This response has a lot of names in it, so I'm sending it to the list;
perhaps someone will see a name of interest.

Since the WILLINGHAM family seem to be early Baptist, and since I was
against a brick wall, I decided to study the Baptist history of the
1700s to try to get a clue concerning my family.

JOHN BLAKE is mentioned on pages 145 and 158 and a Blake is on page 119
of the book "Edwards Materials-A History of the Baptist Vol. 2, Heritage
Papers, Danielsville, GA 30633, 1984.  I donated my book to my library
and will have to look that up for you should you wish.

Here is a summary from that book that I had written for myself that has
JOHN BLAKE in it.
CONGAREE (1766) BAPTIST CHURCH is on the northwest branch (south branch)
of Santee River in the parish of St. Markes, Craven Co. 130 miles NNW
From Charleston. There are five branches of the church: (1) Congaree,
1766, gift of William Howell,
(2) Wateree-creek, 1770 given by Mr. Roeton;
(3) 25 mile creek., 1768 by William (Bryan) McLendon, in 
(4) AMELIA TOWNSHIP 33 miles from Congaree, 1769 land given by JOHN
JOYNER, 
(5) FOUR HOLES. About 1764 REV. PHILIP MULKEY baptized the following:
William Turcher, Jean Curry, Martha Goodwin, Isaac Rayford, JOSEPH REES,
John Newton, THOMAS NORRIS, Benj. Ryan, Tim Dargan, Nathan ELLIS, JOHN
GILL, William Dargan, Geo. Rolleson, Ebenezer Westcoat, John Pearson,
Elizabeth Norris, Hanna Garrison, JOHN PITMAN, Simon Hirons, Catherine
Smith, Mary Harvy, MARY BELL, Andrew Salisbury, Elizabeth HAMILTON,
Lewis POWELL, Sarah Powell , Benjamin Bell, George Powell, Agnis Martin,
MARY PITMAN, Patience Kirklnad, Grace Hirons, Joseph Farrewll, and on 30
Nov 1766 this group constituted into a church with the help fo Rev.
Joseph Morphy. This church was the mother of HIGH HILLS OF SANTEE
Baptist Church.

JOSEPH REES had collegue, Rev. John Newton and assistants Timothy
Dargan, Richard Bell, RALPH JONES (licensed) and JOHN BLAKE (licensed).

NOTE: HENRY WILLINGHAM was at FOUR HOLES, SC in 1766.
NOTE: JOHN WILLINGHAM married the daughter, Mary, of RALPH JONES. I
believe that this John Willingham is the son of WILLIAM WILLINGHAM, deed
of gift to John, 1791 Fairfield Co., SC for the support of the grandson
WILLIAM ASHLEY, of William.

SANTEE Baptist Church 1772 (The HIGH HILL OF SANTEE) near to Wateree
River, not far from Santee River in the parish of St. Mark, Craven Co.
100 or 130 miles NW from Charleston. Church built 1770-71 on land given
by Dr. Joseph HOWARD. No ordained minister, Dr. HOWARD and deacon THOMAS
NEAL exhort among them. They began in 1769 when Mr. Jeremiah Dargan
preached in the neighborhood, then Mr. Joseph Reese (Rees) preached
there. Baptised were Thomas Abbith (Avett), George Brown, Jesse Nettles,
Joseph Howard, Peter Mathews, Mary Freeman, Elizabeth Mathews, Ann
Freeman, Frederick Jones, Edward Mathews, THOMAS NEAL & wf., Mason
Greening (Grenon) & wf. Zechariah Harrell, Sarah Abbith (Avett)
Nathaniel Dodd & wf. Peter (Wiliam) Robinson, Mrs. Tabitha Bates, James
(Wm.) Mills, Martha (Mary) Scott, Milly Hart, Widow Hart, dau. Milly,
Joseph Paine, Elizabeth Paine, RICHARD FURMAN & mother Rachel Furman,
Mrs. Elizabeth Westberry, John Knighton, Anthony (Wm) Lee & wf. Hope
Ridgeway & wf. , Mary Smith, Milly Span, JOHN ROBERTS, ELIAS WARD, Amy
Fletcher, Frederick Briggs, Mrs. Winifred Rogers, Mrs. Ann Rice.

NOTE: The great grandson, Richard Furman Lawton (1841-1892) of RICHARD
FURMAN married the great granddaughter, Caroline (Carrie) Willingham
(1853-1921) of Thomas Henry Willingham I (1772-1798), the son of Joseph
Willingham (?,1789). [Kith and Kin]. Joseph Willingham is probably the
son of Henry Willingham b. 16 June 1731 Bristol Parish, VA, the son of
Isaac Willingham b. ca 1709 VA and Sarah. [Bristol Parish birth records
and SC Land Records]. The sons Christopher and Thomas Henry I of Joseph
Willingham moved to Charleston, SC.[Willingham index, SC Archives]

On page 142 of the book "South Carolina Baptist" in a discussion on the
Congaree Baptist church, it states, "Rev. John Newton, and Messrs.
Timothy Dargan, Richard Bell, Ralph Jones, and JOHN BLAKE aided Mr.
Reese in the work of caring for these five meetings." In the reference
for this statement is the statement, "JOHN BLAKE had a survey in 1770 on
Reedy Fork of Wateree Creek touching William Roden's land {Benedict,
Baptist History, XIII, 247}; he lived in Fairfield County without slaves
in 1790 {Census, p. 22}."

Mary Willingham  m.[no date] John M. Blake of 96 & Abbeville. 

JOHN BLAKE preached in 1772  at Wateree Creek Baptist Church, a branch
of CONGAREE, known as "Ralph Jones' Meeting House" because Rev. Ralph
Jones spent his life there.The first church was built 1770 on a lot on
Wateree and Beaverdam Creeks about 5 1/2 miles south of Winnsboro and a
little east of the Charleston Road near the head waters of Wateree and
Dutchman's Creeks.Ralph Jones lived in Fairfield Co. and was on the 1790
census p. 21. Jones d. 1817 (Charleston Baptist Association minutes;
South Carolina Baptist.) 

Christopher Willingham and JOHN BLAKE, exors. of Joseph Winningham on
Judgement rolls and summary process rolls, SC (1790-1795) (SC Dept of
Archives and History Alphabetical Index-Christopher Willingham). I have
not read these; please share any information should you read them. Other
names mentioned in these judgements are: Samuel Smith, John Cogdell,
Joseph Smith, Daniel Desaussure, Edward Darrell, George Smith, Dennis
Egan, Spencer Man, Archibald Brown, Frantz Jacob Foltz, Margaret Ryan,
admix.and William McDonald, admor. of John Ryan, James JAUDON, Robert
AUSTIN, Joseph Moore, Elizabeth Cromwell, admix. and Charles Warham,
admor. of Oliver Cromwell.


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