John C. Blackburn

John C. Blackburn was born around 1808 or 1809 in Cecil County, Maryland.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107251308/who-is-john-c-blackburn-30-oct-1851/ |title=Who is John C. Blackburn |date=1851-10-30 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{Open access}} He moved to Baltimore around 1826. He worked as an instructor. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1830.

In 1830, Blackburn ran for the office of judge of the Baltimore County Criminal Court. Blackburn was elected to the Baltimore City Council. 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.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/biographicaldict0000unse_r8s1 |title=Biographical dictionary of American mayors, 1820-1980 |year=1981 |pages=30 |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{cite book|title=The Ordinances of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore|year=1860|url={{Google books|0OuWxocSokkC|page=498|plainurl=yes}}|page=498|access-date=2022-08-09}}{{cite web |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc2600/sc2685/county/html/bc_council/firstbranch_ward12.html |title=Baltimore City Council, First Branch, Twelfth Ward, 1819-1923 |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{cite web |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/speccol/sc2600/sc2685/county/html/bc_council/firstbranch_ward13.html |title=Baltimore City Council, First Branch, Thirteenth Ward, 1842-1923 |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |access-date=2022-08-09}}

Blackburn succeeded George William Brown as ex officio Mayor of Baltimore on September 21, 1861 when Mayor Brown was arrested by federal authorities and imprisoned in Fort McHenry during the American Civil War. 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.{{cite web |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5300/sc5339/000097/000000/000021/restricted/bca_mayors_records.pdf |title=Governing Baltimore: A Guide to the Records of the Mayor and City Council at the Baltimore City Archives |page=17 |website=Maryland Manual On-Line |publisher=Maryland State Archives |date= |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107251437/mayor-but-not-elected-14-feb-1919/ |title=Mayor, But Not Elected |date=1919-02-14 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=5 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{Open access}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107251478/archivist-clears-space-for-one-of/ |title=Archivist clears space for one of city's forgotten fathers |date=1989-01-03 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{Open access}}

Blackburn died on December 19, 1883.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107251388/telegraphic-summary-etc-19-dec-1883/ |title=Telegraphic Summary, Etc. |date=1883-12-19 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2022-08-09}}{{Open access}}

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.

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{{s-bef|before=George William Brown}}

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{{BaltimoreMayors |state=collapsed}}

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Category:Year of birth missing

Category:1883 deaths

Category:Politicians from Cecil County, Maryland

Category:Maryland lawyers

Category:Baltimore City Council members

Category:Mayors of Baltimore

Category:19th-century mayors of places in Maryland