John C. Blackburn (died December 19, 1883) was an American politician and lawyer. He was

Mayor of Baltimore The mayor of Baltimore is the head of the executive branch of the government of the City of Baltimore, Maryland. The Mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills, ordinances, or resolutions passed by the ...

temporarily during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

for 28 days, from September to October 1861.

Early life

John C. Blackburn was born around 1808 or 1809 in

Cecil County, Maryland Cecil County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The county was n ...

. He moved to

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

around 1826. He worked as an instructor. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1830.

Career

In 1830, Blackburn ran for the office of judge of the Baltimore County Criminal Court. Blackburn was elected to the

Baltimore City Council The Baltimore City Council is the legislative branch that governs the City of Baltimore and its more than 600,000 citizens. It has 14 members elected by district and a president elected at-large; all serve four-year terms. The Council holds reg ...

. He represented both the Twelfth and Thirteenth Ward; serving in 1844, 1853, 1860 and 1861. He was chosen president of the council's First Branch. Blackburn succeeded

George William Brown George William Brown (October 13, 1812 – September 8, 1890) was an American politician, judge and academic. He was mayor of Baltimore from 1860 to 1861, professor in University of Maryland School of Law, and 2nd Chief Judge and Supreme Bench of ...

ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...

on September 21, 1861 when Mayor Brown was arrested by federal authorities and imprisoned in

Fort McHenry Fort McHenry is a historical American coastal pentagonal bastion fort on Locust Point, now a neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. It is best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack b ...

during the

. He succeeded Brown due to his role as president of the First Branch of City Council. Blackburn was never elected, but served as mayor for 28 days until he was succeeded by another temporary mayor,

Charles J. Baker Charles Joseph Baker (May 28, 1821 – September 23, 1894) was an American politician, businessman and banker. He was Mayor of Baltimore temporarily during the American Civil War for 88 days, from October 1861 to January 1862. He was also known ...

Personal life

Blackburn died on December 19, 1883.

Legacy

Blackburn was not listed in the record of Baltimore as a mayor until 1919. Historians did not know about his successor, another temporary mayor during the Civil War, Charles J. Baker, until 1989.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackburn, John C. Year of birth missing 1883 deaths People from Cecil County, Maryland Maryland lawyers Baltimore City Council members Mayors of Baltimore 19th-century mayors of places in Maryland