What I know and what I've heard of the Blackard Family Tree-

Family tradition (or) handed down stories - The 1st Blackard was a Scotch (a highlander - left scotland went to Wales married a Welch girl - crossed the ocean to America with his wife and two small children - My child idea was that this ancestoral family waded the ocean each carrying a child on his or her shoulder. The reason I thought so was this grandmother was (as Welch women often are) quite tall and large she was said to be as tall or nearly so as a six foot man - Coming to facts as they are on record here at the state capitol - and can be verified easily - Willougyby Blackard or Blachard?) joined the VA militia at the age of 16 years and served throught the Rev War - was given a grant of land - I would have to look at my notes to see the exact amount but the same as was given all soldiers for there services.

This grant of land, according to the records here - was at the head waters of the Big Reed Island Creek in Carroll County - but then known as Wythe County.

In 1835 the Sec war asked for the names of all living Rev soldiers and if they were receiving pensions. The name of Willoughby Blackard was given and his age 86 (I think that is right his age but I'd have to look at my notes again to be certain of the age - and that he was receiving a pension for his services in the War.

The rest of the stories were told me by my father - or family tales handed down -

as far as I know I was the only one of the children father he ever told or told with about this grant of land and where it was - When I was 15 years old I made a trip to what is called Dug spur Carroll County Va. to attend school exercises that my two girl friends (later to be my sisters-in-law- were attending _A Summer School_. They were boarding at a very old home a log house, about a mile from the small village - I spent the night with them at this home - When I got back my father asked me about this place and if it was such and such a distance and if there was a beautiful white sand spring at the far corner of the kitchen porch - I told him yes the most beautiful spring of water I ever saw - clear as crystal and in white sand - he said "That was the house your great grandfather Blackard built on his grant of land -

again one a clear sky - your great grand mother Blackard was Susan Owen (an aristocrat) of Kentucy. In the deeds and wills I found a forty acre sale of land deed signed from Willy Bee Blackard and his wife Susan - at Independence Grayson Couty Va - or grandfather Thomas and grandmother's marriage is recorded - Just Thomas Blackard and Elsie Sutphin married in 1822 (I think August the tenth) nothing more as to who their parents were etc.. That is legally the missing link.

Our father use to say that great grandfather was a wrestler and went far and wide (and I suppose that he met Susan Owen on one such trip. and I think this is about all I have in my notes

Great grand General Green (of Scotch ancestry" that Gen-Green was a very serious man and the story I always enjoyed - that Willy Bee sad the only time he ever saw Gen Green laugh heartily was when a half wit soldier pointed the end of a log like the mouth of a canon and in the night dragged the log in the position over looking a small town of the enemy and at day break called on the people to surrender and that they did prompty - on other story (your Dad has this one I'm sure) that ancester Willy Bee was taken prisenor by the British and was lined up with other prisenors to be shot - They were blindfolded and ordered to kneel - The officer in charge walked down the line looking down on them that he saw Grandfather had a double crown and this officer himself a scotchman recognized Grand Dad as a Scotch man too and ordered him released -

(Willoughby said to be a Welch name)

(Double crown two tufts of hair on the back of head - Susie's Billy is the only one I know of in our generation that has this double crown

(General Green was said to be a very taciturn man - but was said to have laughed heartily at this "half wit" taking the small town with a log)

I have here some where the address of on Blackard a methodist minister - I found this story in the Richmond
Times Dispatch a few years ago - that he was going as a delegate from the Southern Methodist Conference to Edenbourg Scotland he was serving a church at Spencer N.C. at the time. I believe this is John Blackard's son Earnest - John had two sons Edgar and Earnest - Edgar (I think) died with T.B. about 1911 or 12 - I've wondered if this preacher found any trace of our kin in Scotland