Keith, I have John nelson Blackburn b . Sept 3, 1809 d Sept 2, 1886 son of Edward Blackburn. Presb. Minister m 1st Martha Jane Morrow (1809-1844) wnd Eliza Armbrister, 3rd. Mrs. E.A. Jones. A different source says he was married to Eliza Jane Sloss. I don't know if he had 4 wives or if someone is mistaken. It appears that Rev. JNB moved from E. TN to Limestone Co. AL where I believe he died. He had a g. son John Nelson Blackburn b. 1875 who had only one wife and spent the majority of his life and career as a Presb. minister in Houma, La. No children. The original John NELSON was married to Nancy Matthews, a sister of Janet Matthews who was married to John Nelson Blackburn's uncle John Blackburn. Dr. David Nelson was a bro. of John Nelson. Dr. David was a Presb. minister who left TN to teach in a new college in MO. It went bankrupt in the 1840's. Dr. Nelson was an avid abolitionist who became the object of a manhunt in MO and had to flee to Illinois (Quincy, I believe). There were Blackburns of this same family in IL also. The Rev. Gideon Blackburn d. 1835 had been instrumental in establishing Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL (Macoupin Co.) Some of his nephews moved to this area of Illinois. Sons of George Blackburn, bro.-in-law of Gideon and 1st cousin of John Nelson Blackburn, went to IL before the Civil War. Their names were George, James and John. George is called the "father of the Kinmundy, Ill. Blackburns. James and John were in Medora, IL at the beginning of the War but left for St. Louis about that time because of their southern sympathies. Their names are found on the roll of members of the Spring Cove Presbyterian Church (Summerville.) I believe there were also some other cousins who moved to Il and became members of this congregation. I have no more info. on the sons of George Blackburn. They were born in the very early 1800's (mostly before 1810) so I would guess they married in TN or AL where their parents were living. You will probably need to draw a chart to get all this clear. I'm afraid it may be just a coincidence that your ancestor is John Nelson Blackburn and had three wives. There were others who went to MO and this book(tHE BENJAMIN BLACKBURN FAMILY BY Challacombe) has no further information on them. Good luck on your search. Please feel free to ask other questions if the need arises. Miriam Blackburn