FATHER

John Blackburn

MOTHER

Rachel Morton

WIFE

Rebecca Harlan 

John Blackburn
by Susan Brooke
April 2023

According to the Richill Meeting of Armagh, Ireland, John Blackburn was born 30 6th month 172?, with no definite year given. (1) It is assumed he was born about 30 Aug 1720.  (1) He came to Chester, PA in1736 and his father was received into membership of the New Garden Meeting, on 30 Oct 1736. (1)  John Blackburn probably married Rebecca Harlan about 1739 as their first child was born in Dec 1740. (2)  The marriage was not recorded in the Quaker records and in 1744 they acknowledged themselves for their misconduct for  "marriage out."  By 1746 they were attending the Warrington Meetings and in 1848 he was appointed overseer of the Warrington Meeting.:  However, in 1755 John Blackburn and John Pope joined the military forces of York County.  In 1756  "Menallen Meeting informed this meting that John Blackburn and John Pope, at a report of Indians doing mischief at a great distance from them went out in a warlike manner to meet them, contrary to our peaceable principles."  He was then dismissed from his duties as overseer.  Eventually the Quakers accepted him back in good standing as he stated his sorrow for "appearing in a warlike manner." (1) Two of his sons, John and Anthony, served in the American Revolution.  John Blackburn died died 3 Oct 1767. (2)

Sources

(1) Blackburn and Allied Descendants of John Blackburn Sr. who came from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1736 by Evelyn D Gibson, 1978

The birth register of Richhill Meeting in Armagh, Ireland, lists children born to John Blackburn Sr and his second wife Rachel (Morton) Blackburn.
John Blackburn was born 6 mo, 30, 172  (no definite year given).  The record also states he died 8mo 24, 1767, Menallen Twp, York, PA.   He married Rebecca Harlan, daughter of Moses and Margaret (Ray) Harlan.

John Blackburn, Jr. was a farmer, Judge of York Co. PA, County Treasurer and Member of Assembly. He came to America with his parents in 1736 and married Rebecca Harland Abt. 1739.

As a birthright Quaker, John Jr. was received into membership at New Garden Meeting, Chester Co, PA 8 mo 30, 1736, on the certificate of his parents.  The marriage of John, Jr. to Rebecca Harlan was not in strict conformity with Quaker principles and they may have been reprimanded.  Minutes of New Garden Meeting in 1744 inform that "Rebecca Blackburn and her husband appeared and condemned themselves for misconduct." On 3 mo 26, 1744, John Blackburn produced an acknowledgment for "marriage out." Since Rebecca was also a birthright Quaker, the words "marriage out" are construed to mean that theirs was not a Quaker marriage. This conclusion is substantiated by the fact that no marriage certificate is recorded at any of the Quaker meetings for John and Rebecca.

At New Garden Meeting 12 mo 23 1744, John Blackburn, Jr. requested a certificate "for self and family" to Sadsbury Meeting in Lancaster County.  This certificate was granted 1 mo 30 1745 but was not recorded at Sadsbury until 11 mo 5 1746.  It is highly likely that John Jr. established a home and moved his family to Menallen Township during that interim.  At that time, Menallen Township was still within the confines of Lancaster County.  The transfer of membership from New Garden to Sadsbury Meeting was no doubt made in order that they might attend the Quaker monthly meeting nearest to their place of residence.

A patent for 855 acres of land on the upper fork of Conewago Creek in Menallen Township, Lancaster (now Adams) County, PA was issued to Moses Harlan, Oct 9, 1745.  On July 21, 1747, Moses and his wife Margaret (Ray) Harlan, conveyed 258 acres of this tract to their son-in-law, John Blackburn, Jr. (Menallen Township was laid off by surveyors between 1740 and 1744, and became part of York County when that county was established from Lancaster County in 1749.)

 4 mo 18 1748, Warrington Meeting " John Blackburn appointed overseer of Warrington Meeting."

Oct 31, 1749: The first Court of Quarter Sessions in York County after its establishment from Lancaster County, convened at the city of York.  At this court, John Blackburn was qualified at Township Assessor.

April 25, 1751: At the Court of Quarter Sessions, by a commission from his majesty, King George II of England, April 25, 1751, John Blackburn and John Pope, among others, were assigned as Justices of the Court of common Pleas.Prior to 1756, Court Sessions were held in the homes of the Court Justices.

1755: John Blackburn and John Pope joined the military forces of York County endeavoring to stop the Indian uprisings on the northern and western frontiers.  Theirs was the first recorded violation of the laws of the Society of Friends, which forbade the bearing of arms. The violation was reported early in 1756.

1-17-1756. Warrington Meeting: "Menallen Meeting informed this meting that John Blackburn and John Pope, at a report of Indians doing mischief at a great distance from them went out in a warlike manner to meet them, contrary to our peaceable principles."

As a consequence of his action, John Blackburn, Jr. was immediately relieved of his duties as overseer, as revealed in another entry of the same date: "William Sheppard appointed overseer in room of (in place of) John Blackburn."

2-21-1756, Warrington Meeting: "The friends appointed to treate  with John Blackburn and John Pope and to enquire into their bearing of arms, report that they are both that way inclined.  This meeting appoints John Garretson and John Friest to visit them again and endeavor to convince them of their error and make report to next meeting."

In the ensuing months still other committees were appointed in an attempt to bring these two men back into conformity with Quaker beliefs.
5-15-1756, Warrington Meeting: John Pope made an acknowledgment which was accepted.

John Blackburn displayed  more unyielding nature and remained inflexible at that time.  The Quakers patiently continued their entreaties through the months of June and July and well into August.

8-21-1756, Warrington Meeting: "The friends appointed to treate with John Blackburn reports that they were with him and John appeared at this meeting signifying his sorrow for appearing in a warlike manner which has occasioned a reproach on truth and friends, which this meeting accepts of."

The dates of the foregoing entries imply that John Blackburn and John Pope enlisted under the terms of the Militia Act.  Passed by the Assembly Nov. 25, 1755, the Militia Act authorized the organization of several Militia companies in addition to the already established Associate militia.  The militia bill was rather loosely drawn in order to provide exemption for conscientious objectors, those who religious scruples forbade their bearing of arms.
Enlistment was voluntary and volunteers served short terms of enlistment usually periods from three to six months. The men were not to be taken more than three days march from the settlement, nor held for more than three weeks in garrison.
Because of its exemption clause the Militia Act was voided by the King on July 7, 1756.
Both Blackburn and Pope were devout Quakers and in all good conscience could have used the exemption clause of the Militia Act to avoid military service.  Yet their personal convictions outweighed the sacred tenets of their faith to such an extend that they openly and willfully violated one of the cardinal Quaker principles.
Significantly, more than a six month period of enlistment time had elapsed before John Blackburn felt free to made an acknowledgment.  Interestingly, his acknowledgment appears to be in the nature of a compromise.  He did not express any regret for the action of bearing arms.  Rather, he expressed his sorrow, not for the action itself, but for the consequences of the action, in that his "appearing in a warlike manner" was a cause of some reproach to his Quaker brethren.

3-17-1759, Warrington Meeting: "Menallen Meeting appoints John Blackburn as an overseer of the that meeting in the room of (in place of) George Wilson, which this meeting (Warrington) approves of."

December, 1759: John Blackburn was appointed County Treasurer of York County and served in that capacity until October 1764.

October 1760: When York County was established (1749) it was entitled to two members in the General Assembly which met at Philadelphia. These members of the Assembly (later called the House of Representatives) were elected annually every October, until the year 1874.
John Blackburn was elected to the Assembly in October, 1760, and was re-elected to that position annually every October through 1766.  His term of service as an Assemblyman, lacking two months of being seven years, was terminated by his death in August, 1767.  In October of that year, Archibald McGrew was elected in his stead.

Oct. 17, 1764: Gibson's History of York County notes that "John Blackburn, a Quaker, presided over the Court Session beginning Oct. 17, 1764."
By this date the courthouse in York, PA was in use.  Since business of the court brought the Judges to that city, some of them established residence there.  Judge John Blackburn appears to have maintained at least a temporary residence in York as the Quaker records at a later date reveal that two of his sons, John and Anthony had some association with York Meeting. The son, John, was reported by York Meeting for enlisting in the Revolutionary War; the son, Anthony, was reported for a similar offense in 1777 in an entry which states in part "Anthony Blackburn, Jr. (Y Mtg.)."

3-30-1766: Rebecca (Harlan) Blackburn died in childbirth. 

Oct. 1766: John Blackburn was reappointed as Treasurer of York county and died two months before his term of office would have ended.

9 12 1767 Warrington "This meeting taking into consideration the situation of the minor children of our friend John Blackburn, deceased, and the necessity there is of having Guardians appointed to take care of them, appoints John Griest and Nicholas Wireman Guardians of Elizabeth, Joseph, Rebecka, Samuel, Abigail and Elanor, minors under the age of fourteen years, and orders a copy of this minute to be sent to the Orphans' Court for their approbation."

(2) Menallen Monthly Meeting

Warrington Meeting