Blackshear

JAMES BLACKSHEAR was married to Catherine Francks Bush. From a Memoir of General David Blackshear by Stephen F. Miller. Upon his arrival to Georgia, he found the frontier subject to Indian depredations and he united with the few settlers on the Oconee to suppress them. He pitched his camp on the lands which be afterwards owned and upon which he lived until his death. (Later in possession of his sons, including several thousand acres with fine river-bottoms). His skill and success as a planter, wine and sugar grower, became evident during his lifetime. Issue:

I. JAMES BLACKSHEAR b. 8/30/1759, killed by the Tories during the Revolutionary War.

II. EDWARD BLACKSHEAR b. 1/20/1762, removed to Ga. m. Emily G. Mitchell. He died Thomas Co., Georgia in 1829. (below)

III. DAVID BLACKSHEAR b. 1/31/1764.

IV. ELIZABETH BLACKSHEAR b. 9/16/1765 m. Blake Bryan. Mrs. Mary Wimberly, widow of the late Bajor General Ezekiel Wimberly of Twiggs Co., Ga., is their daughter.

V. SUSANNAH BLACKSHEAR b. 5/27/1769 m. Edward Bryan who d. on Cypress Creek, Jones Co., N. C. about 1813. She removed to Georgia with her brothers. Issue: John Bryan, Edward Bryan (of Florida), James Bryan (of Twiggs Co., Ga.), late William Bryan, and Joseph Bryan (of Early Co., Ga.)

VI. ELIJAH BLACKSHEAR b. 7/17/1771, d. 1821 in Laurens Co., Ga., unmd.

VII. PENELOPE BLACKSHEAR b. 4/13/1773, d. 1839 m. Edward Bryan who d. Twiggs Co., Ga. in 1825. She took the first premium of a silver pitcher ever offered in Macon for a bale of the best cotton. The late Elijah Bryan of Florida, Thomas Jefferson Bryan and Blackshear Bryan of Twiggs Co., were her sons. Jennette, wife of Robert Hedges of Louisiana, her daughter. She bad other sons and daughters.

VIII. JOSEPH BLACKSHEAR b. 9/7/1775, d. 1830 in Laurens Co., Ga. Winifred, a sister of Col. William A. Tennille, later Secretary of State.

Edward Blackshear was born 20 Jan 1762, removed to Georgia, died in Thomas County in 1829. He was married to Emily Goodwin Mitchell. Issue:

• Elizabeth Goodwin Blackshear, born 15 May 1805 in PUlaski County, died 26 April 1853 in Thomas County.
• James Joseph Blackshear married on 21 April 1836 in Thomas County Harriett Jones, a sister of Thomas Jones of Greenwood plantation in old Thomas County (now Grady County) where he died in 1843. He was a wealthy planter, owning 102 slaves in 1840. Harriett continued the prosperity of the plantation; in 1860 it produced 235 acres of sea island cotton. Issue:
  
  

  1. Thomas Blackshear, born 1838 in Thomas County, planter. Wife, Olivia, born 1839 in North Carolina. Issue: Thomas, born 1871 in Florida; Olive, born 1874 in Thomas County.

• General Thomas Edward Blackshear, a member of the House of Representatives in Thomas County in 1837, died ca 1845 in Thomas County.
• Mary Louise Blackshear.
• Ann Emily Blackshear.

James Joseph Blackshear and wife, Harriet Jones Blackshear.


Cedar Grove (now called Susina) is located in Duncanville, southwest of Thomasville in Grady County. James Joseph Blackshear began the construction of this home but did not live to see it finished. In 1843 while inspecting his cotton press he was killed by a swinging beam. His wife and son, Thomas, finished the house. In 1887, Thomas sold the home to Dr. John T. Metcalfe and changed the name to Susina. Today the home is called Susina Plantation Inn and is operated as a bed and breakfast inn.

Ref: Thomasville, Georgia, A Place Aprt by the Thomas County Historical Society; Ante-Bellum Thomas County by William Warren Rogers.

Sources: Last Will and Testament of Edward Blackshear of Thomas County; Blackshear Plantation