Charles Blackard is the first Blackard of our family group that is recorded in America. In 1755 a Granville land grant survey to Samuel Williams names Charles Blackard as chain bearer on 15 July 1755 in Edgecombe County, North Carolina ( in red on map at left).

Granville County, NC

1758-1778

During the years 1758-1778 it appears that Charles Blackard lived in Granville and then Bute County, NC (red below).

Bute County was formed in 1764 from Granville. Bute County only existed for a few years, however, and Franklin and Warren Counties were formed in 1779 from Bute.

The Revolutionary War Service records for Charles’ son Willoughby Blackard states that he was born in Bute Co, NC in 12 Aug 1758. Bute County did not yet exist in 1758 when Willoughby was born, however, it did exist in 1776 when he enlisted. The Bute County region still belonged to Granville County when Willoughby was born.

Charles Blackard is recorded on the Bute County, NC 1766 tax list.

Charles [Blackam] Blackard is recorded as a witness on 14 March 1768 for a land deed from William Davis to William Arnold in a Bute County deed book.

Charles Blackard is again recorded in Bute County, NC as a bondsman on a marriage bond dated 1 Jan. 1778 in Bute Co. NC.

1780 In 1780 a Charles Blackard married Nancy Vermillion (b.1750) in Caswell Co, NC . This wedding is witnessed by a William Blackard.

1780 - Charles Blackard is recorded in the St. Luke's District, Caswell County, NC tax list.

1781 - Charles Blackard is recorded in the St. Luke's District, Caswell County, NC tax list.

1782 - Negative

1783 - Charles Blackard married Betty Henderson on 05 Aug 1783 in Granville County, North Carolina. (green to right of Caswell)

1783 - St. Luke's District Charles Blackard -- 194 Acres, 1 horse

1784 - St. Luke's District Chas. Blackard -- 194 Acres on Flat River - 1 White Poll

1785 - St. Luke's District Charles Blackard -- 170 Acres of land - 1 White Poll

1786 - St. Luke's District Charles Blackard -- 176 Acres of land - 1 White Poll

(Note: South Fork of Flat River runs about 1/10 mile from HurdleMills)

1787

The records clearly indicate that Charles Blackard was in Wake County from 1787 when he disappears from the Caswell tax lists until at least 1798, shortly before he appears in the 1800 US Census in Guilford County.

The 1790, 1800 and 1810 Wake NC censuses are negative for Blackard.

Charles Blackard was clearly familiar with William Blackard's father-in-law John Hal Humphries Sr., Esq. in Wake County NC as early as 1787! That gives us a viable means for our William Blackard to have met Elizabeth Humphries, dau of John Hal Humphries Sr., Esq. if they had not already met in Granville when John Humphries was recorded there in 1784, just 1 year after Charles remarried there in Granville.

Charles Blackard's name was recorded in association with other names that had been Blackard neighbors in Bute/Franklin including: Alston, Simms, Hudson. Charles Blackard I lived on land on Fishing Creek that originally belonged to an older John Alson. Willoughby and Spencer Snow (husband of Frances Self Snow) was apparently working on the John Alston estate in Warren County in 1783 after the war (1783 Warren tax list).

1787 Wake County Court Minutes
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376. Issued. Ordered that the following persons open and clear the road that leads off of the road that leads to Rodgers Ferry at Jeffey's Quarter to the Orange County line as laid out by a jury, towit. William Jeffreys hands, William Sims hands

Charles Blackard, Robert Humphries, et.al.

John Humphries attend the laying off of said road.

[Notes: 1)Jeffey's and Sims were both Bute/Franklin neighbors of Blackard 2)John Humphries was apparently a surveyor in Wake before he became so involved in the court system.]

1787 Wake County Court Minutes
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Convenient way to Orange County at or near the ridge that divides the waters that fall into the Neuse from the waters that fall into Newhope, to wit.

William Sims
John Humphries Esq,
William Warren
Charles Blackard
et.al.

1793

1793 Wake County Tax List
Capt Wm Warren's District
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Charles Blackard 0AC 1wp 0bp
John Humphries 1440AC 1wp 1bp

1794

1794 Wake County Tax List
Capt Henry King's District
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Charles Blackard 0AC 1wp 0bp

1794 Wake County Court Minutes
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221. Ordered that John Phillips be overseer of the road from Halls Road to the Orange County oine and that the following hands work on the said road, towit.

Charles Blackard
John Alston
et.als

1795-1798

1800

Charles [Blachard] Blackard is reported in the second U.S. Census of 1800 in Guilford county as head of household with wife, 3 sons and 3 daughters. Charles is 72 indicating that his last child, Eli, was born when he was 66 which is possible depending on the age of his third wife, Betty Henderson. Her age is unknown at this time. Another interpretation is that this was another Charles Blackard of Willoughby’s generation, however, there is not much evidence to support this at present. And if this is the case, this second Charles would also be older than Willoughby since Willoughby was born in 1758 and the Charles in the 1800 census was born before 1755.

In 1810 Charles [Blacard] Blackard is recorded on the Barren County, Kentucky (red above) census living next door to Eli Blacard who I believe was his newly married, 16-year old son.

* Possibly William, the son of Eli.

Wayne County, KY

1814-1815

The years 1814 and 1815 Charles [Blacard] Blackard is recorded on tax lists of Wayne County Kentucky as a landowner (yellow above). He is 86-87 years old at this time.

No further record of Charles has been found, therefore, Charles probably died after 1815 and before the next U.S. Census in August of 1820.