Armstrong Irvine "Joel" Blackburn

1801 - 1867  (65 years)

• Name	Armstrong Irvine "Joel" Blackburn  [1]
  Nickname	Joel
  Birth	11 Oct 1801	Feliciana Parish, Louisiana   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Death	19 Sep 1867	Marion County, Mississippi   [1]
  Notes	Mary Frances Smith Fisher provided the following transcription of his obituary from the NEW ORLEANS CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, 9 Nov 1867 Departed this life, September 19, 1867 in the town of Columbia, Miss., Doctor A.J. Blackburn, a local deacon of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Bro. Blackburn was born in East Feliciana Parish, October 11, 1801. He was the son of one of the first settlers in that part of the state; and his father before him was a prominent and useful local preacher in the church. The doctor having embraced religion at a very early age, commenced preaching when 19 years old, and the practice of medicine at 23; and thro' life maintained an unspotted reputation as a minister and physician, administering alike to the souls and bodies of men, with such faithfulness, zeal and kindness, as won for him an enviable position and a consecrated remembrance in the hearts and minds of those who knew him. In 1866, he took work in the Mississippi Conference and was appointed to Covington, La, where his gentlemanly bearing, polished urbanity and deep piety endeared him to all his flock. Tho' possessed of considerable preaching abilities, he had to mourn to see so little fruit of his toils; and tho' like the prophet, he had to exclaim "Lord who hath believed our report;" yet his record was on high, for he was one of those who "signed and cried for the abominations of the people." At the close of the year, his health begining to fail, and feeling his work nearly finished, he returned to Washington Parish, La.; but here he was not idle. By day and by night, as long as he was able, he attended the sick, and filled an appointment monthly, on a circuit left without a preacher, till being called to attend the Columbia Court, he was taken sick on the way, was conveyed to the town where he had long resided. In his brief illness exclaimed, in relation to eternity, "all is bright." Then requesting to be carried to the gallery, took a last look at his old home; gave his parting blessing to his son of many prayers, and calmly and resignedly breather his sould into the bosom of his God. "The righteous are taken from the evil to come." G. T. Vickers. Per Mary Frances Smith Fisher, he went to California during the Gold Rush. A son that was with him was killed by Indians per a tale from the Cole line of the family. In 1850 he was not located on the Marion County, MS census, possibly already in California, as a Marion County probate record was filed on 18 Feb 1851 noting that "Said Armstrong J. Blackburn, who is now in the State of California...." His wife, Susan, can be found in Marion County, Mississippi in 1850, page 401, Family #274/278, living alone. She also noted that in MARION COUNTY MISSISSIPPI MARRIAGE BOOKD C, PAGES 7-9, the credentials of Armstrong J. Blackburn (as a minister) were recorded and they were accepted by the probate court of Marion County in the July term 1837. He married many early Marion county couples, including his brother Ferdinand B. Blackburn to Miss Sarah Tyner. (Research): Census Information: 1840 Census Mississippi, Marion County Stamped 115 A. J. Blackburn Free White Males Under 5-0 5 thru 9-1 10-14-0 15 thru 19-1 20 thru 29-0 30 thru 39-1 Free White Females Under 5-0 5 thru 9-0 10-14-0 15 thru 19-0 20 thru 29-0 30 thru 39-1 Slaves Female 36 thru 54-1 Total All Persons 5 Person employed in Learned professions/engineers: 1 1850 Census Mississippi, Marion County Enumerated 6 Sept 1850 Stamped 291 274-278 S. D. Blackburn 47 F $200 NC 1860 Census Mississippi, Marion County, P. O. Columbia Enumerated 4 July 1860 Page 1 4-4 G. F. Blackburn 34 M School Teacher $1200 $3500 Tenn Elizabeth Blackburn 24 F Miss A. J. Blackburn 58 M M. D. La Susan is listed on the 1860 Mortality Schedule, having died in December 1859.
  Person ID	I1949	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Aug 2014

  
  

  Father	Gabriel Blackburn,   b. Abt 1769, Sampson County, North Carolina d. Abt 1848, Sabine County, Texas (Age 79 years)
  Mother	Frances Tyner,   b. Abt 1768, South Carolina d. 15 Jul 1853, DeWitt County, Texas (Age 85 years)
  Marriage	Bef 1790	Georgetown District, South Carolina   [1]
  Family ID	F695	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Susan B. ???,   b. 27 Mar 1797, Stokes County, North Carolina d. 12 Dec 1859, Marion County, Mississippi (Age 62 years)
  Marriage	23 Sep 1823	Dallas County, Alabama   [1]
  Children	1. Gabriel Francis Blackburn,   b. 30 Aug 1824, Tennessee d. 2 Mar 1878, Cooke County, Texas (Age 53 years)   2. Armstrong Irvine Blackburn, Jr.,   b. Aft 1825, Tennessee d. 20 Sep 1843, Marion County, Mississippi (Age 17 years)
  Family ID	F694	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	19 Jun 2010

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 11 Oct 1801 - Feliciana Parish, Louisiana Marriage - 23 Sep 1823 - Dallas County, Alabama Death - 19 Sep 1867 - Marion County, Mississippi  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S451] Wagstaff, Bettye Bragg-Family Researcher [bfwag@jas.net], Correspondence and Family Group Sheets dated August 1995 exchanged between Bettye Bragg Wagstaff of Bronson, Texas and Mary Frances Smith Fisher of Jackson, Mississippi, copies in files of Melinda McLemore Strong of San Antonio, Texas (Reliability: 3).