George Balck
GEORGE BLACK, farmer, residing in Wayne township, Armstrong Co., Pa., was born June 2, 1867, son of David Black and grandson of Alexander Black.
Alexander Black was a pioneer settler in Indiana county, Pa., and for some years lived near Saltsburg but later moved to another part of the county, where he passed the remainder of his life. He married Margaret Miller, who survived him, dying at the unusual age of ninety-nine years, in Indiana county. They were parents of the following children: Christopher, James, David, Barbara, Delilah, Lavina and Sallie. The only survivor of this generation of the family is Delilah, who is unmarried and lives on the old homestead in Indiana county.
David Black, son of Alexander and father of George Black, was born near Saltsburg, Indiana Co., Pa. During his active years he devoted himself to farming and was well known as a prosperous agriculturist. His death occurred in 1901, and he is buried at the Oakland cemetery in Indiana county. He married Elizabeth Bricker, who spent the closing years of her life in the home of her son, George Black, her death taking place Aug. 8, 1908. She is buried in the cemetery attached to St. John's Lutheran Church, near Plumville, where she was reared. To them born the following children: Sarah, who is the widow of William Johnson; Maggie, who married Anson Brickley; James, who married Anna Wilson; Philip, who died at the age of eight years; Mattie, who married Samuel Streams; Lavina, deceased, who was the wife of Emanuel Helm; Hannah, who married Eli Johnston; Julia, widow of James Conrad; John, who married Ada Moleberger; Maria who married George Eyler; and George.
George Black obtained his education in the district schools and remained on the home farm until he was fourteen years of age, after which he worked on neighboring farms until he was eighteen years old, when he commenced to farm for himself. He selected a desirable tract of fifty-seven acres, situated in South Mahoning township, Indiana county, near Plumville, on which he settled after purchasing, and there carried on general farming until 1905, a period of sixteen years, when he came to Wayne township. Here he bought a small tract from Andrew Brim and J. L. Cochran and remained there until 1906, when he came to his present place, which is the old Wesley Pontius farm, later known as the Caldwell tract. It contains 125 acres and is situated near Dayton, Pa., bounded on one side by the old Lawson farm. Here Mr. Black devotes his attention to general agriculture. While living in Indiana county he took a great deal of interest in the stock business and raised such fine Aberdeen Angus cattle that for twenty years he generally carried off the first prizes when he exhibited his herds at the fairs of Indiana, Armstrong, Butler, Jefferson, Clarion and Clearfield counties.
Mr. Black was married (first) to Carrie B. Cochran, daughter of J. L. and Mary (Bricker) Cochran. She died Feb. 12., 1909, and left eight children: Irene, who was a successful school teacher previous to her marriage to William Jenks of Dubois, Pa.; Woodward E., a graduate of the Dayton Normal Institute, who is teaching the Echo school in Wayne township; and Carrie Eva, Camden C., Mary E., Franklin C., Mabel P., and Florence C., the last named dying the day following the demise of her mother at the age of two years. Mr. Black married (second) March 30, 1911, to Kathleen O. Seederly, a daughter of William and Della (Hum) Seederly, natives of Ohio. Mr. Black is a member of the Glade Run Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Republican.
Source: Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed January 2012 by Sara Stewart for the Armstrong County Beers Project
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