Notes on John Uriah Blew
Family legends claim that John Blew was one of the earliest settlers in the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac River, in what is now Hampshire County, WV. He supposedly brought his wife and children from New Jersey in 1725, settled on the
river about five miles north of the present site of Romney, and built his cabin near Hanging Rock (sometimes called Blue's Rock). This tradition conflicts with the following evidence and deductions. 1. John Blew (1.1) was in Somerset Co., NJ, on
14 Nov 1757, to be sworn in as co executor of his father's will. Although this was about two months after the death of John Blaw (1.), it is highly unlikely that John (1.1) came all the way back from Hampshire Co. to discharge this duty. This,
alone, is not conclusive, however, since many settlers fled Hampshire Co. during the years 1754-1758 due to the Indian raids of the French and Indian War. John (1.1) and his family might have retreated to the coast to escape the war, and returned
to New Jersey when he received word of his father's death. 2. At his death in 1770, John (1.1) did not own land. No land was mentioned in his will, and no Hampshire Co. deeds (known to the compiler) record his ownership of land. 3. In Maxwell and
Swisher's "History of Hampshire Co., WV" (page 701), it is stated that "The date at which John Blue came to Hampshire Co. is fixed partly by tradition and partly by family record. His son John (grandfather of the present John Blue) was twelve
years old when he came with his father to Hampshire. He died in 1791, aged 78 years. That would prove that he came to Hampshire in 1725. If such was the case, he was about eight or ten years earlier than the usually accepted earliest settlement of
the South Branch Valley". A careful examination of this statement shows an inconsistency. The present (1897) John Blue (b. 1834) was a son of Garret I. Blue and his wife Sarah. Garret I. Blue was a son of Capt. John Blue (b. 1740). Therefore, if
the grandfather of the 1897 John Blue was twelve years old when he came to Hampshire Co., this dates the arrival of the Blues at 1752, and establishes the pioneer as John Blue (1.1.1). 4. The John Blew who received the Fairfax land grant for Lot
27 on the South Branch was John (1.1.1). Although dated 17 Aug 1749, this grant was really executed subsequent to 1 May 1754, the date that Hampshire County was formed. This fact is established by the identification of the grantee as "John Blew of
Hampshire Co.". This also indicates that John Blew was living in Hampshire Co., or what was to be Hampshire Co., before the grant was executed, probably having arrived in 1752, as indicated in (3), above. 5. Most deeds for Fairfax Lots,
subsequent to the original grants, mention the original grantee, as well as later owners. The earliest deed on record for Lot 27 was executed in 1816 between Uriah Blue's heirs and Uriah and Garret Blue. The deed states that the deceased Uriah
received the land through the will of his father, John Blue (John 1.1.1). No mention is made of an earlier John Blue as the original grantee. 6. The Maxwell and Swisher account, referenced in (3), above, also states that "There were three
brothers, John, Uriah and Michael, the latter two making their homes near Shepardstown, while John settled about five miles north of Romney, ----." John (1.1) did not have a brother named Uriah, and the Michael, who was possibly his brother, died
in New Jersey. John (1.1.1), however, did have brothers Uriah and Michael, who did settle in the area near Shepardstown. Therefore, this John Blew (1.1) followed his sons to Virginia after the death of his father in 1757. The actual date of his
arrival in Hampshire Co. is unknown. John and Cattron probably lived on land owned by their children, since there is no record which identifies him as a grantee or grantor of land. John (1.1) died in 1770, and his will, dated 20 July of that year,
left personal effects to his family, including clothing, three silver spoons, two riding horses and saddles, plow irons, a wagon, a hoe, an axe and an iron wedge. Most of these he probably brought with him on his journey from New Jersey. His wife,
Cattron, outlived him and she was named executor of her husband's will, a duty she declined in favor of her son, Abraham. She is said to be a Van Meter by some researchers, but I have found no evidence to that effect. By the spelling of her name,
it is probable that she too was of Dutch ancestry.
129
1.1. John Blew
John Blew followed his sons to Virginia after the death of his father in 1757. The actual date of his arrival in Hampshire Co. is unknown. John and Cattron probably lived on land owned by their children, since there is no record which identifies
him as a grantee or grantor of land. John died in 1770, and his will dated 20 July of that year, left personal effects to his family, including clothing, three silver spoons, two riding horses and saddles, plow irons, a wagon, a hoe and axe and an
iron wedge. Most of these he probably brought with him on his journey from New Jersey.
His wife, Cattron, outlived him and whe was named executor of her husband's will, a duty she declined in favor of her son Abraham.
381
Back