Blue Family. Papers, 1798-1920

This collection consists of four volumes of documents from the Blue family such as correspondence, receipts, promissory notes, bills, land documents, and miscellaneous items.

Uriah Blue (1799-1863) and his sister Isabella Blue (1789-1861) were born in Hampshire County, Virginia, in present-day West Virginia. Uriah married Jemima Welton (1813-1871) in 1834. Isabella was married three times and outlived all her husbands, Thomas Darneille (d. 1830), John Henderson (d. 1838?), and John Bradley (d. 1853). Both Uriah and Isabella relocated to Illinois in the early 1850s. Uriah and his family owned land in Texas Township in DeWitt County, Illinois. When Isabella died in 1861, Uriah became the executor of her estate and therefore accumulated her documents.

This collection contains four volumes of documents from the Blue family. Volume I primarily consists of correspondence between Uriah Blue and his wife, Jemima Blue, and their relatives. These letters mainly discuss family, health, and crops. A letter from John Blue to his cousin discusses an amendment to the Constitution which disfranchised Confederates and those who gave aid to the Confederacy in West Virginia. In this letter, John Blue expressed the need to fight again or emigrate, and mentions potentially moving to South America.

Items in Volume II are centered around Isabella Blue, sister of Uriah Blue, and her three husbands, Thomas Darneille, John Henderson, and John Bradley. Volume II includes correspondence, receipts, promissory notes, estate documents, land documents, and miscellaneous items. Among the miscellaneous items are a coded poem by Thomas Darneille; a list with the birth, death, and marriage dates for John Bradley and Isabella Bradley; and mathematic calculations.

Documents in Volume III belong to the various members of the Uriah Blue family, including Uriah and Jemima Blue, and their sons Job W. Blue, John T. Blue, Alonzo D. Blue, William J. Blue, and Garrett L. Blue. These documents consist of correspondence, receipts, promissory notes, land documents, and miscellaneous items. Among the miscellaneous items are notes on horse care, a recipe for dyspepsia, and several unmatched envelopes.

Volume IV primarily consists of financial documents such as receipts, promissory notes, and bills. These items generally belonged to the Uriah Blue family, including Uriah and Jemima Blue, and their sons Job W. Blue and John T. Blue.

This collection was donated to the Library by Darrell Blue in 2021. He acquired the collection from his grandparents, Carl David Blue and Sarah (Crang) Blue around 1955. Carl David Blue was the grandson of Uriah Blue, Sr.