Francis Preston Blair, Sr. (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) or Preston Blair was an American journalist and politician, before and during the American Civil War. Blair wanted to reunite the North and the South during the war. Blair helped to create the Republican Party. He supported many Democrats, but was mostly the ally of Republican President Abraham Lincoln. He is nicknamed The Father of the Republican Party since he was one of the men who started the Republican Party.