BLAIR, JAMES [SSNE 8139]
Text source
Captain James Blair was an officer in the Scots-Dutch Brigade through the 1570s and 1580s. Although James Ferguson, in his index, seems to separate "James" Blair from a "Captain" Blair, they are most likely the same man. He first appears on record in 1574 when, on 4 September, he and his company were ordered to Delfshaven to replace Captain Morgan, along with Captain John Pentland [SSNE 8133]. Blair appears in the States of War for 1579-1581, 1586, and 1587. On 24 June 1588, he and Captain Murray requested to be discharged from Dutch service amidst a general crisis among the Scottish regiment. However, the States-General resolved that the two captains would be retained for some time afterward and that Murray would be retained in the hopes of employing him again, as he had not been "meddling much with the protest of the Scottish captains," (Ferguson, p. 103). Blair was dead by 1595, leaving behind a widow and two children. His family received a yearly pension until at least 1610.
Sources:
J. Ferguson, Papers Illustrating the History of the Scots Brigade in theservice of the United Netherlands, 1572-1697 (Edinburgh, 1899), pp. 38, 47, 49, 51, 56, 58, 62, 72, 75, 103, 205, 227.
This entry created by Mr Jack Abernethy.
Service record
- THE LOW COUNTRIES, DUTCH REPUBLIC, THE SCOTS BRIGADE
- Arrived 1574-09-04, as CAPTAIN
- Departed 1595-12-31, as DECEASED
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY