CHARLES CUNNINGHAM (SCOTTIE) BLACK, son of William Black and Agnes Cunningham, was born on 30 Apr 1899 at 1144 Dunbartom Road, Whiteinch, Partick, Glasgow, Scotland. He was named for his maternal grandfather, Charles Cunningham.
When he was a teenager Charles was a boxer. His big sister Mary would help him to sneak out at night, letting him use her bike. Eventually, their father caught them both and this was the main reason Charles left for the Army (during WW1).
Charles served in WW1 for the British Army. He was 15 years old when he joined. His sister Mary signed the papers for him so that he could get away from his father, who he didn't get along with. He was caught in a battle and spent 3 months in a prison camp. After the war ended he was sent to Cairo Egypt.
Emigration from Scotland to the United States
When his tour of duty was over Charles opted to come to the United States. He landed at Ellis Island on 4 Mar 1923. He traveled on the ship Assyria. He went to Boston where he took a job on the railroad as a fireman. After a year or two of this he left Boston and came to Chicago, where he found a job with Commonwealth Edison as a meter reader.
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