WILLIAM BLACKBURN

WORSHIPFUL MASTER

SPRING HILL MASONIC LODGE

1856

           

 

Rev. William Blackburn b. 1802...married Sarah I Fly in Maury Co Tennessee in 1820, lived in Mississippi  until c1840, and was in Texas prior to 1846.      They may have lived in Rusk & Shelby Counties prior to living in Navarro Co. 

 

Children:

Sarah Jane Blackburn                   1821            \

m. Samuel C Gillespie  in MS

Martha Caroline Blackburn            1831   

m. Hardy Jones  in Limestone Co TX

William Trader Blackburn      

Mary Ann Blackburn

James Carpenter Blackburn                  

m. Naoma Fatima Barlow in Texas

John Madden Blackburn

Frances Elizabeth Blackburn

David Murray Blackburn                              

m. Sarah E    in Texas

                        CSA - Enlisted at Dresden 1862   Corp.   5’10 ½”

Thomas Erwin Blackburn

Sarah Elizabeth Blackburn                   1841            m. Reed

 

 

Based on available data, it is probable that William Blackburn was the grandson of Robert  Blackburn, (1740-1809) and Margaret Richey Blackburn, the great grandson of William and Mary Blackburn.  Robert and Margaret married in 1766 and had eight sons and four daughters.    

 

John Fly married Sarah Trader…lived Liepers’s Creek, Maury Co TN…children??

Sarah Fly was born May 1802 in Tennessee…married 1820 Maury Co.

Joseph Fly was born 1800 Maury Co Tenn.   

 

           

 

WILLIAM & MARY BLACKBURN

Benjamin            1738

John                1740                m.   Janet Matthews   b.1748

dau   1722 Alexander & Grizell Matthews

                        Dau            Mary Polly Blackburn            m. William Akers

                        Son            James Blackburn                   m. Katherine Jamerson

Robert            1742                m. Margaret Richie

            Son             John Blackburn

            Son            Edward Blackburn                m. Martha Carney  ..

some children went to Texas

Andrew            1744

James             1746

 Elizabeth        1749                m. Thomas Bay

Archibald        1751                m. Rosannah Steels              m. Isabell

George            1753

William            1756

Ann Nancy      1757                m. John Weir

Samuel            1759                m. Anne Matthews, dau Gen George Matthews

 

 

 

William Blackburn may have been a cousin of William Richey whose step daughter, Susannah Cannon, married Brit Dawson.  He would, as well, have been related to the McCandless, Matthews, Cameron, Hardin,  and Cates families. Camerons lived just east of the Spring Hill Cemetery on "The Old Cowhead Road." Most of these families migrated from Tennessee to Spring Hill, Texas.

 

The Blackburn Family left a rich heritage.

 

1740-1808            John Blackburn                               m. 1765  Janet Matthews 

1742-1809            Robert Blackburn                           m. c1766  Margaret Ritchie 

                        son            John Blackburn

                        son            Edward Blackburn                m. Martha Patrica Carney

1744                Andrew Blackburn

1749                Elizabeth Blackburn                           m. Thomas Bay

1751-1823            Archibald Blackburn             m. Rosannah Steele

1751                George Blackburn

1755                William Blackburn

1757                Nancy Ann Blackburn                   m. John Wier  AmRev. Veteran

1759-1835            Gen Samuel Blackburn                   m. Ann Matthews

 

Ann Matthew was daughter of Gen. George Matthews who served with George Washington, was captured at Brandywine, imprisoned on a British ship in New York harbor, was released, served with Gen. Nathaniel Green.  Settled Augusta, Georgia and served three terms as Governor of Georgia.

 

It is highly likely that the Masonic Lodge had become a tradition in the Blackburn Family and that William Blackburn was skilled in Masonic efforts.    William Blackburn would have been between fifty and sixty years of age at the time he served the Spring Hill Texas Lodge, old enough to have the respect of younger men.  

 

No listing of William Blackburn is shown at the Spring Hill Cemetery and it is assumed that he moved away from Spring Hill with some of his children.   

 

Robert D Blackburn is listed as having served with the Dresden Texas Cavalry during the Civil War

 

Lila Blackburn was the first teacher at the Angus, Texas school.  

 

Nancy (Birdie) Blackburn was born in Hill Co. Texas in 1878, married Stephen Harris Horn, died Quannah TX 1952.

 

           

 

Augustine Blackburn died late 1790s Jackson Co Georgia.  

His older daughter, Jerush, had married Swan Hardin who became guardian of the minor children,            John Ashley Blackburn,     

Mary Hannah Blackburn,

Nancy Blackburn,

William Blackburn.

                       

Swan Hardin became the guardian of  the four Blackburn children.  

His family was highly respected in Maury Co Tenn. until 1825 when two of his sons argued with, shot and killed unarmed Isaac Porter and William Williamson on the streets of Columbia, Maury Co., TN. 

 

The two boys fled with a posse after them,  settled in Texas, became prominent citizens. 

 

Swan was innocent, but was branded on the hand for aiding his sons to escape.

 

One of the sons, Alexander Swan Hardin, married Betty McCandless, a niece of David McCandless of Liberty Hill.  Her brother, Gideon McCandless, married Sarah Ann Hardin, and settled east of Corsicana.   Alexander H S Hardin..b 1839 was living in Gregg Co Texas 1880….possible grandson of Swan Hardin.

 

The Porters, Hardins, and Blackburns  were related or, at the least, good friends.

 

There was, also, a Bills-Blackburn-Dysart connection....

Gideon Blackburn Dysart narried Mary Polly Bills in Marshall Co Tenn.     Robert Dysart Bills lived at Liberty Hill, Navarro Co TX

 

Interesting is the fact that Mary Polly Akers married William Blackburn  c???….and a William Akers married Polly Blackburn c1760.  William Akers III of  Franklin Co. Virginia married Susannah Blackburn b1710?? and had a son Blackburn Akers Sr.