This website focuses on the family of John Blackburn, who was born in County Armagh, Ireland about 1675, and his two wives – Mary (Courtney) Winter and Rachel Morton. John’s parents, John and Elizabeth Blackburn, were residents in the parish of Loughgall and were among the founding members of the Quaker Meeting at Ballyhagan. Elizabeth died in 1713 and Quaker records indicate her husband died around 1723. Their son John immigrated to North America in 1736.
Nothing is known about the ancestors of John and Elizabeth Blackburn. Various websites have added ancestral speculation to these individuals, but those connections have been disproven or were, frankly, just created. Those interested in reading a fairly complete overview of their early Blackburn history should consult the following three articles in previous issues of Blackburn Beginnings, the newsletter of the Blackburn Family Association: