General Samuel Blackburn was the youngest son of Benjamin and Mary Blackburn. He attended Washington College in Washington County, Tennessee, where he obtained the AB degree. Later he taught at Washington Academy in Wilkes County, Georgia. He then entered the legal profession. On August 18, 1785, he married Anne Mathews, daughter of the governor of Georgia, in Augusta County. He was a member of the Georgia state legislature until 1795, when he returned to Virginia where he entered the practice of law. He served at the rank of general in the American War for Independence and was at the battle of Guilford Courthouse. He represented Bath County in the Virginia legislature for a number of terms, where he was reputed to have been instrumental in passing legislation against dueling. He unsuccessfully ran for the US congress. He was known as an outstanding orator and criminal lawyer of his time. He and Anne Mathews had no children. His plantation was known as The Wilderness, located in Bath County. He left a will in Bath County that is useful in detailing the genealogy of his family (brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews). In his will he liberated 44 slaves on the condition that they emigrate to Liberia, and subsequent references note that all but two did so.
General Samuel Blackburn was the youngest son of Benjamin and Mary Blackburn. He attended Washington College in Washington County, Tennessee, where he obtained the AB degree. Later he taught at Washington Academy in Wilkes County, Georgia. He then entered the legal profession. On August 18, 1785, he married Anne Mathews, daughter of the governor of Georgia, in Augusta County. He was a member of the Georgia state legislature until 1795, when he returned to Virginia where he entered the practice of law. He served at the rank of general in the American War for Independence and was at the battle of Guilford Courthouse. He represented Bath County in the Virginia legislature for a number of terms, where he was reputed to have been instrumental in passing legislation against dueling. He unsuccessfully ran for the US congress. He was known as an outstanding orator and criminal lawyer of his time. He and Anne Mathews had no children. His plantation was known as The Wilderness, located in Bath County. He left a will in Bath County that is useful in detailing the genealogy of his family (brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews). In his will he liberated 44 slaves on the condition that they emigrate to Liberia, and subsequent references note that all but two did so.
Bio by: Jim L Wilson
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