and only twenty - two “

. 1 0 t . preachers In 7 7, here were nearly forty ministers 1 2 B w B Lo In 7 3 Dr . lair rote the ishop of ndon that there were “ about ten vacancies and no ministers to supply And in 1 733 there were only two vacancies e sav some unfinished parishes . Two years later there were more vacancies owing to the death of four of the B ut 1 0 clergy and the completion of new parishes . , in 74 , “ there were only four or five churches without preachers . ’ 1 2 B notwith stand And in 74 , one year before lair s death , ing many preachers had been lost by death and several new s r parishes formed during his commi sa yship , there were “ ” B o f only two vacant churches , so he wrote to the ishop L “ ondon .

“

c c m c c . Histori al Colle tions of the A eri an Colonial Chur h , pp 1 8 2 5 , 50. D r . 8 O f . 1 Blair to the Bishop London Perry, P 5

. . 2 0. 6 2 . » . 6 6 . Ibid , p 5 Ibid . , pp 3 , 3 3 Ibid , D 3 4 ’ 469] Blair s Religiou s Wor k .

’ N o t t he l east o f B lai r s means o f raising the clergy to a higher plane was his own upright life . His precepts to the ministers were good and his life was consistent with them .

Amid all his trials , though eager enemies would have t not been glad o find something to inj ure him , there is a single moral blemish recorded upon his character . His life stood out before the clergy as an exemplification of his and teaching admonitions . B B This was not in vain . y reading Hartwell , lair and ’ “ o f 1 6 Chilton s Present State written in 93, o f o ne and other literature a later date , can readily see there “ had been an improvement in the clergy . Hugh Jones , no B 1 2 o f though friend to lair, said , in 7 4, the bulk the clergy had a mind to do their duty and live B to o f eo Dr . lair never ceased strive for the welfare his p Old t ple until his life ceased . The man , when abou eighty five o f diffi years age , although he had struggled with the cult affairs o f a colony in a distant land fo r more than “ ” half a century , still preached every Sunday , and , as far as his physical condition allowed , was active in fulfilling

a the three other Offices he held . His const nt and earnest activity while young for the religious welfare of Virginia , and the tenacity with which he still clung to the same pur

- pose when many years above three score and ten , plainly B t h not show Dr . James lair o have been a man w o sought case his own , but the good of his people and the exaltation o f f the One who stood by him in all o his tasks . The

f o f fift - good e fects the y eight years of faithful preaching ,

fift - o f u the y four years able commissaryship , and the p o f B right life Dr . lair upon Virginia in her formative period no t can be measured .

D r . w as w c Blair one of the authors of this little history, hi h is the best a c c ount w e have O f Virginia and her government in the last part of the seventeenth c entury . ” ’ 2 1 Perry , p . 3. Jones Present State of Virginia , p . 73. R CHAPTE I I .

B LA I R AS TH E FO"NDER O F WI L L I AM AND R LL MA Y CO EGE .

B Dr . lair not only had the religious but also the educa t i nal o welfare of his country at heart . In his earnest efforts to promote the religious condition of Virginia he saw most clearly and felt m ost keenly the need of educated

preachers . Since he was a man who alway s gras ped the a o situ tion readily and prepared th roughly for a work , he knew that without some place of learning at home where i candidates might be taught , no great relig ous work could

be done . Accordingly , he turned himself to the task of founding a college in Virginia where men might be edu cated both for the ministry and for the ordinary walks of

life . ’ L B i f es ong before lair s t me , ef orts had been made to l h tab is . 1 6 1 a college in the colony In 9 , George Thorpe

and George Sandys planned for a university in Virginia . Sir Edwin Sandys moved that ten thousand acres o f land r be g anted for a university at Henrico . The grant h was made . George T orpe was chosen manager of the

lands . Contracts were made with brick makers . The B ishop in England raised the sum of fifteen hundred pounds to go toward a university . Many o f the colonists were interested in the educational proj ect and made dona ’ was tions to it . It seemed that Virginia soon to have the B ut 1 62 2 first college in America . in the spring of the

awful uprising of the Indians , in which Mr . Thorpe and

‘ ’ 1 1 8 1 6- 1 m . 4 49 , 9, Neill s Virginia Co pany , London , pp 37, 3 , 32 ’ m c i 330. Neill s Ea rliest Efforts to pro ote Edu ation in Engl sh m North A eri c a.

mm r a B ir Life of Co issa y J mes la .

m B this state ent , erkeley had subscribed to the cause of classical education . Then means for establishing a college were extremely scarce in those early days of th e colony . Another hindrance was the fact that the people of Virginia were scattered over the country and so it was more difficult to get them interested in establishing colleges than it would ‘ have been had they been settled in towns . Again , there were always disputes as to where a college should be lo ’ B ut t c ated. l a hat which was acking , perhaps more th n was anything else , a man to stand by and push through an educational proj ect in those trying days of beginnings . The man to fill the place was eventually found in the person B of James lair , the able and persevering Scotchman . B 1 6 0 Commissary lair , in 9 , set himself to the work of founding a college in Virginia , there being at that time only one privately endowed school and a few old field ” ‘ schools in the colony . He talked education in such a manner as to infuse fire into the cold hearts of the peo" ie a nd B e p especially into the urgess s . Together with “ of others the clergy , he prepared Several Propositions to be humbly presented to the consideration of ye next o f a General Assembly , for ye better encouragement le rn ing , by the founding a college in this country to consist

I rish of three schools , , Grammar , Philosophy , and Divin ” r t ity . This memorial asked the Gene al Assembly to pe i r t tion the king and queen for a cha er for a college , a

- o f grant of land , a part of the quit rents Virginia and other small revenues to go toward establishing the school . The proposition also contained a general plan for its founda tion and government . The Council of State approved this plan as an “excellent design and empowered and author ize B n d Dr . lair and several other promi ent men to solicit subscriptions and gifts to defI ay the charges o f a college

‘ ’ m m 1 Ada s College of Willia and Mary , p . 4. ' See page 37. ‘ ’

r 0 . Cook s Histo y of Virginia , p . 3 5 ‘

6 6. College Papers , bundle 3 l e 27 473] Blair as Founder of Williamand M ar y Col eg .

t building . The subscription papers show that the mo ive “ behind the enterprise was threefold " The Education o f o u r o u r Youth , a constant supply Of Ministry and perhaps a foundation fo r ye Conversion o f our neighboring Heathen ” t (Indians) o the Christian Faith . Some money was sub 1 1 fi 1 1 . 6 scribed but not suf cient I n May , 9 , the General B i to t Assembly appointed Dr . la r go o England and solicit “ r a charter and funds fo a college in Virginia . He was requested to seek the assistance o f the B ishop of London in Obtaining a charter from the Crown His instructions ’ so were quite full , but great was the Assembly s confidence in his character and ability he was told to do as he should think necessarie in presenting the supplications to their

majesties . B 1 6 1 . . L In June , 9 , Dr lair set sail On arriving in ondon , ffi in September , the di culties which confronted him were “ i " t discourag ng . ing William was in Flanders seeing o the affairs of the war in which England was involved ; the B ishop o f London from whom B lair was to seek advice o f was sick ; the Archbishop Canterbury , whom the king L trusted wholly in ecclesiastical matters , was at ambeth , and as the winter came o n he was frozen up there for five weeks before he could get to London ; Parli ament and Council were completely absorbed in the business o f the

. m war Though the situation was ost discouraging, Dr . B m o f . no lair made the very best it He idled ti e away , but spent his spare months in trying to raise money fo r the col f a lege , and these e forts resulted eventually in the don B tion , known as the oyle fund and other gifts , in all , several

hundred pounds sterling . In Obtaining the charter , Dr . B m L lair showed excellent judg ent . ate in the fall when the B o Lo B to ish p Of ndon recovered , lair went him with the

6 6 . College Papers , bundle 3 , p . 5 ’ w 0 Hart ell , Blair and Chilton s Present State of Virginia , p . 7 . m c 6 8 . 1 0. A eri a and West Indies papers , bundle 3 , p

c c . . 8 Histori al Colle tions , Virginia W . S . Perry , pp 3 or ’ Blair s letters . i f mmis ar B r L fe o Co s y James lai .

r proj ect . He received him cordially and p omised his sup B l the e e port . He advised air to take coll ge busin ss before B . a the council and committee on plantations Dr . l ir did not wish to do this , but desired to present it through the bishop directly to the king and queen . For , he said , he wished not only to obtain a charter , but also as large funds as possible for a college . He explained that the church the party was in the minority in council and that , while the council might grant a charter , it would not be inclined to illin fleet B r . S t Wo make any gift of money Dr . g , ishop of c ester B a had , favored l ir in this plan and told him that he the right idea about accomplishing his mission , and to this B L “ the ishop of ondon then agreed . While waiting for the king to return to Lo ndon and for him to attend to urgent B war matters , Dr . lair used the time in explaining to the

’ their favo r bishop and the queen his mission , winning , and preparing all things as far as possible before the petition for a charter should be presented to the king and the coun "

. W L cil hen the Archbishop of Canterbury came to ondon ,

. i he aided the cause I n company w th the archbishop , B Dr . lair went to "ueen Mary and made known his mission . The queen welcomed the Commissary and “ graciously approved the founding of a college in Vir i r o s l . L O a g nia ater , when the college p p was mentioned to a a the king, he was much ple sed with it and fr nkly promised i to g ve something toward it , if he could find any revenues in

Virginia fit to give . When the time arrived to present the B petition formally to the Council , Dr . lair , having been introduced by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord fi d Ef ngham , presente it in an appropriate manner , and “ " when he closed his remarks his Majesty said Sir , I am glad that colony is upon so good a design and I will ” B promote it to the best of my power . Dr . lair was asked to give to the B ishop o f London a scheme for the college

” ’ . Perry , p . 5 . College papers , Blair s letters ’ ’ 6 . ri c . ) Perry s Histo cal Colle tion , Virginia , p (Blair s letters 475 B lair as lle e ] Fou nder of Williamand M ar y Co g .

o f fo r and an account what was expected it , that it might be nec es brought before the Committee o n Plantations . All to sary steps in regard the matter having been taken , the 1 1 6 n charter was granted February 9, 93, the i stitution to “ be known by the name o f The College o f . William and ” o W Mary , in honor f the king and queen . ith the char ter the king and queen gave toward the college nineteen

- five hundred and eighty pounds , fourteen shillings and ten " o u t f - f pence o the quit rents o Virginia . They also granted for the same purpose a tax of o ne penny o n every pound o f tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland ; the fees

f - and profits arising from the o fice of surveyor general , which was put under the control of the college ; and twenty o f o f thousand acres land , ten thousand which lay south o f the B lackwater and the other ten in the Pamunkey “ B Neck . Dr . lair was sent with a royal order to Seymour ,

- the attorney general , to issue a charter . Seymour hesi tated. He argued that England was engaged in an ex pensive war and could not afford means to erect a college B in Virginia . Dr . lair explained that the institution was t o educate young men to preach the gospel . He said the Virginians had souls to be saved as well as their English m m country en . To which Sey our replied , Souls , damn your souls " Make tobacco "” Such were the obstacles that confronted B lair in this enterprise . While it is true that the bishops and others in authority encouraged and m supported the educational a bition of the American colony , o f yet many Englishmen , business men and men Office , o f B cared nothing fo r the intellectual welfare Virginia . y to them all possible Objections were made the project , as a design that would take o u r planters O ff from their me chanic al employments and make them grow t o o knowing to be obedient and Their ideas were to use

College papers . ” Charter (attac hed to illiam and Mary Catalogues i ch W , R m ond , ’ Own m Bishop Burnet s History of His Ti e , p . 597. if f mi r m ir 47 L e o Com ssa y Ja es Bla . [ 6 the inhabitants of the colony as instruments out o f which B ut to make all the money they could . the attorney B general swore to no purpose . lair was not a man who fl could be baf ed . He went after the charter and he obtained

. f 1 it He brought it over to Virginia in the spring o 693. “ By the cha rter Blair was created and established first president du r ing his natural The General Assembly ” also elected him president of th e college . The charter provided for the organization of the institution , stating that the faculty of the college should consist of a presi dent and six professors or masters , and that it should be a place of universal study of Divinity , Philosophy , ” L ed anguages and other good arts and Sciences . It provid a board of trustees , sometimes called visitors and gov ” er nor s , that should not exceed twenty in number . These chose the president , professors , rector , and chancellor . B i The rector of the college was appointed yearly . Dr . la r was the first one . The chancellor was appointed every

. . B L seventh year Dr Henry Compton , ishop of ondon , was the first chancellor . The board of trustees or visi B u tors had general control of the school . t the charter provided that after the college should be founded and erected , the trustees should grant and transfer to the “ L president and professors the ands , Manors , Tene R er e Re m ents , ents , S vic s , ctories , Portions , Annuities ,

Pensions , and Advowsons of the churches , with all other inheritances , franchises , possessions , goods , chattels and

” Charter . Blair w as allow ed 2 50 pounds for his trouble in getting the c harter . m on In the c harter the first trustees of the c ollege are enti ed, c c - G n Fran is Ni holson , our Lieutenant overnor in the Colo ies W r ml m m. o i n . W of Virg nia and Maryla d Cole , Ralph y , Willia r e m Far nifo ld By d and John L ar , Esq uires ; Ja es Blair , John , c m G c m Stephen Foua e and Sa uel ray , lerks ; Tho as Milner, Chris to her Char l es c h m e m p Robinson , S arboroug , John S ith , B nj a in w m and Harrison , Miles Cary , Henry Hart ell , Willia Randolph w " Matthe Page . 477] Blair as Founder of Williamand M ar y College.

to Personal estate . This was be done in order that the president and professors might not be interfered with in any way . These persons should also form a body politic and incorporated in deed and name The faculty had full and absolute power t o nominate and elect o ne

o f o r . their number , any able man they wished , to the House Of B urgesses to represent the interest of the ” o f one college . The salary the president was hundred and t o f fif y pounds a year , and that professors eighty pounds each , together with twenty shillings entrance , and twenty ”

fo r for . shillings a year , pupilage each scholar Such , in brief , was the organization Of the College . B i 1 As soon as Dr . lair reached Virg nia in 693 he turned o f himself to the task having the college building erected . The plan of this had been prepared by Sir Christopher u not Wren . It was beg n but was completed before there was o f B need of more money . The House urgesses strength ened the royal endowment by permanently levying an ex

o f o f - o n port duty , an average seven and one half per cent , ” f r o o f . furs and skins the support the college Nicholson , then Governor of Maryland , entered heartily in the good work and gave o ne hundred and fifty pounds . A consider

of - five o r able sum money , twenty hundred pounds more , had been subscribed by Virginians , but only a very small ” O f part it could be collected . First , they had subscribed , some t o oblige and curry favor with his excellency — the who fo r governor had issued a brief subscriptions , others hOping and supposing it (the college project) would come ’ t o fo r nothing , and others the Commissary s sake , that they might no t be thought singular and enemies t o so good a wor k e to B , putt their hand the riefe and could never be ” not reconciled to the college afterward , These only

Charter . “

The resent tate of Virginia , Hugh Jones p . 2 . P S , 7 ”

. 1 2 1 Hening , iii , pp 2 . 3, 4 w ’ Hart ell , lair and Chilton s resent tate of Virginia p . 0. B P S , 7

College papers . if f ommis sar ames Bl ir L e o C y J a . would not pay but became enemies to the College o n the account of their subscriptions toward it .

Second , many of the subscribers were angry and would not pay because the college had been situated at ” n W . Middle Pla tation , later illiamsburg Every one ” o w n o r wanted it in his county neighborhood . In the above statement we see plainly ho w hard it was to get the early settlers in Virginia to work together in any the m thing for co mon good . I n the third place , some sub scribers raised the objection that the president was r ec eiv ing his salary before the college building was actually fin ished and the school became a college , and , therefore they ”

u . wo ld not help Manifestly , it was more work and worry to the president to raise the money , have the building erected and raise the standard of the school to a college than to act as president after the school should be well estab

lished. W B f hen Dr . lair returned from England , he of ered to go to his parish in Henrico , where he was inducted into l a living , and not to receive any salary until the bui ding should be constructed , but the governors of the college B would not listen to any such thing . They said that lair had been the manager of the whole business and they were ” afraid that it would still come to nothing if he were not at the head o f it . So they voted for him to leave his parish at Henrico and come and ca r ry on the college work with “ n t i all diligence . B lair was o onl y the orig nator of the L college , but its very life . astly , the collectors of the penny a pound on tobacco , were prejudiced against the college and began personally to entertain Odium against ” ff it , because that money was directed from their co ers ” into another channel by being given to the college . As it was the collectors cheated the college o ut o f a great deal B o f B . revenue . esides the lack of money , Dr lair had ene mies who opposed him . It was impossible that an active ,

” 1 2 2 Hening, iii , . N ew " v . c . . ork Ar hi es , Vol iii Also College papers

. 1 2 s. Perry , pp 4 , 4 . College paper

f missar a B la ir 480 Life o Com y J mes . [ less than three vear s from the time B lair began to infuse fire into the B urgesses about the college he had been to

England , Obtained the charter , returned and put the college m in operation . The gra mar school was well furnished with a good school master , usher and writing A Mongo Inglis , M . . , a Scotchman of ability , was the first professor of the grammar school . This grammar school , which was for the education of the youth o f the Colony in the Latin and Greek tongues was all that the college had

- f . for several years . It was the corner stone o the institution

The college soon did good work , for in the report made by O f " ten of the most prominent men the time , we read The scholars make great proficiency in their studies to the gen ”

O f . eral satisfaction their parents and guardians In May, 1 6 B 97, the House of urgesses attended exercises at the college and spoke wi th commendation of the studying the w students were doing. That year there were t enty ” n h l nine stude ts . The first Commencement was e d in the closing year of the century . It was a grand occa sion for the colony and attracted visitors from far he “ n yond the bounds of Virginia . There was a great c o course of people ; several planters came thither in coaches o and others in sloops from New Y rk , Pennsylvania and n Maryland , it bei g a new thing in that part of America to hear graduates perform their exercises . Indians had the i W curios ty , some of them , to visit illiamsburg upon that “ occasion ; and the whole count ry rejoiced . As mentioned above , it was several years before the college became more than a grammar school . The growth of the institution was o f slow , often its plans were crippled from a lack adequate B funds . u t this would not be doing j ustice to the real cir c umstances . There were two other things that hindered the o f growth the college enough to demand mention here .

Board of Trade , Virginia , Vol . vi .

Board of Trade , Virginia , Vol . vi . “ m 1 0 Willia and Mary College "uarterly , Vol . i , p . 3 . “ ’ m 6 1 62 Ca pbell s History of Virginia , pp . 3 , 3 olle e 481 ] B lair as Founder of Williamand M ar y C g .

’ B o f First , Dr . lair s troubles with governors Virginia , and i second , the d scord between the President and Professor

m s . Mongo Inglis , the leading a ter in the school The f B h to trouble o Dr . lair wit the governors caused him have t o make tw o trips t o Engla nd and these took much o f his time and attention from the college when it needed him m s n o t . The co tentions divided the people into factions and it was nothing but natural fo r the most o f those who

the to opposed president oppose the college , since h e was

o f w o f the head it . These disturbances ere also the cause ‘1 a numb er o f students being taken fromthe college . The discord between President B lair and Professor I nglis was very inj urious to the college fo r a few years . This arose largely from misunderstandings and the reports o f tale man bearers . Professor Inglis , a Of considerable ability ,

t o o m m but who would talk much , beca e extre ely angry B t o with President lair . He threatened give up his profess o r shi to fo r p and let the college go nothing , , he said , the whole reputation o f the institution was derived from himself . He declared that the school would never amount to any B fo r thing while lair remained president , , said he , the “ president used it only as a tool w ith which t o enrich him ” ” self and as a stalking house by wh ich to carry o n de

n n u t f fi P r sig s against gover ors and turn them o o Of ce . o fesso r o f B Inglis spoke as disrespectfully lair as he could . him to He even accused of trying break up the college . ’ B u t t fo r h c o n , unfor unately the professor s charges , t ey t r adic t n ne n m . W o o themselves hile , the ha d , they ake B to o f lair get his riches and all his power from the college , o n him o f t o the other , they accuse trying ruin the insti t ution— that which B lair knows to be the source o f his n m i co e and power . m This dispute threw a da per over the whole school , u nfitted fo r partly Professor Inglis his work , and destroyed the harmony that should exist between the President and

College papers . Life of ommis sar ames Blair C y J .

B the Professor . Dr . lair seems not to have become angry l . e with Mr Ing is , but tri d to reason the matter with him . N o attempt will be made here to give a full account of the ’

e . B caus s of Mr Inglis falling out with Dr . lair , for that would be discussing them farther than their importance fl deserves . I only mention brie y a few o f the causes as ”

. " stated by M r I nglis himself , while irritated First , he B ’ B said , Dr. lair ordered his brother s son , John lair to be taken from the college , and that this was the cause of Dr . ’ B a lair s friends t king six more students from the school , ” which students were boarding with Inglis . Each student paid to M r . Inglis twenty shillings entrance fee and the same sum for tutorage , and this , together with the money ’ for board , touched Mr . Inglis pocketbook very sensibly . the This , according to his own statements , was chief reason f B u . B O his hatred toward the President . t Dr lair said he did not order his nephew to leave the college , and , further in and more , that he was away England when the boy left ”

o f . . knew nothing it at the time Second , Mr I nglis said , the President was using the college as a stalking house ” ” to se rve him in turning out governors . Third , because B ’ of Dr . lair s ingratitude to Governor Nicholson , the ”

. B great patron of the college Fourth , because Dr . lair had inj ured and disgraced his (Inglis) scholars and him self by statements he made in an affidavit against the Gov

i " . cruor . The g st and truth of the whole matter is this Mr B the Inglis thought Dr . lair had been cause of the seven students being removed from college and these removals , ’ according to the professor s own words , touched his pocket considerably as w ell as his reputation as a professor . B ’ And furthermore he was a friend to Nicholson , lair s enemy , hence from both his feeling and the custom of the “

B . him o f . time , it was natural for to be an enemy Dr lair The president managed this trouble between himself and TO the professor as ably as the circumstances permitted .

’ " c . . . v College papers Mongo Inglis letters . N . . Ar hi es , Vol i 483] B lair as Founder of Williamand M ar y College. gether with these drawbacks to the college followed an

ff . other o f a di erent kind As already intimated , the college building had been erected only about ten years when it

1 0 . burned down. This took place in 7 5 Very little saved “ B o ut that was in it , says everly , the fire breaking about ’ ten o clock at night , in a public time . The Governor and all the gentlemen came up to the lamentable spectacle . B ut the fire had go t such a po w er there were no ” m disc o ur a o f o u t . hopes putting it This , indeed , see ed g o n t o r e ing , since there were no funds hand with which

B no t . B u t . build . it is said that Dr lair was discouraged N o t fo r a moment did the President and the best friends won Of the college think of giving it up . The college had friends from among its former enemies . Its presence had stimulated an educational impulse . The president and other trustees put themselves t o the

’ o f o task rebuilding . The second building did not g up W nearly so fast as the first . hen Alexander Spotswood 1 1 0 was appointed Governor , in 7 , he encouraged the Presi dent and helped toward the building . Finally the edifice was restored . The second building , while like the first in no t ai general appearances , was more beautiful . It was ” together unlike Chelsea Hospital . Besides the main edifice t here was also o ne fo r the edu

i Oi f - cat on Indians . Few people o to day kn o w how much interested the early settlers Of Virginia were in educating and Christianizing the I ndians . They were in earnest about m the matter . In connection with the early move ents fo r colleges there was always something said about educating the Indians . There is scarcely a petition that states the purpose o f founding William and Mary College but that expresses the intention Of educating the natives Of America . The promoters o f the educational project carried this f H n R B . o . ho intention into ef ect obert oyle , w died in n 1 1 t o Engla d in 79 , ordered his executors apply his per

“ 26 Present State of Virginia , Hugh Jones , p . . ommis ar me Blair Life of C s y Ja s .

sonal estate to such charitable and pious uses as they , in B their discretion , should think The oyle bequest , £ 00 B r affer 54 , was invested in a landed estate called the

' 2 B . W 1 6 . ton hile in England , in 9 , Dr lair had partly se

. 1 6 to cured this bequest In 97he went back England , and ,

B o f aided by the ishop of Canterbury , obtained the most “ n this bequest for the College of William a d Mary . A part B o f this legacy went to Harvard College . y means of the B oyle endowment the College of William and Mary erected B ff a building called the ra erton, solely for Indian educa tion , which purpose it long served . It was a handsome ” “ house and had twelve rooms . This building is still standing and is used as a dormitory for students . The " Indian school had a master or professor . Governor

Spotswood , during his administration , abolished the petty tribute formerly exacted from certain Indian tribes on con dition that the chief men should send their children to the college to be educated . From hostile tribes young

Indians were taken as hostages to be educated , who served f to maintain the public safety . The queen o the Pamun keys sent her son to the college . Many of the Indians who ca me to the school took much interest in the studies . Dur ’ ing Spotswood s r egime there were nearly twenty Indians at the college at one time . It seems that this Indian de a p r t ment did well at the start . Governor Spotswood in a B L 26 communication to the ishop of ondon , dated July , 1 1 2 7 , speaks of the success of the experiment , but of the

fi insuf ciency of the endowment . The I ndians , he says , are cl oathed decently and maintained , so that they seem very well pleased with the change of their condition as indeed t f fr e their parents and o hers o their nations , who come quently to see them , express much satisfaction with the o f wn care that is taken them , and frequently lament their o

’

. . m m . 8 1 6 . . H B Ada s Willia and Mary College , p . Perry , p “ ’ D u h in k . c c s c i m c . y Cy loped a of A eri an Literature , Vol i , pp

87 88 . 1 Ibid . Letters of Governor Spotswood I p . 74. 485 ] Blair as Fou nder of Williamand M ar y College. misfortune in not having like advantages in their youth ; B fo r o f . but , as the revenue the college settled by Mr oyle ffi t so that service is insu cient o support great a charge , I hOpe your Lordship will use interest fo r obtaining some contributions fromthe Society fo r propagating the Gospel ” B ut to Promote so good a design . this Indian depart ment never did the good that its promoters had thought i f who and hoped . The dispos tion o the roving Indian had been hemmed in only by the gilded horizon and blue can

O py o f the heavens was no t adapted t o academic walls . Many became dissatisfied in school and pined away and died . fo r n The college the whites , u der the guidance Of its able

s and devoted president , increased in size and usefulne s . The board o f visitors and governors met often to attend to the business of the college and look after gifts and en m m dow ents . The proceedings o f these eetings were well kept . They contain not only such transactions as selecting professors and choosing visitors , but they have the min “ utest details o f the college business . Notwithstanding that the governors o f the college at tended closely to their duties , the institution was cheated ’o o ut o f f n n t it a great deal o the revenue belo gi g o . From time to time gi ft s o f more o r less importance were added "1 t o . 1 1 8 t the funds I n 7 , the General Assembly , ac ing o n o f . o ne the advice Governor Spotswood , gave thousand 2 f B on . 1 6 o pounds In 7 , the House urgesses put a duty “a to liquors , which revenue was given the college The As ’ sembly s appropriation and the income from liquors were both used in establishing scholarships . Colonel Hill , of

R o f Co r o to man Shirley , and obert Carter , , together gave tw o n f r hu dred pounds o the endowment Of a scholarship . f . o Mrs Elizabeth Harrison , Surry , contributed three hun

“ G w 1 Letters of overnor Spots ood , Vol . i , p . 74. “ z Virginia Maga ine of History , Vols . iii and iv .

2 0. Hening, Vol . iv , pp . 4 9 , 43 College papers . a ”

. . . 1 8 2 . Hening, Vol iv , p . 74. Hening, Vol iv , pp 4 , 43 if of ommissar ames Blair 4 L e C y J . [ 86

B . " dred pounds , and Mrs Thomas ray , of New ent, two i r e hundred . The college had a l brary containing a markable number of volumes considering how few books “ i there were on this side of the Atlantic . From t me to e W time books were donated to it from private librari s . hen s 1 0 Alexander Spot wood died , in 74 , he bequeathed his “

i . books , maps and mathemat cal instruments to the college "ntil 1 71 1 th e faculty of the college consisted of Presi B a dent lair , grammar professor , Mongo Inglis , an usher ,

James Hodges , and a writing master . The building hav 1 0 ing been destroyed by fire in 7 5 , the money that would have employed other profes sors had to go toward the new 1 1 1 L building . In 7 , Mr . efevre was elected first pro “ fess r t o of ma hemati cs . The exact times when other per o w 1 2 s ns were added to the faculty is not kno n , but by 79 it contained the full number intended by the charter— six o f professors , graduates Edinburgh , Oxford and Cam “ bridge . It was the first college in America to have a full B faculty . artholomew Yates and Francis Fountain were W the professors of theology , illiam Dawson and Alexan r o der I win , of philos phy and mathematics ; Joshua Fry , of R the grammar school , and ichard Cocke , of the Indian "

. a a school The classic l languages , O riental langu ges , di

t . vini y , mathematics and philosophy were now taught B O It was thus that President lair , against fire , personal p position , and scarcity of money , brought the college to its 1 2 full size and to success . In 79 , as the original charter had i s provided , it was transferred to the president and pro e “ sors . Its work did not disappoint the founder in his expectation of good . It did much in raising the standard o f the ministry at the time and played an important part

“ z v . 1 6 1 Virginia Maga ine of History , Vol i , p . . “ ’

v Cr itical m c . v Winsor s Narrati e and History of A eri a , Vol ,

. 26 p 7. “ 1 1 6 1 8 ca c . . 0 Virginia Histori l Colle tions , Vol i , pp 3, 5 , 5 “

m 6 . t c e . Willia and Mary His ori al Pap rs , Vol . II , p 5 " Transfer of the College . l“ Tr ansfer c m u c ; atta hed to Willia and Mary Catalog es , Ri h m 1 8 0. ond , 7

f mmi sar am Bl ir 4 Life o Co s y J es a . [ 88

B Professor Herbert . Adams , in his monograph on ” i " i W lliam and Mary College , says Virg nia is called o f W the mother of presidents , but the College illiam and r al ma mat er Ma y , the of statesmen , is only another name ” il . t W for Virginia It is proper to add here hat , though liam and M ary College has been partially des troyed by fire r R several times , and g eatly inj ured by both the evolution W e ary and Civil ars , it is doing a good work at the pr sent i a - as e t me . It st nds to day the first American coll ge that received a charter , the first in the world planned by English colonists , and the second , in point of time , actually estab lished in Amer ica . I II CHAPTER .

B LAI R ’ S CONN ECTI O N WITH THE GOVERN R O RS O F V I G I N I A .

B m B i esides being Com issary and President , la r was also a member of the Council of Virginia . He was appointed to this offi ce by the king in Th is Council c o r re sponded to the "pper House in E ngland and its duty was to advise and assist the Governor in all important mat ’ ters Of govemment about which he might consult them. W the o f B hen Council acted with the House urgesses ,

ner l it formed what was called the G e a Assembly . As a

o f B o f member the Council , lair was a judge the highest o f court in the colony . He was president the Council for

N O i many years . man in the colony held as many mport

fi B ant of ces as lair . He was always busy working for the o f o r welfare the colony either as Commissary preacher , o r o f as President of the College , as a member the Council B f W . in its dif erent functions . herever Dr lair was , he

f r W counted o something . hen he believed any line of action to be right he adhered strictly to it . The governor was ordinary to the ki ng and to the B ishop L B Of ondon , hence his relations with lair were close and in some cases almost inseparable . As ordinary , it was the governor’ s business to induct the ministers upon presenta o f m no t tion them by the vestry en , and in case they did six present candidates in months , the governor had the

w ’ O f . . Hart ell , Blair and Chilton s Present State Virginia , p 35 m ’ 6. m ff . w Ca pbell s Virginia , p 35 So e r iters di er regarding the ’ c c i m o wn was 1 . date, but a ording to Bla r s state ent it 793 ‘ w ’ Hart ell , Blair and Chilton s Present State of Virginia . Life of ommis ar mes B l ir C s y Ja a .

i t ’ r ght to induct preachers wi hout presentation . There were frequent misunderstandings and disagreements between the Commissary and Governor about induction and other B ’ church matters . Thus lair s many sided duties and the energy and earnestness with which he worked , frequently i brought him in coll ision w th prominent men of the colony . He was involved in difficulties wi th clergymen and gover nors during the greater part of the period of his co mmis sar shi r y p and p esidency of the college . Troubles arising from the Church , the Government and the College caused B controversies and opposition between Dr . lair and three — o governors Andros , Nicholson , and Spotswo d . There are hundreds of pages of manuscript and letters relating to the fl t o f i con icts of these colonial authori ies . Some the tr als in Lambeth Palace are repo rted in full and are ext remely interesting . Sir Edmund Andros became Go vernor of Virginia in

1 6 2 . 9 , at the ti me the college was being founded He came from New York where he was in bad repute . He opposed ‘ the founding of the school . He spread among the voters the fear that taxes would be increased should the college he i t established . He never pa d any hing himself toward its support , and it is said his friends did not . He once prom ised brick to build the chapel and then withdrew his prom ‘ B ise . In t rying to exert an influence against Dr . lair , the governor complained even because he was a Scotchman . At another time he suspended Blair from the Council with o r out holding any trial even informing him , because he had ’ ‘ W spoken of the governor s obstruction of the college . hen

e a reported , the king disapprov d of the ction and restored B lair to the Council . Even after this , Andros had the audacity to decla re that he was not eligible because he was t born in Sco land .

w . 2 2 . La s of Virginia , p . 3 Perry , pp . 43, 44 ‘ ’ - 8 2 . c c . 1 Perry s Histori al Colle tions , Virginia , pp 9 - Perry . on 54 5 7. ‘ ’ 6. w i Vir I nI a . Hart ell , Bla r and Chilton s Present State of g , p 3 ’ 491 ] B lair s Connection w ith the Gover nment .

1 6 B t o to t o In 97, lair went England attend getting the r Boyle legacy fo the college . At the same time complaints were made against th e governor and B lair then brought thirteen charges against Andros as an enemy to the ’ church , the clergy , and the college . There were no petty personal complaints in these charges , although numerous . t o f They all pertained o matters importance to the colony . to Five were in regard the church and the clergy . The

to governor never tried fill the vacant parishes . He made to no attempt induct the ministers into their livings . He did no t favor them in their salaries when he could have done so . When the clergy were shamefully treated and u bro ght their complaints before the governor, he paid but c o n little attention to them . Eight other charges were cerning the college . In substance they were that Governor Andros favored the enemies of the college ; paid nothing himself and tried to influence others not to pay their sub sc r iptio ns ; put diffi culties in the way o f the college r e c eiv ing its revenues , and hindered the meetings of the trustees o r the governors of the college . The trial took place in L 2 1 6 a two . ambeth Palace , December 7, 97, and l sted days B t lair had strong foes o meet . The governor had sent

B f e st r o VV o ve . Over his defenders , Colonel yrd , , Mr Har f t o . . o rison , Surry , a Mr Marshall and a M r Povey , ar

B o f raigu Dr . lair before the Archbishop Canterbury and ‘ B L tw o the ishop Of ondon . They brought forward accu satio ns B o f against lair . He successfully refuted both mm them , for they were weak . The first was that the Co is sary had filled the parishes with Scotchmen against the peo ’ B ’ m ple s desires . Dr . lair s opponents had ade a blunder .

m fo r m Certain English en had been taken Scotch en . The other Charge was that B lair took his salary as president B before the college was completed . lair answered that

7 - - 1 02 . 1 2 2 m . . 0 6. , . 594 and 9 Perry , pp 9 , 3 3 Fulha Mss Nos ’

ld c m . . 6 . O Perry , p . 3 Meade s Chur hes and Fa ilies , Vol i , p mm r i Life of Co issa y James Bla r . though the General Assembly and the ch arter of the col i ’ lege had g ven him a right to the president s salary , yet he had told the governors of the college , when he returned to i 1 6 Virg nia in 93, that if they thought the business of the ” president unnec essary at present he had a good living at Henrico and would go there and stay until he w as “ ” B ut needed . after free debate upon the subject the trustees of the college agreed that as he had been manag ing the business of the institution in Virginia and in Eng “ ” land , they were afraid it would still come to nothing , if he was not head of it , therefore voted that he should leave “ his parish and remove to the place where the college “ A c all . should be built , and carry it on with diligence

cor din l . g y , he moved n B On the other ha d , Dr . lair sustained for the most part his charges against the governor , often making his “ opponents admit their truth . The calmness , frankness , and knowledge with which B lair spoke gave his words a B " addition l power . ishop Meade has truly said Never were four men more completely foiled by The t r ial o r o f , the examination , resulted in the exoneration B Dr . lair and the recall of Governor Andros . 1 6 8 t he In 9 , Sir Francis Nicholson , who had been Deputy o f i 1 6 0 1 6 1 Governor Virg nia in 9 and 9 , was again appointed ffi ov to that o ce , The Earl of Orkney was the nominal g ’ er no r but remained in England . During Nicholson s first B " governorship , he and lair were strong friends . Nichol son favored the college project and contributed liberally , and Blair wrote himmany letters expressing the greatest W appr eciation and gratitude . hen Nicholson came to Vir i a g nia the second time , he got along greeably with the Com y et missary for awhile , from the very beginning seemed to be a changed man . Many people of the time remarked the

Permp 42 ’ P er r - . 6 6 . m y , pp 3 5 , . 6 . Ca pbell s Virginia pp 35 , 357 “ M ’ l O c m 1 . d . 8 Meade s Chur hes and Fa ilies , p 5 ” ’ College papers and Blair s letters . ’ r nm t 493] B lair s Connection with the Gove en .

W o f change . hile governor Maryland he had disagreed m a B a much with Com iss ry ray , and th t experience gave indi i f cation o what might follow . O n the day o the publication f ’ B t him o . o the governor s commission , Dr lair took it , and in accordance with advice from Nicholson ’ s friends m o f B o f L and in the na e the ishop ondon , recommended , o f m in the best spirit , moderation in his ad inistration . “ Nicholson replied very hotly " G I know bett er how to govern Virginia and Maryland than all th e bishops in England ; if I had no t hampered themin Maryland and t o kept them under , I should never have been able have ” B “ governed them . Dr . lair answered " I do not pre to t tend understand Maryland , but if I understand any hing

- about Virginia they are as good natured , tractable people o u as any in the world , and you may do what y will with o f o u them by the way civility , but y will never be able to manage them in that way yo u speak o f— by hampering ” B and keeping them under . y nature , Nicholson was self

- to willed , high tempered and vain . He always wished f o r have his way , whether in af airs of politics , love , anything

else . His tyrannical and passionate actions turned many

people against him . I n a few years B lair and Governor Nicholson were com l etel r W p y at va iance with each other . ithout doubt the

tyranny , profanity , immorality , and ridiculous actions Of B to him W Nicholson caused lair Oppose as governor . hen

- the least angry , he collared and cursed attorney generals ; assaulted ministers ; took o ff their hats and called them

u . villains , rog es , rascals and banditti He swore at mem bers O f the Council and applied to them his usual list o f o m do pprobrious na es , rogue , rascal , cheat , g, villain , and ” cowar d . ’ ffe The governor s acts were O nsive enough , but a love affair brought o ut his worst qualities and made him almost

1 8. . . 6 Meade , p 5 Perry, pp 7 , 77. 1 1 . 01 02 . . . 0 1 . . . 8. Perry , pp , Ibid , pp 9 , 9 Ibid , p 9 Life of ommissar ames Blair C y J .

‘ afl air as a mad man . This had so much influence upon N icholson and increased the disagreement and enmity be B tween him and Dr . lair to such a degr ee that it requires

. i mention here I n fact , many of the people of the t me said

r it was this that changed Nicholson . Major Lewis B u w W ell , who lived near illiamsburg, had nine daughters , with one of whom the governor had the misfort une to

fall passionately in love . The love was not reciprocated . This completely upset what little reason there was in Governor He demanded the lady in royal

fashion from her parents , but neither she nor her parents i nor members of the family were w lling to comply . The gover nor became angry and persisted in his design and

claim . He threatened the father and the brother and swore B to Dr . lair that if the girl married some other man , he — would cut the throats of three men the bridegroom , the ” minister , and the justice who issued the license . The frenzied action of the governor was talked o f not only in ’ L Lo n Virginia , but even in ondon . One of Nicholson s don friends wrote a letter of advice in which he asked him not to give the lady or her relations any further molesta tion and said " It is not here as in some barbarous coun ’ tries where the tender lady is dr agged into the Sultan s arms j ust reeking in the blood of her nearest The governor hated and abused every one whom he thought opposed him directly or indirectly in the love ai i B f . c o fair He imag ned that Ar hibald lair , brother the was Commissary , his rival , and hence conceived the strongest objections to him and all his relatives Where B " upon he sent for Dr . lair and said to him Sir , your ” brother is a villain and vou have betrayed me . Then

" . B he lifted up his hands and loudly said Mr lair , take notice ; I vow to the eternal G that I will be revenged on y ou and all your B lair did all he could to

” ” - . 1 66 . . . 1 02 . . Meade , p 59 Perry , p Perry , pp 75 m - t c . 6 . Willia and Mary His ori al Papers , Vol i , p . 7

r ir Life of Commissa y James B la .

using suspicious expressions as to how he could govern if “ he had soldiers well - fleshed in blood and accustomed

to booty . The second and further affida vit of B lair against the ” a m governor pert ined to th e clergy , the college and hi self . The substance of the affidavit was that the governor in ’ vaded the Commissary s jurisdiction by calling meetings of the clergy without taking notice of the Commissary ; acted m disrespectfully toward , and spoke conte ptuously of the S clergy , saying they were all a pack of coundrels and he wished they were dead ; threw abuses on the college and acted without the di r ec tion of the trustees and hindered the revenues ; and interfered with the private affairs o f B lair and tried to ruin his reputation . The conduct of the B governor which touched Dr . lair the most was Nichol ’ son s tyranny in the Council , his profane language and dis ’ The o f B respectful talk about the clergy . one aim lair s life was to raise the standard of the clergy in the estimation o f the people , in order that they might do more religious

good . Anything that hindered this aim touched the very

soul of the Commissary . n a Mr . Th rale , as agent of Nicholso , nswered the charges

brought aga inst the governor . If they could have been

refuted , Mr . Thrale failed to refute them . He begins by L telling h is ordship that if his answers appear defective , n that is leave the gover or unj ustified , he hopes the defect will be att ributed to his ignorance in drawing them up and ’ in nowise reflect upon the governor s cause . He attempts

to answer but few of the accusations with plain facts . His

replies , in general , are that the governor had a right to

do so and so , and that he believed he was doing right in act ing this way and that . No doubt the Council did object to the governor’ s acts sometimes when they had no strictly h legal right . Mr . T rale makes no attempt to answer many of the charges and even acknowledges of several that it is

“ - . 1 1 1 8 . Perry , pp 3 3 ’ nmnt 497] B lair s Connection with the Gover e .

o f t o impossible to refute them . All this dispute led a i general uproar in Church and State . Preachers and pol o f B ticians took a part . The House urgesses passed a

o f o f resolution in favor th e governor , saying they were the Opinion that h e had great respect for the welfare and ” prosperity o f the country . A great reception was given at the hotel in Williamsburg to which clergymen were in vited in order that they might be brought over to the gov

’ " o ne o f m cru o r s cause . Some the ti e wrote a long poem “ m o f addressed t o the Revd . Me bers the Convocation ’ W m ” Held at Man s Ordinary at illia sburg , in which the ministers o f the festival are satirized and depicted in u n o f m clerical hilarity . The first stanza the poe is as follows

w m m Bless us , hat dis al ti es are these , c c What stars are in onj un tion , c What Priests turn Sy ophants to please,

And Hair brained Passion to appease , ” ”8 D are Prostitute their Fun c tion .

A large number of ministers were in fact o n the side of f Governor Nicholson . Some o them were preachers with whom th e Commissary was unpopular and whom the gov er no r wo n had by taking their side against the vestries .

o f to m Many them were , perhaps unconsciously the selves , w o n t o the governor by his receptions , favors and flatter on ing speeches . Those of the clergy who were Nichol ’ ” n influ son s side sig ed a paper in his favor , but their t m ence could no save hi . The proud governor was c om

l et el - m mm p y defeated by the sober inded Co issary . When G ov the charges and answers were examined in England , e r no r Nichols o n was removed and Edward Nott w as made

L - ieutenant Governor . The upright and philanthropic life o f B lair in Virginia had w on great respect fo r him in E ng a ’ i land , and when he said anything it c rried weight with t .

no t o f Nicholson is the subject th is sketch , yet , in passing ,

N ew " c . . ork Ar hives , Vol ii ’

m . 8 . 1 Ca pbell s Virginia , p . 35 Meade , Vol . i , p 59 . ” ” N w " 1 . e c . 1 1 Perry , 79 ork Ar hives , Vol . if f ommis ar m Blair L e o C s y Ja es .

it may be said that in spite of his bad traits , there was a

m- war heartedness and politeness about him , in his best th e hours , which attract the sympathy of investigator

1 1 0 o f In 7 , Alexander Spotswood became Governor Vir ” i o f g nia . His was a nobler character than either the other two mentioned . He was an old soldier . From his boy hood he was brought up in the army and served under the o f B Duke of Marlborough . He was in the battle lenheim " and was badly wounded by the first fire o f the French . He rose to the rank of colonel and hence had learned to command and expect obedience without gainsaying . This S i r pir t he , of course , b ought with him when he came to Vir i . W g nia as governor hile liberal in some of his views , he was ardent for the royal power and fo r its transfer to ne the governor of Virginia . He made o of the best gover nors the colony ever had . For many years there was per B lect friendship between him and Dr . lair . He gave the college his support and at his instance the Assembly , in ”

1 1 8 . 7 , voted the college one thousand pounds He gave special encouragement to Indian education . On the other ’ B en hand , President lair supported Spotswood s favorite ter pr ise — the crossing of the Blue Ridge and discovering “ B ut r the valley beyond . after seven o eight years had passed disagreement began to rise between the two . The discord was due to two things "the rather extreme dominion exercised by the governor and the confused relations of

Church and State . The spirit of freedom that always ex isted in a Virginia House of B urgesses was not exactly “ e suited to the pr rogative of a soldier governor . A quar rel arose between Spotswood and the B urgesses . Colonel

Byrd , with others , was sent over to England to prefer

" O w a fi u r eh v Lord rkney s still g ead Go ernor . “ ’ ' w m . c . Spots ood s Letters , Vol i , p . 9 (prefa e) Ca pbell s Vir

. 8 . ginia . pp 37 . 379 ” ' w 1 1 1 2 c . Spots ood s Letters , Vols . i and , p . (prefa e)

1 60 . Meade , Vol . i , p . “ ’

w 1 2 1 220. . 1 2 1 1 . Spots ood s Letters . Vol . i , pp 3 , 39 ; Vol . , pp 9 , ’ 499] B lair s Connection with the Gover nment.

B no t charges against him , and because Dr . lair would take sides with him the governor tried to inj ure the Commis

sary . Again the governor appointed men , other than mem o f o f bers the Council , j udges in the high court Oyer “ and Terminer . The Council opposed this , as well as

- B other high handed actions , and , led by lair , drew up a remonstrance against the governor to the Lord Commis

sio ner o f Trade and Plantations , whereupon the governor besought the Commissioners to petition the queen to dis

miss the whole Council and appoint another . ’ The other cause of B lair s opposition to Spotswood is

f To ov found in the matter o inducting ministers . the g er no r f , as ordinary , belonged in ecclesiastical af airs , induc

o f o f . tion minsters , probating wills and granting licenses N O man wa s more anxious for preachers to be inducted m s " than was the Com issary . The point in dispute was thi Spotswood claimed the right o f inducti ng a minister into a m m parish as soon as the parish ight beco e vacant , that is , ” m as soon as it needed a preacher . The Com issary claimed

o f Of that it was the function the vestrymen , in the name

n to n m the parishio ers , prese t a inister to the governor for not induction , and in case the vestrymen should present a candidate for the place in six months fromthe time the m parish beca e vacant , then the governor could induct a " preacher without presentation . According to the practice

o f o f - former governors , the Opinion Attorney General

o f m m North and the act the General Asse bly , the Co mis ” sary was right .

To n o f W 1 1 the co vention the clergy at illiamsburg in 7 9, Governor Spots w ood addressed a letter accusing the Co m o f no t m i o f missary wanting in sters inducted , deserting the

o f o f to cause th e Ch urch , and allowing laymen conduct h ” B services in churc and at burials . Dr . lair readily an

’ w 1 22 1 . 1 . 2 2 2 260 Spots ood s Letters , Vol , pp , 3 59 , . - - . 8 20 . 208 . 2 erry, pp 97, 9 , . 26 2 2 . P 3 Ibid , pp 4

- . 1 2 1 28 2 2 . . 20 1 20 . Ibid , pp 7, , 43, 44 Ibid . , 3 f ommissar ames Blair Life o C y J .

r ed . s we these , for the first two were absolutely untrue As B al to the third , a few times , when indisposed , lair had lowed a layman to read for him and then preached and ndtxc ted c o the rest of the services . In distant parts of the colony he had a time or two ridden by a cemetery when “ some grave layman was conducting the burial service . These charges seem to us at the present time petty and trivial , but at that time when everything was done accord m ing to ste and rigid custom , they were regarded as of no little importance . During the disagreement many letters were written by 2 B B L . 1 1 . both parties to the ishop of ondon In 7 , Dr lair u made a trip to England . The tri mph of the old parson the o i was r e over old s ld er was complete . Spotswood called in 1 72 2 and Drysdale was made governor . The Opposition between the Commissary and Spotswood had “ a o f much to do with the remov l of the governor . I n all these confl icts between the governors and the Commissary one thing is most apparent , namely , the friction between u a the Church and State . These dist rb nces did not rise altogether from the fault of these individuals but from con c ept io ns of government which had been inherited from

Europe .

’

W . B ith Spotswood , Dr lair s troubles with governors passed away. Hardly , if ever , are the manly struggles of f e life suf ered to b in vain . The old parson president saw the storm and the clouds , which darkened the morning of his life , pass away , and heavenly peace crowned his later yea rs . For twenty years more the venerable Commissary toiled on for the religious , educational , and political good B fi . of the colony . Considering the many of ces Dr lair held and his relations to others , it may be granted that he concerned himself at times a little too much with the affairs

r . of othe s , though of this there is no evidence in the records

“ er 226 -2 ry , 33. a . . . 1 60, 1 6 1 . P Me de Vol i , pp “ m . 68 6 H . Willia and Mary istorical Papers , Vol i , pp , 9 ’ B r n i th the er nm 5 01 ] lai s Co nect on wi Gov ent .

Earnestness , sincerity , and labor are the most noticeable things in his life from the time he landed in Virginia t o o f n f the end his career . His life was o e o philanthropic

. w a s se rvice It ever above reproach . After having been

fo r m - five a preacher ore than sixty years , Commissary

fift - o f y four years , a member the Council fifty years , and f B o . President the College half a century , Dr lair died

1 8 1 - April , 743, in his eighty ninth year . He was buried at no o f Jamestown . Having had children , he left the residue

s t o his estate , except some small legacie , his nephew John To B lair and his children . the institution which he so long “ served he left his library and five hundred pounds .

“

m . 6 . c . Willia and Mary Histori al Papers , Vol i , p 9 Meade ,

. 1 68 . Vol . i , p APPEN D I"

i B ’ i . t The follow ng is the inscr ption on Dr lair s omb , as copied by Hugh B lair Gri gsby in the middle of this cen tury

H . H e . i S E. ( sepu ltas est) Vir Rever endu s et H o no r abil is

c u . . Ja ob s Blair , A M c i In S ot a natus , ca mi E dinbu r ens nu t u In A de a g i tr i s, Primo A ngliam deinde Vir giniam venit " In q ua parte tenar u m v . P r econis Anuos LVIII E angeli , o mmi r i LIV . C ssa i Guliel rni et P r es i i Mariae a d s , B r itanniae Principium Co nsiliar ii

Conc ilii P r aesidis Co l o niae P r efect i munera su stinu it o r avit

u m v D u oris enusti ec s , ate hilari sine ho spital i mu nc ipient issimo egenis largo omnibus c omi v supera it. Collegio bene diver sam fu ndaver at eus B iblio th eca rn suam id alenda Th eol o giae stu dio r u m J uvent ut em pau pe r io r em institu endam Testamento l egavit

Cal . Maii in die M D CC"LIII aetat " L"""VIII am desider atissimi Lenis Laudem is nepo t ibu s c o mmendabunt ” pene mamore per ennior a.

“ Meade , Vol . ii. Appendix p . 486. ,