Frank Blair was born in Buffalo, Illinois, the son of Alexander McGinley Blair and Amanda Gamble Blair, both of whom were Pennsylvania natives.
Frank Blair married the daughter of Peter Shiras, Edna Ellison Shiras and moved from Ottawa, Kansas to Tuscaloosa in 1895, where Frank and his father constructed and operated a grain elevator (the Western Elevator Company) and engaged in mining operations in the Brookwood area.
Frank and Edna had two sons: Major Shiras Alexander Blair and Oliver Peter Blair. They also had two daughters: Eleanor Blair Sibley and Madelyn Blair McCormick.
Blair ran for mayor of Tuscaloosa against the incumbent, William G. Cochrane, in 1902 but lost. Blair beat Cochrane in a rematch in 1904 and served a two year term as Tuscaloosa mayor. He began a five year stint as Waterworks Commissioner in 1906. In 1909, Blair developed Tuscaloosa's first residential subdivision, Pinehurst.
In 1910, Blair was instrumental in the construction of a branch of the L & N Railroad from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa through the Brookwood coal mine area. In 1916, Blair was a charter member and president of the Rotary Club, and in 1919 he organized the Tuscaloosa Country Club of which he remained president through 1934. It was during this period (1932) when a killer tornado struck Tuscaloosa and Northport, and Blair was heavily involved in leading disaster relief efforts. Before his death in 1938, Blair also served as a member of the State Docks Commission.
Blair was inducted into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame in 2001, the first year of the award.
Frank Blair married the daughter of Peter Shiras, Edna Ellison Shiras and moved from Ottawa, Kansas to Tuscaloosa in 1895, where Frank and his father constructed and operated a grain elevator (the Western Elevator Company) and engaged in mining operations in the Brookwood area.
Frank and Edna had two sons: Major Shiras Alexander Blair and Oliver Peter Blair. They also had two daughters: Eleanor Blair Sibley and Madelyn Blair McCormick.
Blair ran for mayor of Tuscaloosa against the incumbent, William G. Cochrane, in 1902 but lost. Blair beat Cochrane in a rematch in 1904 and served a two year term as Tuscaloosa mayor. He began a five year stint as Waterworks Commissioner in 1906. In 1909, Blair developed Tuscaloosa's first residential subdivision, Pinehurst.
In 1910, Blair was instrumental in the construction of a branch of the L & N Railroad from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa through the Brookwood coal mine area. In 1916, Blair was a charter member and president of the Rotary Club, and in 1919 he organized the Tuscaloosa Country Club of which he remained president through 1934. It was during this period (1932) when a killer tornado struck Tuscaloosa and Northport, and Blair was heavily involved in leading disaster relief efforts. Before his death in 1938, Blair also served as a member of the State Docks Commission.
Blair was inducted into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame in 2001, the first year of the award.
Frank Blair was born in Buffalo, Illinois, the son of Alexander McGinley Blair and Amanda Gamble Blair, both of whom were Pennsylvania natives.
Frank Blair married the daughter of Peter Shiras, Edna Ellison Shiras and moved from Ottawa, Kansas to Tuscaloosa in 1895, where Frank and his father constructed and operated a grain elevator (the Western Elevator Company) and engaged in mining operations in the Brookwood area.
Frank and Edna had two sons: Major Shiras Alexander Blair and Oliver Peter Blair. They also had two daughters: Eleanor Blair Sibley and Madelyn Blair McCormick.
Blair ran for mayor of Tuscaloosa against the incumbent, William G. Cochrane, in 1902 but lost. Blair beat Cochrane in a rematch in 1904 and served a two year term as Tuscaloosa mayor. He began a five year stint as Waterworks Commissioner in 1906. In 1909, Blair developed Tuscaloosa's first residential subdivision, Pinehurst.
In 1910, Blair was instrumental in the construction of a branch of the L & N Railroad from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa through the Brookwood coal mine area. In 1916, Blair was a charter member and president of the Rotary Club, and in 1919 he organized the Tuscaloosa Country Club of which he remained president through 1934. It was during this period (1932) when a killer tornado struck Tuscaloosa and Northport, and Blair was heavily involved in leading disaster relief efforts. Before his death in 1938, Blair also served as a member of the State Docks Commission.
Blair was inducted into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame in 2001, the first year of the award.
Frank Blair married the daughter of Peter Shiras, Edna Ellison Shiras and moved from Ottawa, Kansas to Tuscaloosa in 1895, where Frank and his father constructed and operated a grain elevator (the Western Elevator Company) and engaged in mining operations in the Brookwood area.
Frank and Edna had two sons: Major Shiras Alexander Blair and Oliver Peter Blair. They also had two daughters: Eleanor Blair Sibley and Madelyn Blair McCormick.
Blair ran for mayor of Tuscaloosa against the incumbent, William G. Cochrane, in 1902 but lost. Blair beat Cochrane in a rematch in 1904 and served a two year term as Tuscaloosa mayor. He began a five year stint as Waterworks Commissioner in 1906. In 1909, Blair developed Tuscaloosa's first residential subdivision, Pinehurst.
In 1910, Blair was instrumental in the construction of a branch of the L & N Railroad from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa through the Brookwood coal mine area. In 1916, Blair was a charter member and president of the Rotary Club, and in 1919 he organized the Tuscaloosa Country Club of which he remained president through 1934. It was during this period (1932) when a killer tornado struck Tuscaloosa and Northport, and Blair was heavily involved in leading disaster relief efforts. Before his death in 1938, Blair also served as a member of the State Docks Commission.
Blair was inducted into the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame in 2001, the first year of the award.
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