By 1838, Sylvanus
had built a log home, a blacksmith shop, a sawmill, and a grist
mill on the banks of the War Eagle River. He was also a Baptist
preacher. The Blackburns had nine children, and later adopted
eight more children who had been orphaned during the Civil War.
When Catherine
Blackburn died in 1890, Sylvanus gave instructions to dig
her grave but not to close it until he was buried. He began
to pray that he might go with Catherine. Five days later,
Sylvanus Blackburn died. The couple was buried together in
Blackburn Cemetery at War Eagle.
Minnie
Lee Blackburn, granddaughter of Sylvanus and Catherine, married
Moses Elbert "Eb" Smith in 1887. Eb and Minnie
lived in the Washington County community of Farmington, where
he owned a general store. They had six children. Eb died
in 1905 of pneumonia, and a few years later, Minnie moved
her family to Fayetteville.
As
an adult, Lucy Smith, the oldest daughter of
Minnie and Eb, became the keeper of the Blackburn piggin.
Lucy moved to Washington, D. C. to work for the government,
and she took the piggin with her. When she died, family members
discovered the piggin in Lucy's closet. It was then handed
down to her niece, Ada Lee Smith Shook,
who donated the piggin to the Shiloh Museum in 1987.
The War
Eagle Mill is still in operation today, and the Blackburn
home still stands nearby. The site is the location of the
legendary War Eagle
Fair, an arts and crafts show held each spring and
fall.
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