THE BLUE FAMILY
Abstracted from pg #68-73 - History of Sandy Grove Church
Neill McK. Blue, was one of the most loyal supporters of Sandy Grove Presbyterian Church,
giving of his time and money to its work, and the uplift of his fellowmen. He was the father
of six sons, and four daughters: Lauchlin, John, Neill S., Daniel, Malcom, James, Sarah,
Catherine, Eliza, and Lydia. The two oldest boys answered the call of their country, and
joined the Confederate Army and when the war was over they returned home to find the,
once prosperous neighborhod was 'well nigh desolate'. Alexander [?], John
and Neill S. engaged in the turpentine business, and for several years did most of their
own work, investing most of what they were able to earn in timber lands.In the year 1866 John & Neill S. united with Sandy Grove Church, and in the year 1873 John was elected Deacon which office he filled with ability until he moved his membership to Bethesda [Moore County]. There he was ordained as Ruling Elder.
In 1873 Neill S. was ordained as an Elder in Sandy Grove Church and never shirked any duty required
by this office. He was never too busy to visit the sick, and gave freely of his time and money
to the church.About 1890 John and Neill S., realizing the necessity for better transportation facilities for their own and their neighbors' products, conceived the idea of, and built the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad. Circumstances which they in their boyhood could not overcome caused their education to be limited, but by honest work and loyal cooperation with each other they became successful.
John Blue represented his county one term in the Senate of North Carolina, but refused a second nomination, choosing rather to attend to business matters, and let other look after the affairs of state. All of the children were extremely faithful to Sandy Grove Church, and the cause of Christ.
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