EDWARD LEWIS BLACKBURN JR

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THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Edward Lewis Blackburn was born about 1730 probably in Bermuda. His father was Edward Blackburn who immigrated to Virginia about 1720 with his brother Richard Blackburn from Yorkshire England. His mother is unknown.

On Jan. 9, 1734 Edward Sr. signed over power of attorney to his brother Richard. The court record is signed "Edward of Bermuda". This is found in Prince William County Deeds 1732-1799 Book B, page 427. A history of Bermuda entitled Bermuda in the Old Empire, page 287 carries a footnote with expanded information; "The Reverend Edward Blackburn of Bermuda appointed his brother Richard of the Parish of Hambledon, Prince William County, VA his attorney, 8 Jan, 1734 and later sent his son Edward to him. Wm. Browne to Lord Sydney, 16 Dec. 1785. Francis Forbes, 211."

It is not known at what age Edward Jr. was sent to live with his uncle Richard.  Howver, he probably received most of his education in Virginia. Edward Jr. would have lived in the home, Rippon Lodge built by his uncle Richard. One history has it that Richard and Edward Sr. built the house in 1725. Rippon Lodge is listed in Homes and Gardens in Old Virginia. It gives a lengthy history and description of the property including details that would have been present at the time Edward Jr. lived there;
1. Richard Blackburn, legislator, architect, and both his granddaughter, Mrs. Bushrod Washington and Great Granddaughter, Mrs. John Augustine Washington were
mistresses of Mount Vernon.
2. The original house had only five downstairs rooms.
3. It is the oldest frame house in the county.
4. It was named for Ripon, the cathedral town in England from whence Richard and Edward came.
5. The original landed estate had 600 acres, it grew to thousands of acres.

Ripon Lodge continued to be owned by a descendant of Richard Blackburn to the mid-1990's. It was recently bought by the County of Prince William and was suppose to be open to the public by summer 2003. It overlooks the Potomac River about 4 miles south of Woodbridge VA on Rt. US 1

Edward Jr. was raised as part of the Virginia gentry. He became a lawyer and in his turn a leader and landowner of the community. Tyler's Quarterly Vol. 31 page 42 has an excerpt of the will of Col. Richard Blackburn. It reads "I give unto my nephew Edward Blackburn, son of my brother Edward Blackburn of Bermuda 25 pounds current money, 30 barrels of Indian corn, 15 bushels of wheat and 600 lbs of pork. Dated July 1757"

Edward Jr. married Margaret Harrison on May 26, 1757 at the Overwharton Parish of Stafford County. This is listed in Marriages of some Virginia Residents 1607 - 1800 by Dorothy Ford Willfich. The church registry noted that she was the daughter of William Harrison.

The actual church was Aquia Episcopal Church in the town of Stafford. It was formed about 1700, the present lovely building was first built in 1751 and then rebuilt in 1757 after a fire, apparently, just in time for the Blackburn wedding. The church is a lovely building in the form of a Greek cross. It has two tiers of windows of clear glass all around. The upper tier was sold to Williamsburg to pay for renovation but the lower tier is original glass. The original altar remains as does a wonderful three-decker pulpit. The pews are square with benches all around the square and a door to enter each pew. It is well worth a visit.

Margaret's father, William had inherited a track of land in Loudoun County, VA from his father William Harrison. On September 3/4, 1760 Margaret and her husband Edward Blackburn sold their portion of the track. The deed found in Loudoun Deeds C:255 connects the family. It says..

Would all deeds contain so much valuable information! The deed was not recorded until July 10, 1762

Edward Blackburn was a lawyer of Fairfax County and served as a justice beginning in 1759.

They were very active in the Anglican Church. The Truro Parish was divided into 2 parishes in 1765. Edward was rejected for the Fairfax vestry in March 1765, while George Washington was chosen. But in July, Edward was chosen to serve on the vestry of Falls Church in the town of Fairfax. G. Washington moved to the Truro parish. History of Truro Parish. This process and all the names suggested and selected, was written by George Washington and is in the Library of congress. Later Edward and his family attended Christ Church in Alexandria.

Margaret and Edward had four known children. They were:
1. William Henry Blackburn, born Feb 12, 1757 wed Sarah Baird
2. Jane Blackburn, born 1760, wed Thomas Sinclair
3. Thomas Blackburn, born Dec. 10,1768 wed 1st Mary Jenkins on Dec. 23 1796. 2nd Sarah "Sallie" Ball Haynie, March 20, 1800.  3rd Ann Hall, 1826.  He died
     Oct 14, 1829 in Dayton Ohio.
4. Edward Lewis Blackburn born 1771 wed Mary Carrington.  He died in 1827 Fairfax County VA.
   New material that included birthdates, wedding dates and additional marriages of Thomas are from an email recieved from Barbara W. Terrones that said the information was from a book The Blackburn Genealogy, compiled by Vinnetta Wells Ranke, copyright 1939.  The source for the information in the book was not given and needs to be confirmed.

During the revolution George Mason wrote two known letters regarding revolutionary efforts that named Col. Edward Blackburn as the courtier. They are found in Calendar of State Papers, Vol. I, page 267,268.

Edward Blackburn was granted land 1559 acres of land in Mason County, Ky on Lickey Nov. 30, 1789. The KY Land Grants by Willard Rouse Jillson. His oldest son, William eventually ended up in Kentucky but not Mason County. It is not known for sure which Edward Blackburn received the grant or what became of the property. Mason County in 1789 made up the eastern quarter of Kentucky. Licking creek is the eastern border of current Mason County. It is on the Ohio River halfway between Cincinnati and Huntington W VA.

The Fairfax county Court house Records Liver 1, page 496 the November Court 1800 states "Edward Blackburn, son Edward Blackburn of Bermudas, died in the year 1800 in Fairfax County. VA" It reads as if his father is still alive.

The will in Fairfax County, Will Book I, page 488 named his sons Thomas and Lewis administrators. Page 496 has the appraisal of the estate. We do not have a copy however I saw it years ago and noted that it was beautifully written and easy to read.

Margaret died 1808 in Virginia. It is unknown where they are buried.

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

1. Were there other children?

2. Where are they buried?

3. What happened to the Mason County land grant?

4. Get a copy of the will.

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Date Last Edited: 6/29/2007