About John Rinehart Blue
John Rinehart Blue (October 13, 1905 – May 27, 1965) was an American military officer, educator, businessperson, and politician in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Blue was a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Hampshire County, from 1953 until 1959. Born in 1905 in Romney, West Virginia, Blue was a grandson of Lieutenant John Monroe Blue, a member of the 11th Virginia Cavalry during the American Civil War. Blue graduated from Presbyterian College in 1928 and completed his graduate studies at West Virginia University. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served from 1942 until 1946, and afterward served as a first lieutenant in the 398th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 100th Airborne Division of the U.S. Army Reserve. From 1948 until his death, Blue operated a Ben Franklin five and dime variety store in Romney. He also served as principal of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind Advanced School for the Deaf. In August 1953, West Virginia governor, William C. Marland, appointed Blue to fill William L. Thompson's seat in the West Virginia House of Delegates, and Blue was sworn in the following December. He was reelected to his seat in 1954 and 1956; however, he lost in the 1958 Democratic Party primary to William Basil Slonaker. Blue attempted to win back his seat in 1962 but lost to Slonaker in the primary. Blue continued to operate his Benjamin Franklin store and remained actively involved in Romney community organizations until his death in 1965. Blue later served as a first lieutenant in Company G, 398th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 100th Airborne Division of the United States Army Reserve. Blue became affiliated with the Advanced School for the Deaf of the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind (WVSDB) in 1933.
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