The Blackard "First Family" - Aaron Blackard (est bef 1774 - ????)

The existance of this Aaron Blackard is speculative and identifying him as a son of Charles Blackard is solely my opinion. However, there is information that supports his existance.

The first information regarding the existance of an Aaron comes from Jesse D. Blackard and family research Henry Douglas "HD" Blackard who wrote that he once located a descendent of this Aaron Blackard in NC.

Jesse D. Blackard (1850-1915) of Stuart passed down the family story that "... there were only four of the boys came over from England. These being Willoughby, Thomas, William and Aaron. Willoughby settled Stuart, Virginia and was buried near Stuart, Va. Aaron settled near Burlington, N.C. William settled at Blacksburg first and afterward moved to Washington Co. Va. and I am not sure where Thomas settled." ." I believe that these "four boys" are actually the sons of Charles Blackard I as is consistant with his remarks about Willoughby.

Willoughby named a son Aaron, possibly after a brother, as was their custom. The names Aaron, Thomas, Charles and William continued to be used among Willoughby's descendents for many generations.

Aaron may have possibly been the son listed for Elizabeth Bradway [Blackard?] in the 1790 U.S. Census in Franklin County, NC. This Elizabeth Bradway was possibly, Elizabeth Blackard, the widow of Charles Blackard I.

Around 1801 in Franklin County, NC the name A. Blanshard [Blackard?] was recorded as a buyer at the estate sale of Elizabeth Blanshard [Blackard?] deceased. Other buyers at the sale were recorded living near Charles Blackard II earlier. I believe this to be Aaron Blackard and Elizabeth Blackard, the widow of Charles Blackard I.

It is noteworthy that soon after this the Blackard sons began leaving NC for KY, TN and VA. This was observed to happen more than once in the early American Blackard family after the death of parents.

Further evidence of the name Aaron Blackard is contained in the records of one Person County church in Bushy Forks called by some "Wheelers Baptist Church" that recorded the expulsion of one church member for "following and beating A.W. Blackard." This was researched by Blackard historian Elizabeth Holeman of Person County, NC.

An unidentified family member, Aaron C. Blackard was married to a Mary Harrison in Caswell County in 1836. Perhaps he was a descendent of this same Aaron Blackard.