Learner Blackman was born in
1781 at English Creek, Atlantic Co., NJ. He was the son of David
Blackman (1747-1821) and Mary Clark (1753-1827) and was the second son
in a family of three girls and six boys. Learner was converted at
age 16 during his brother-in-law's first sermon. His brother-in-law
(John Collins) had married Learner's sister Sarah.
He joined the Philadelphia Conference
on trial in the year 1800. His charges included the following:
1800 - Kent Circuit,
Delaware
1801 - Dover Circuit,
Delaware
1802 - Russell Circuit,
Virginia
1803 - New River
Circuit, Virginia; Holston Circuit, Tennessee
1804 - Lexington
Circuit, Kentucky
1805 - Natchez Circuit,
Mississippi
1806-07 - Presiding
Elder, Mississippi District
1808-09 - Presiding
Elder, Holston District
1810-11 - Presiding
Elder, Cumberland District
1812-14 - Presiding
Elder, Nashville District
Note:
During the War of 1812, he was chaplain to the Tennessee Volunteers under
Gen. Andrew Jackson
1815 - Presiding
Elder, Cumberland District
The Methodist Church did not waste much time
after Louisiana was purchased by the United States in 1803. The first recorded
Methodist preaching in Louisiana was by Lorenzo Dow in 1804. But nothing
came of it. Later in 1804, Learner Blackman was appointed to the Natchez
Circuit. Dow reported to Blackman of the need to send someone to Louisiana.
So, Blackman was the first regular circuit rider to venture into Louisiana.
In 1805, Blackman asked for
a preacher to be sent to New Orleans. Elisha W. Bowman was sent by the
bishop to cover the Opelousas Circuit (which covered all of southern Louisiana).
Blackman suggested that he start in New Orleans. Bowman, not finding success
there, moved on to the Opelousas area. This extended from south central
Louisiana up towards the northern portion of the state. Blackman
visited Louisiana and preached at locations on occasion.
After his service in the Mississippi/Louisiana
area, he moved on to serve in the Tennessee area. He met his death
while crossing the Ohio River at Cincinatti in June 1815 while heading
home after a visit with family (John & Sarah Collins). He was
buried in the Old Stone Chapel (Wesley Church) in Cincinnati, OH.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnsumner/falearner.htm
http://www.lib.usm.edu/~archives/m249.htm where some of his journal
is
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/NJGLOUCE/2000-09/0970279912
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