Joseph BLACKWELL m. Lucy STEPTOE | Ann BLACKWELL b. d. < 4 May 1803 m. 31 May 1764 Martin PICKETT b. 25 Dec 1736 St. Paul's Parish, King George Co., VA d. 12 Apr-25 Apr 1804
Sources:
"A Gathering of Picketts, Vol. 1: Virginia & Kentucky" by Rosemary Beckham Hill and Dixie Johnson Clark, 1998
"A Geanealogy of the Glassell Family," Horace Edwin Hayden, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 1891.
"A Geanealogy of the Glassell Family," Horace Edwin Hayden, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 1891.
Page 645
(*) PICKHTT.--The following data from Fauq'r Co. records differs from the Pickett Chart in the Marshall
Family (pp. 53-56):
William Pickett. Hamilton par., Fauq'r Co.; will dat. Sep 26, pro. Nov. 24, 1766 (Will Bk. 110); names
wife Elizabeth and sons Martin and William ex'rs. Children--i. Reuben. ii. George. iii. John. iv. Martin.
v. William. vi. Sarah. vii. Mary Ann Marshall.
William Pickett and Lucy his wife appear 1785.
William S. Pickett, will dat. Jan. 10, pro. Feb. 26, 1798 (102), names wife Martha. Children--i. William
S. ii. James. iii. John S. iv. Sanford. v. Patty Fishback. vi. Sukey Brady. vii. Molly Jackson.
viii. Sally Metcalf. ix. Anna. x. Libby Smith.
Colonel Martin Pickett, son of George, gr. son of William S. Pickett and his wife, Miss Cooke, had--i.
George Steptoe. ii. Lucy, b. May 2, 1767; d. 1825; m. Sep. 13, 1787, Charles Marshall. iii. Elizabeth, m.
Hon. John Scott, supra. She was aged 17 when her father died. iv. Ann, m. F. W. Brooke. v. Letitia,
m. Johnson. (Marshall Fam, 53-4.)
William Pickett was awarded contract for building a prison for Fauq'r Co., July 26, 1764. Wm. P.,
Yelverton Peyton and John Ashley on the bond. It was pro. this William P. who was Shff., Fauq'r Co.,
1788-9. Thomas Bronaugh was Shff. do. 1790. Both of these farmed out the office to John Blackwell as
Deputy, according to custom.
Page 266
"EXCURSUS--BLACKWELL.
It is very difficult with the dateless material at hand to construct a satisfactory history of this family. Family tradition states that "Mr. Blackwell, a graduate of Oxford University, came to Virginia early in the 17th century with his wife, a Miss Hudnall, and two sons, and located in Northumberland Co. His sons were Joseph and William."
"This tradition I cannot verify. The published "Alumni Oxonienses" begins with the year 1715, hence does not cover the 17th century. Wood's "Athen Oxonienis" does not give the name of Blackwell as a matriculant. The earliest alumnus of the name was Sir Lambert, 1750, aged 17. It is probable that the father of Joseph and William Blackwell came to Va. early in the 18th century.(*)
"The following deductions are based on family traditions, wills, Bible records, and a chart of William Blackwell's family supplied from the papers of Thomas Stone, Esq., of Washington, D. C., used by him in support of the claims of Mr. Blackwell's heirs to a Revolutionary pension.
"1. (???) BLACKWELL, m. (???) Hudnall; located in North'd Co., Va.; had--
2. Joseph. 3. William.
2. JOSEPH BLACKWELL, SR., Fauq'r Co., d. 1787; will dat. Apr. 26, 1787; pro. June 25, 1787 (Will Bk. 116); m. cir. 1745-50, Lucy Steptoe. Tradition says he m. Mrs. (???) (Downman) Hudnall, but his will names wife Lucy and nine children in the order given here. Joseph B. and Lucy, his wife, made deed May 25, 1767. (F. 638.)
"Children--4. Joseph, b. 1750; m. Ann Eustace. (CONWAY No. 78.) 5. Samuel, m. and has issue; pro. Capt. Samuel B., Va. State Line, 1776-1783; dead in 1783. He rec'd 4000 a. land Oct. 15, 1782, for 3 years' service; was pro. father of Col. Samuel B., Northumberland Co.; officer 1812; in early life Mem. Va. Leg.; d. May 23, 1837. 6. John, b. Mar. 22, 1755; m. 1779, Agatha Ann Eustace. (CONWAY, supra, 77.) 7. George Steptoe. 8. Judith, m. Thomas Keith. 9. Ann, m. Martin Pickett. (SCOTT 41.) 10. Letitia Chilton, dead 1787; m. John Chilton, and left issue. 11. Elizabeth (Betty), m. Charles Chilton, and left issue. 12. Lucy, m. William Slaughter; went West.
"This line was known as the Black Blackwells, from their black eyes and hair and brunette complexion.
"3. WILLIAM BLACKWELL of Fauq'r Co., Va., will pro. Sep. 20, 1772 (262); estate inventoried Sep. 25, 1786; pro. when his children were all of age, and valued at 1173, 18.; m. --, Elizabeth Crump, d. 1777-8, sister of George Crump, as appears from her will, dat. June 19, 1795; pro. Fauq'r, Apr. 25, 1801 (295); names daus. Hannah Blackwell and Lucy Green, with Col. Wm. Edmonds, ex'rs. Wm. B. and Elizabeth, his wife, gave, Sep. 18, 1770, to Wm. B., Jr., 50 acres land which he bought of Thomas Hudnall, Fauq'r Co. It was pro. he who was vestryman Dittengen Par., P. W. Co., Sep. 26, 1749. He was Sheriff, Fauq'r Co., 1766, as May 26, 1766, Wm. Blackwell, Joseph Blackwell and Cuthbert Bullitt signed his bond for 500. He thus appears associated with his supposed brother, Joseph B. He names his children in the order given--Samuel, John, William, Joseph, Hannah, Sarah, Lucy. The others were pro. dead or provided for in 1772. The William line was known as the "White Blackwells," in contra-distinction to the line of Joseph.
"Wm. B.'s house was burned shortly after Mrs. B.'s death, with family papers, silver, &c., and much data of this line was thus lost. His gr. son, A. C. Blackwell, writes me: "Mr. B. raised 4 sons and 8 daughters. Mrs. Armistead Churchill, Mrs. John Roberts and Mrs. Taylor moved to Kentucky, the rest remained in Va."
"(*) BLACKWELL.--Since the above was in type the volume, "Alumni Oxonienses," 1890, has been received. It gives the following Oxford Graduates, but gives no indication as to which of these Blackwells came to Va.
George Blackwell (scholar), Trinity Coll., May 27, 1562. Constituted Cardinal Cajetane.
Robert Blackwell of Northants, Pleb., Magdalen Coll., matr. June 8, 1604.
John Blackwell of Co. Gloucester, "cler fil," Exeter Coll., matr. Dec. 13, 1615.
Andrew Blackwell, B. A., Exeter Coll., 25 June, 1617.
John Blackwell of Notts, St. Edmund Hall, matr. June 26, 1621.
Ralph Blackwell of Notts, St. Edmund Hall, matr. June 26, 1621.
Simon Blackwell, "cler fil," of Gloucester Co., matr. June 23, 1621.
Col. Sir Thomas Blackwell of Notts, knighted Dec. 27, 1642; created D. C. L. June 10, 1644.
Francis Blackwell, created B. A. July 14, 1649; served with Parl. forces.
Charles Blackwell "cler fil," Christ Ch., matr. Nov. 26, 1650.
Andrew Blackwell, "cler fil," Trinity Coll, matr. Nov. 14, 1651.
Joseph Blackwell, Pleb., Trinity Coll., matr. July 2, 1658.
William Blackwell, privilegiatus, Sep. 22, 1666, 35.
"It is pro. that Joseph Blackwell, Commoner, Trinity Coll., matriculated July 2, 1658, was the Va. settler. I would credit to him the record under 2 Joseph, supra, as to the marriage of Joseph B. with Mrs. (Downman) Hudnall. But an examination of North'd records would be necessary to prove it.
"Children (A. C. B. 51)--13. Samuel, d. s. 14. John. 15. William. 16. Joseph. 17. Hannah, d. s. p.; m. (???) Simpson. 18. Sarah, m. John Roberts; went to Ky.; had Willis, Austin, Sally, &c. 19. Lucy, m. (???) Green; named Lucy Green in mother's will. The Wm. B. chart before me marries her to Martin Pickett, who m. her cousin Lucy. She may have m. Wm. Pickett, who, with wife Lucy, appears 1785. 20. Elizabeth. 21. Susanna, m. Col. John Green. (PEYTON 96; GREEN 1.) 22. Nancy, m. General John Blackwell. (CONWAY 77.) 23. (???), m. Armistead Churchill (p. 253); went West. 24. Captain Thomas, named by Col. Joseph B. in his letter, 1777, and called his brother by the writer of preface to that letter, q. v. Capt. Thomas B., 10th Va. Line, made pensioner Feb. 19, 1829, at $240 per ann. from Apr. 22, 1818. He d. Apr. 28, 1831, aged 77 in 1829 or 1831. Judith Blackwell was his adm'x. In 1783 he settled with Va. for 1 year's service, part of 1777 and 1778, and rec'd 4000 a. land. In 1806 he rec'd 1333 1/2 a. more.
"n 1829 Capt. B. petitioned the U. S. Cong. for commutation pay for his Revolutionary services. The 20th Cong. referred it to the Com. on Revo. Claims, which reported favorably on the petition in report 231. This report was recommitted at the 2d session, but the 1st sess. 21st Cong. passed and approved May 29, 1830, the following report, made Jan. 29, 1830:
"The petitioner claims that, by his services as captain in the army of the Revolution, to the end of the war, he became entitled to half pay for life; that he has never received it, or the commutation therefor; that he is poor and prays relief.
"No commission or discharge has been presented to the committee in proof of the office or service of the petitioner; nor was his name on the general list of officers returned as having served to the end of the war of the Revolution; but, by sundry certificates accompanying the petition, from the Departments having charge of documents relating thereto, it does appear that in the years 1777 and 1778 he was discharging the duties of a captain in the Line; that, in May, 1783, there was a settlement with him for his services as a captain in that line; that he rec'd one warrant for bounty land for 3 years' service, and afterwards another for his 7th and 8th years' service in the war. It also, on the list of officers made out by the Sec. of War, subsequent to the general return for bounty lands, appears that the name of Thos. B. is found; that the certificates then adduced to establish his claim to bounty lands, stated explicitly his services to the end of the war, and it may now be added that the Sec. of the Treas. had decided that he is entitled to the benefits of the Act of May 15, 1828, which of course depends on proof of service to the end of the war; from all of which there can be no doubt that at the close of the war Capt. B. was entitled to half pay or commutation; and that he had not received it as late as 1793 is inferred from the fact that he then established his claim to a warrant for bounty by certificates of his service, when proof of his having received half pay, &c., would have been sufficient; nor has any registry of any certificate issued to him been discovered," &c., &c. Whereupon it was enacted that Thomas Blackwell, a captain in the army, &c., be allowed 5 years' full pay, which is the commutation of his half pay for life.
"In 1840 the heirs of Capt. B. applied to the 26th Cong. for further compensation for his services. The Com. on Revolutionary Claims made in Rep. No. 436, p. 41 and 129, both a majority and minority report, which are as follows:
"Majority report, in re Captain Thomas Blackwell.
"On the 29th of May, 1830, an act passed granting 5 years' full pay to Capt. B. Amount paid him $2400. He became a supernumerary at the arrangement at White Plains, in September, 1778, as appears by that arrangement, and by that at Middlebrook in March following. His name is not found in any of the subsequent arrangements. His name is also on the "Officers' book" in the Bounty Land Office, as a supernumerary of Sept., 1778; and it appears by a certificate of the auditors of Va., obtained by the select committee of the last session, that Capt. B. was settled with by Va. May 16, 1783, and received his pay as captain to Nov. 1, 1778. By resolve of Nov. 21, 1778, supernumerary officers of Sept., 1778, and Mar. succeeding, are entitled to one year's extra pay of their commissions, which Captain B., on 26th Feb., 1793, claimed and received. This is entirely conclusive that his service ended at the time before stated, and that he could have no claim whatever to commutation. If Captain B. entered the service as early as Nov. 1, 1775 (which may not be deemed very improbable), he would be entitled to land from Va. for 3 years' service. He was allowed 4000 a. land for a service of 3 years, Sep. 30, 1783, and Aug. 6, 1806, it being discovered that he had served 8 years instead of 3, he rec'd an additional allowance of 1333 1/2 a., making 5333 1/3 a. in the whole."
The minority report, p. 129, merely states that Capt. B. "was a supernumerary of 1778, and is admitted to have been entitled to land. All those supernumeraries were also entitled to half pay." The claim was not granted.
8. JUDITH BLACKWELL, b. 1759; d. 1857; m. 1774, Captain Thomas Keith, son of Rev. James and Mary (Isham) Keith, Chief Justice Marshall officiating. The Keith Family is given in extenso (Marshall Fam. 24-32), but the record of Thomas is omitted.
Page 268
Children--25. Marshall. 26. Harriet. 27. Mary Isham. 28. Susan. 29. Tarleton Fleming. 30. Peter Grant. 31. James. 32. Isham, m. Juliet Chilton, and had--i. Isham, m. Sarah Agnes, dau. of William Blackwell. (CONWAY 120.) ii. Steptoe. iii. Julian. iv. Lucian. v. Margaret. vi. Anne Gordon. vii. Catherine Isham. viii. Isham, C. S. A., b. 1833; farmer near Warrenton; ed. Univ. Va., 1851. ix. John. x. Thomas. xi. Randolph. xii. James, C. S. A., b. 1839; m. (I.) Lilias Gordon Morson, d. s. p.; (II.) Frances Barksdale Morson (SCOTT 162-165); ed. Univ. Va., 1859; Lieut. and Adj't C. S. A.; Mem. Va. Leg.; lawyer and C. C. Judge, Warrenton, Va.
Mrs. Judith Keith lived to see the fifth generation of her children. Her living descendants in 1857 numbered over 100. She rec'd a pension from the U. S. for her husband's Revolutionary services. His name does not occur in any Va. roster known to me. James Keith, 8th Mass. Reg., Capt. July 1, 1775, was pro. another of the name. Isham and Alexander of Va. appear. But Thomas Keith's record is given in the report (No. 112, 29th Cong., 1st sess.) of the Com. on Revolutionary Pensions, Jan. 16, 1846, viz:
"The Committee on Revolutionary Pensions have, according to order, had under consideration the petition of Mrs. Judith Keith, asking an increase of her pension for the services of her deceased husband, the late Captain Thomas Keith, a commissary in the Virginia line in the continental establishment, and submit the following report:
"It appears that the said Captain Keith was engaged in the military service at the earliest period of the Revolution; that he was a captain and afterwards a commissary until the surrender of Cornwallis. The proofs in this case are satisfactory, and the committee consider that the prayer of her petition is reasonable. The present laws afford ample relief without further legislation in her case; and they advise that the petition with all the evidence be remitted to the Secretary of War, that the case may be reviewed and proper relief granted to her."
It was so ordered and the Com. discharged from further report. Mrs. K.'s name does not occur on the pension rolls of 1835 or 1840. Her appeal to Cong. for commutation pay was laid on the table when the above report in her favour was adopted. No means of learning the action of the Sec. of Was is at hand/
14. JOHN BLACKWELL, m. pro. Judith Churchill. A. C. B. says he m. his cousin, Miss Blackwell. Was he m. twice? John B., Jr., Cent., Justice Fauq'r, 1793, and Trustee Warren Acad., 1789.
Children--35. Armistead. 36. Thomas. 37. George. 38. Steptoe. 39. William. 40. Betsy, m. Apr. 1, 1785, John Bradford; had 12 child. 41. Nancy, m. Wm. Richards; had--i. George, who had 2 child. ii. Alexander, 4 child. iii. Walter, 5 child. iv. Edward, 2 child. v. Ludwell, 2 child. vi. Henry. vii. Felix. viii. Susan, m. H. Lee; 3 child. ix. Maria. 42. Polly or Mary, m. Austin Nichols; had 6 child. 43. Judah, m. T. Latham; had 1 child. 43. Matilda S.
15. CAPTAIN WILLIAM BLACKWELL, d. 1782; m. Mrs. Foote, who m. (II.) 1784, Dr. (???) Graham. Capt. B. served as Capt. in the Continental Line. Virginia issued warrant Sep. 26, 1831, for 4000 a, land to his only dau., Elizabeth, for 1 year's military service, part of 1777 and 1778. His father devised him "land bought of Alex. Clement, Christopher Marr, Humphrey Evans and Thomas Hudnall, and some land I had of Col. Wm. Eustace."
Children--44. Elizabeth, m. Alexander Scott of Georgetown, D. C. (SCOTT 9.)
16. COLONEL JOSEPH BLACKWELL, b. 1755; d. Sep. 15, 1823, 68, at his residence near Elk Run, Fauq'r Co.; m. (I.) cir. 1787, Ann, dau. of Col. John Gibson, Fauq'r Co.; (II.) 182-3, Mary Waddy Brent, dau. of Capt. Wm. and Hannah (Neale) Brent of Fauq'r.
Children, 1st mar.--45. Susan Gibson, b. 1789; m. 1805, Geo. Pannill, Orange Co.; had 6 child. 46. Ann Grayson, b. 1791; m. Mar. 20, 1821, Wm. Hughes, Fluv. Co.; had George of Charlottesville, and S. Blackwell, Rich'd. 47. Wm. Taylor, b. 1793; went to Ky., 1811, thence to Ind.; Mem. Ind. Leg., Crawford Co., 2 terms; thence to Adams Co., Ill., where he d. 1843. 47a. two child. d. inf. 48. Elizabeth, b. 1798; d. cir. O. 1838; m. Mar. 20, 1821, Rev. John Hale, Va. Meth. Conf. He d. Cin. 1838. Had Hon. John Blackwell, lawyer, Carrollton, Mo.; Mem. Mo. Leg., 1873; Mo. Const. Conv., 1874, and 49th U. S. Cong. 2d mar.--49. Sally Innis, b. Oct. 10, 1804; d. s. p.; m. May 30, 1841, Charles Sterne, Carrollton. 50. Mary Waddy Brent, b. May 4, 1832; m. Apr. 12, 1832, Maj. Charles Sterne, Staff'd Co., Va.; had Capt. Jno. H., C. S. A., killed at Corinth; Mary Brent. 51. Alexander Christopher, b. Dec. 24, 1813; m. Feb. 15, 1838, Eliza Ann, dau. of Perry and Loraine (Stucky) Earickson, Jeff. Co., Mo., b. Nov. 13, 1821; had Charles Eppa, C. S. A.; ed. Masonic Coll., Mo., and West Point Acad.; Capt. C. S. A.; mortally wounded at Wilson's Creek; Mary Laura, m. Wm. M. Eads, lawyer, banker at Las Vega, N. M.; Perry Earickson, d. inf.; Joseph Addison, C. S. A.; Arthur Malcolm, Isaac Perry, and 4 daus. Joseph Addison, b. Mar. 3, 1816; m. Mary Harrison; had 2 ch., d. yng.
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The Warrenton (Va.) Spectator, 1823, published this notice of Col. Joseph Blackwell:
"Col. Blackwell entered the gallant 3d regiment of Virginia Continental troops a cadet with James Monroe, and served throughout the war. During this struggle he was in the battles of Harlaim Heights, Princeton, Trenton and Brandywine, and at Charleston, S. C., where he was taken prisoner. For his good conduct on these several occasions he was repeatedly promoted, until he arrived at the rank of captain; shortly after which the treaty of '83 was concluded, and Col. B. returned to Fauquier, the county of his birth.
"Here he held the commission of justice of the county court, colonel of the 85th regiment, and was twice commissioned high sheriff of the county. To the last commission he did not qualify--the icy arms of the grim king of terrors embraced him and bore him from this world.
"Such was the philosophic composure with which Col. Blackwell looked upon the incidents of life, that while favors were received with the thankfulness of a grateful man, yet when fortune frowned--when by the misfortunes often arising from a confidence misplaced or betrayed--he was bereft of a patrimony but seldom equaled for its extent and value, no sigh, no murmur was he heard to utter.
"No man of his county was more useful; none whose loss will be more severely felt in the neighborhood in which he lived."
I gladly supplement this tribute with the following article from the True Index, (Fauq'r Co.) of Jan. 27, 1877. So little is preserved concerning Revolutionary heroes that papers of this character are of unusual interest.
"MESSRS. EDITORS: The letter in your last paper from A. C. Blackwell was very interesting to me. It reminded me of past things and people. Mr. Blackwell was known to me when he was a boy of ten years of age--amiable and intelligent--and I knew his father, Col. Jo. Blackwell, and I admired and loved him. His conversational powers were very great--his military services in the Revolution were long and full of incident--and when he would talk all around him would be listeners. I, though a youth, would be one of the attentive listeners; and to this day I remember much he said. He was a noble looking man, and as humane and good as a soldier could be. He entered the army as a cadet early in the Revolution, and served in the 3d Va. Regt., commanded by Col. James Mercer; then served in the 10th Va. Regt., Col. Edward Stevens; and afterwards in the 6th Va. Regt., commanded by his brother-in-law, Col. John Green. He was then a captain, and so continued to the end of the war. He fought at Harlem Heights, White Plains, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and Charleston. At the last place he was, by Lincoln's surrender, made a prisoner. His other services were in skirmishes. He was wounded once only (as I heard him say) in the leg with a bayonet in the hands of a Scotch Highlander, and one of his soldiers killed the Britton by a bayonet thrust. He had three brothers older than himself in the army. Captains Samuel, William and Thomas. He had on one occasion, after the battle was over, to look for his brother William, and found him weltering in his blood from wounds received. His life was preserved, and he lived some years after. Let me give you a copy of a letter from Col. Jo. to his brother-in-law, giving an account of the battle of Germantown:
"'CAMP 26 MILES FROM PHILA., Oct. 10th, 1777.
"'COLO. WM. EDMONDS, Virginia--Favor of Mr. John Roberts.
"'Dear Sir:--I take this opportunity to let you know that I am well, hoping this will find you and family the same. On the 4th inst., between break-of-day and sunrise, our army attacked the enemy at a place called Chestnut Hill. We beat the enemy back about 3 miles to Germantown. We were then forced to retreat. The enemy had such fine cover behind the houses that we must have suffered greatly in beating him out. When we were advancing we saw a great many of the enemy that lay dead on the field. Our loss was, as near as I can find out, about 500 killed and wounded. Very few of our wounded fell into the enemy's hands. From the best information we can get the enemy's loss is greater than ours. We have very good authority that the enemy's loss was upwards of 500 killed, and about three times the number wounded. The enemy lost four Brigadier Generals killed. We lost Brigadier General Nash, Major Toles and Colo. Matthews. I do not know any other field officer we lost. Capt. John Eustace got killed. I don't know of any other officer of your acquaintance that was killed. Three men of Captain Thomas Blackwell's company got slightly wounded. I got my breeches cut just by the knee with a bullet. I have not seen either of the Captain Blackwells for two weeks. Captain William Blackwell went into the country sick. I understand he is getting well. Captain Thomas Blackwell is at a fort on the Delaware, as I am informed. I think it needless to mention anything about the battle of Brandywine,
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as I imagine you have had a full account of it. Nothing more at present; but give my love to sister, family, and all other asking friends.
"'Am, sir, your ob't servant, JOS. BLACKWELL.
"'N. B.--Expect every day when we shall have the third battle with the enemy, and then I am in hope I shall be able to give you a better account of the times.
J. B.'
"General Nash's thigh was shattered by a grapeshot. A friend condoled with him and asked him how he felt. The dying hero said: "It is unmanly to complain: but it is more than human nature can bear." He was from North Carolina.
"The war over, Colonel Blackwell returned home, settled upon his ample patrimony, and married Miss Gibson, of the lower part of this county. She was the sister of Major Thomas Gibson, a Revolutionary officer, as good looking a man as General Washington, and as grand looking on horseback as Bonaparte was when crossing the Alps. Though at least sixty-five years of age, annually, for some years, he would attend the training of the officers at Warrenton, visit them on the academy Hill, mounted on a fine bay horse, and canter around the battallion, and show his good horsemanship and military fervor.
"Col. Blackwell had the misfortune to lose his wife by death, she leaving an interesting family of four children. In after time he married Miss Mary Brent, daughter of Mr. William Brent, of Faquier county, and she was the mother of your correspondent, A. Christopher Blackwell. I had the pleasure of seeing her at her dwelling near Germantown, Faquier, in 1820. She was amiable and kind, but was in bad health, and died about 1822, leaving four children.
"But to her noble and amiable husband: He had lost his fortune by too much Virginianism, but had not lost merit and intrinsic worth. As the oldest justice of the peace, about the year 1802 he became sheriff of this county. His deputies would not serve ca. sa. on a defiant debtor. Sheriff Blackwell, with Ajax Telamon look, approached the contemnor of the law. The latter, with rifle in hand, threatened him. The old warrior said to him: "In the name of the Commonwealth I am bound to arrest you, and am sworn to do my duty. I mean to do it if I can. If you kill me in the effort you will be hung for it. And what will be the condition of your family and friends?' The debtor surrendered and was taken to prison; but his father came forward and paid the debt upon his son promising never again to go in debt. In this way a faithful sheriff made a good citizen of a law-breaker and a spendthrift. The latter lived to be an old and respected man, and the possessor of the farm regiven him by his father.
"In 1823 Colonel Blackwell became the oldest justice of the peace for the second time. There was a dispute about it, a great contest in court, and an exciting talk out of court. The County Court refused to nominate him. He appealed to the Governor of the Commonwealth, was sustained, and the court nominated him as directed. He received his commission from the Governor, but the excitement of the contest and the warm weather overpowered him, and he died before he could enjoy the fruits of his victory.
"Excuse my long letter, and I will close by letting you know that our worthy, industrious and able Representative, General Eppa Hunton, is the first cousin of your correspondent, A. C. Blackwell. Their mothers were sisters.
OLD MORTALITY."
"[We thank 'Old Mortality' for this contribution to local history, and should be exceedingly glad to have similiar communications from one so careful of facts as he. After handing us the above he took from his secretary an ingenious piece of English mechanism that might be conveniently carried in the waistcoat pocket, made over a hundred years ago, and obsolete since the invention of percussion fire locks. Extending it to us, he said: "This was once the property of Colonel Jo. Blackwell. He told me that with its hammer he picked the flint of a musket while he was under fire at Charleston. The nippers there were used to take out the bolts which confined the barrel to the stock of the musket; the wedge shaped fixture was used as a screwdriver; this screw to draw loads; the pick there to clear the touch-hole, and that whistle to make signals, &c. Though I prize it as a relic of the past I would send it to the son of my departed friend if I did not fear it would be lost in transmission.]"
Col. B. was commissioned Lieut. 6th Va. Reg., Nov. 30, 1777. He rec'd from Va. as Captain Cont. Line 4000 a. land Apr. 14, 1783, for service from Feb., 1776 to Jan. 1783, and 1333 1/2 a. Aug. 11, 1806, for the 7th and 8th years. He also rec'd by his father's will 7000 a. in Fauq. Co.
20. ELIZABETH BLACKWELL, m. Col. William Edmonds. Child.--52. William, had Mrs. G. W. Foote. 53. Elias, 4 child. 54. John, s. 55. Sally, s. 56. James, 6 child. 57. Frances, m. Robert Green. 58. Polly, m. 1790, William Horner, (BROWN 64, p. 189.) 59. Betsey, m. Jo. Wallace (A. C. B. says, James W. Wallace, M. D.), Fauq. Had Robert, James Westwood, etc., (BALI, p. 102, note Wallace.) 60. Lucy, m. Robert Green of the Marsh. 61. Kitty m. George Payne. 62. Judah, m. Moore F. Carter.
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James Blackwell, New Kent Co., owned in 1717, 500 a. land in Blackwell's Neck, Hanover Co., 1717, which by will dat. May 6, 1718, he gave to son John, and died soon after. John B. m. and had Josiah his eldest, who m. and had James his eldest, who Feb., 1772, by Act of Assembly, broke the entail of said land and exchanged the 500 a. with Mr. Carter for 250 a. land and 10 slaves in K. W. Co. (Hen. VIII, 641.)
John Blackwell was vestryman Frederickville Par., Louisa Co., Va., 1743. Samuel B. was burgess and justice, North'd Co., 1744-1755. Robert B. who d. in or before 1669, m. dau. of Joseph Crashaw, York Co.
Christopher Blackwell, m. Julia (???); was gr. father of Rev. Otis A. Glazebrook.
David Blackwell, cir. 1775 of Va., m. Ann Lewis. She had a sister who m. George Brent, and a cousin (???) Moxley, who m. (???) Green. David had 18 children, of whom are i. Walter, b. 1800; m. Sarah Brosius of Md. Had--William, m. Isora Mary Byers of Hancock, Md., had 7 child. Elizabeth, m. Henry Stevens, Susan, m. Cassius C. Cobb, and George, m. Kate King. ii. Harriet. iii. Mary. iv. Alexander. v. William. vi. Arthur m. Margaret (???). vii. Nancy. viii. Mrs. Hartley. ix. Mrs. Newman, etc., etc.
J. R. Blackwell of Va. m. Alice, dau. of Rev. Hugh Carrington, who d. Dec. 18, 1883, 29 yrs., 22 d. Robert B. had Mary Eliza, m. May 16, 1889, Opie D. Jordan, all of Isle of Wight Co. (S. C.) James B. app'd Tax Comm'r Fauq'r Co., March 25 1782. Thomas B. of Va. was 2d Lieut. 20th U. S. Inf. Mar. 12, 1812, July 6, 1812, and 1st Lieut., Dec. 11, 1813. Joseph H. B., m. Charlottesville, Va., Apr. 24, 1889 to Mary Saunders. Oscar B. North'd Co., Lieut. C. S. A., d. Jan. 16, 1862, 44. Alexander B., m. 1835, Mary V., dau. of Dr. Jos. Basye, North'd Co. Jno. B. of Frederickville Par., Louisa Co., 1743, signed the Westmoreland Res. 1765.
78. ANNE6 EUSTACE (Isaac, William--CONWAY--Agatha,5 George,4 Edwin,3 Edwin,2 Edwin1), b.--; d. --; m. (I.) CAPTAIN EDWARD HULL,(*) killed during the Revolutionary war while enforcing the conscription; (II.) 1783, MAJOR JOSEPH BLACKWELL, b. 1750, son of Joseph and Lucy (Steptoe) Blackwell. (CONWAY 77, BLACKWELL EX. 4.)
Captain Edward Hull was in 1778 an officer of the 15th Va. Regt. In Saffell's Records of the Revolutionary War it appears by Gen'l Washington's orders, dated Valley Forge H. Q., May 21, 1778 (p. 350), that
"At a Brigade Court Martial, whereof Lt. Col. Cropper was Prest., Capt. Edward Hull, of the 15th Va. Reg., was tried for gaming when he ought to have been on parade, the 12th inst., and unanimously found guilty of that part of the charge exhibited against him relative to gaming, but acquitted of non-attendance on parade, and sentenced to be reprimanded by the commanding officer of the brigade, in presence of all the officers thereof." (At the same court Lt. Thos. Lewis was similarly tried and sentenced.) "The Commander-in-Chief, however, unwilling to dissent from the judgment of a Court Martial, is obliged to utterly disapprove these sentences, the punishment, in his opinion, being entirely inadequate to the offence. A practice so pernicious in itself as that of gaming, so prejudicial to good order and military discipline, so contrary to positive orders, carried to so enormous a height as it appears, and aggravated certainly in the case of Lt. Lewis, by an additional offence of no trifling military importance--absence from parade--demands a much severer penalty than simply a reprimand. Captain Hull and Lieutenant Lewis are to be released from arrest."