The information below is from the  Blizzard, Gunter, & Pool Family Heritage Web Site by Barbara Neel Blizzard.

Our ancestor Jacob Blizard Sr, born about 1780 in Richland County, South Carolina, married Mary Gill, daughter of Valentine Gill, son of James Gill, son of David Gill who is said to be the son of Stephen Gill. Mary was the only child of Valentine Gill's unknown first wife. For more information on the Gill family, visit Dr. Frank Clark's webpage. Jacob Blizard and Mary Gill had a son named Volantini. Valentine was born in Barnwell, before the family moved to Blythewood, Fairfield County in 1810, as stated earlier. He married Elisabeth who was born in North Carolina. Their son Pvt. James Thomas Blizzard married Lizzie Lee. James T. joined the C.S.A. in 1861, stationed in Columbia, not far from home.

James Thomas Blizzard's orphaned son James Arthur, lived with his grandparents Valentine and Elisabeth Blizzard. James later said that Elisabeth was very strict with him, so when he was about 16 or 17 years old he hopped a train for the great west. That is, he went west of Columbia, SC to Aiken County. James Arthur. aka "Thomas," Tillman's grandfather, ran away from his grandparents because he argued with his grandmother.

James changed his name to Thomas Arthur Blizzard so he couldn't be found, but later wrote to his grandparents to let them know where he was. He kept the name Thomas Arthur Blizzard for the rest of his life and is buried under that name in Kings Grove Cemetery located near Pelion on Hwy 178. Thomas is buried next to his wife Theoxena "Locky" Spires.
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