| JohnH. Black |
JOHN H. BLACK, a prominentcitizen of Woodstock township, is a representative of one of the earliestfamilies of Schuyler county, and is entitled to a space in this history.He was born in Woodstock township, August 2, 1842. His father, James P.Black, was a native of Mecklenburgh county, North Carolina, a son of RichardS. Black (see sketch of Isaac Black). James P. Black removed to Indianaat the age of fourteen years, and resided there until 1826. Then, withhis bride, he came to Illinois; the “wedding journey” was accomplishedwith a yoke of oxen, the bridegroom walking most of the distance. He locatedin Woodstock township, and there entered a tract of Government land whichhe began to improve. It was in this year that the county was organized;there were few white settlers. Indians were numerous, and the frontierwas not far removed toward the setting sun. Mrs. Black’s maiden name wasMary Padgett; she was born in Kentucky, a daughter of John and EleanorPadgett, and died on the home farm in 1851. Our subject, John H. Black,received his education in the common schools of Woodstock township, andat the Western Seminary, Rushville. At the age of nineteen years he beganteaching in Woodstock township, and was actively engaged in educationallabors for more than twenty years.In 1867 he removed to Richfield,Adams county, and there purchased a home in which he lived for a few years;his next change was to Quincy, where he bought city property, and thencehe removed to Camp Point, where he lived five years; at the expirationof that period he returned to Quincy and made his home there until 1878,when he sold out and bought the farm he now occupies on section 12, Woodstocktownship.
Mr. Black was united in marriagein 1862, to Telitha Parke, a native of Brown county, Illinois, and a daughterof Oliver H. F. and Mary (Logsdon) Parke, natives of Kentucky, and pioneersof Brown county, Illinois. Of this union five children have been born:Mary, Nettie, John R., Lelia and J. Charles. The father and mother aremembers of the Church of God. Mr. Black has held various offices of trust,and has represented Woodstock township on the county Board of Supervisorsfor three terms. For twelve years he was Supertendent of Schools in Adamscounty, and did much to elevate the educational standard. He is a man ofrare force and uprightness of character, and has the respect and confidenceof the entire community.
Biographical Review ofCass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review PublishingCo., Chicago, 1892, pages 296.
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