Biography of William Blackard (1746/1754 - 1821)

1746-1754 Virginia

In the 1880 White County, Illinois census William's youngest son, Spivey Blackard, recorded his father's birthplace as Virginia. Given the best current information, including North Carolina records and DNA tests, William was the son of Charles Blackard (1706/1711 - est. 1790). Charles was first recorded in 1755 in North Carolina among a group of Virginian settlers who came down from Virginia. Charles appears to have had another son, Charles II, in 1755. This indicates that William Blackard was born in Virginia before 1755 and possibly in Lunenburg County where very many of the neighbors of Charles Blackard were living prior to coming to Edgecombe.

William Blackard was last listed for pol tax in Person County in 1796. He appears in no tax record after this. All men aged 21-50 were named on the pol tax lists meaning that William was at most 50 to be listed for the pol tax that year and, therefore, born after 1746. Additionally, in many counties, men became exempted from property taxes around age 60.

These data among others indicate that William Blackard was born 1746-1754 in Virginia.

William is not included in the 1820 Sumner TN tax list even though his son Thomas was listed in 1819 and 1820. This is evidently because William was of sufficient age in 1820 to have be exempted from taxes. This confirms that he was born before 1759 and agrees with the above estimated date of birth.

1755-1756 Edgecombe County, North Carolina

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).

William Blackard appears to have been his son and, therefore, would have been living in Edgecombe NC during this time.

1757-1764 Granville County, North Carolina

William's father, Charles Blackard, was listed in the 1757 tax list for Granville County, NC. This part of Granville became Bute County, NC (red below) in 1764. William's brother Willoughby was born in 1758 in Granville County establishing that the family still lived there.

1764-1776 Bute County, North Carolina

Bute County was formed in 1764 from Granville.

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.

William Blackard would have become 21 in 1767-1775 but he did not serve in the Revolutionary War. There is no other record of him so he may have been living at home.

1776-1788 Bute/Franklin County, North Carolina

It appears that a tract of land where Charles Blackard was living on Turkey Creek in Bute was sold in 1776 and he had to move.

No record has been found to positively fix the families location after this, however, there appears to be evidence that the family stayed in Bute County. Bute County was formed in 1764 from Granville. But Bute County only existed for a few years and Franklin and Warren Counties were formed in 1779 from Bute.

In 1785 the Franklin County Court Minutes record that a Bill Blanchard and Elizabeth Blanchard were present for the making of a Franklin County will for a Blackard neighbor named James Mayo. This Bill Blanchard appears to have actually been William Blackard. There was no Blanchard family in the area and that was one of the alternative spellings that was frequently found for Blackard.

E. Blanchett and John King proved the will of James Mayto in Franklin Co. in 1785;
Witnesses: John King and Bill Blanchard
James Mayho (Mays) had a bastard daughter by Sally Osband named Betsey Osbond which he wished to ascertain that Betsey would be looked after.

1789 Caswell County, North Carolina

Charles Blackard II sold some property in Franklin County, moved Caswell County (red below) and married all in 1780.

In 1780 a Charles Blackard married Nancy Vermillion in Caswell Co, NC . This wedding is witnessed by a William Blackard. This proves that William was living in NC and that also he owned property sufficient to secure a $250 marriage bond. No deed for this property has been found.

Charles Blackard & Nancy Vermillion, Bond date 18 Jul 1780, Caswell Co, NC, Record # 01-019,
Bondsman William Blackard, witness Archd Murphy, bond # 0000 14070.

1790 Orange County, North Carolina

William was listed in the 1790 Orange Co Tax List that was used to reconstructe the first US Census which was lost for Orange.

1793-1796 Person County, North Carolina

William Blackard was recorded with his brother Job in the Person County tax lists of 1793-1796. Job continued to be recorded there, however, William was not.

1797-1805 Unknown Location in North Carolina

William Blackard appears to have been recorded in Warren County Estate Records purchasing items at the estate sale of Samuel Stokes.

100. 15 & 30 Dec. 1797; May Ct. 1799. Acc't. of sale of Est. of SAMUEL STOKES, dec'd. by EDMUND JONES, Admr. Names: ARCHER (ARCHOR)MARSHALL, AMEY STOKES, EDMD. JONES,
WILLIAM BLANCHED

William was not recorded in the 1800 US Census.

Williams last child in NC was William A. Blackard Sr. who was born in 1805 in NC according to later census records. The place of his birth has always been assumed to have been Person County, however, this may not be the case.

1807 Robertson County, Tennessee

It has been passed down that William's next child, Joshua Blackard, was born in Robertson County, Tennesse in 1807. It has not been possible to verify this information as of yet.

1819-1821 Sumner County, Tennessee

 

William's brother, Charles Blackard II, was recorded in Dickson County, Tn in 1805 and in Nashville, Sumner Tennessee (green) in 1806.

It is not known when William moved to Sumner County, however, his son Thomas was first recorded in the 1819 Tax List in Sumner County.

William Blackard was recorded the next year in the 1820 Sumner County, TN U.S. Census with his family.

Here are the family members reported in the 1820 US Census for Sumner County, Tennessee. For a detailed analysis please see Jim Blackard's Study: The Family of William & Eliza Blackard.

 Will of William Blackard Signed 4-Nov-1820 Proved Feb. Term 1821

In the name of God amen: I William Blackard of the County of Sumner and State of Tennessee at present weak and frail in body but of sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following viz:

1st. Ive commended my soul to God and my body to a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor herein named.

Secondly, that my just debts and financial ---- be paid out of my personal estate by the executor and the remain I give and bequeath to my loving wife Eliza Blackard during her natural life to dispose of as to her _ _ best, and consisting of my house hold and kitchen furniture and utensils, my stock (bottom line of page unreadable(blacked out)

Page 326 Lastly I nominate and appoint my wife Eliza Blackard executrix of this my last will and testament and thereby revoking any others and former will or wills. In testimony whereof I have present sat my hand and seal this 4 day of November in the year of our Lord 1820 and 45 years of American Independence.

William (x) his mark Blackard
Signed Sealed and acknowledge in the presence of Shadrick Nye Andrew Clary