Person:Charles Black (11)

Name	Charles Cunningham (Scottie) Black
Gender	Male
Birth^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]	30 Apr 1899	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPartick
Census^[3]	1901	Glasgow, Lanarkshire, ScotlandPartick
Other`^?`	1918	Milit-End
Immigration^[6]^[7]^[11]	4 Mar 1923	United States
Marriage	17 Oct 1925	Crown Point, Lake, Indianato Charlotte Sophia Becker
Census^[6]	1930	Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States
Occupation^[6]	1930	a route driver and later a clerk for the Leader Laundry
Other	1930	Chicago, Cook, Illinoiswith Charlotte Sophia Becker
Death^[4]^[5]	29 Jun 1984	Tarpon Springs, Pinellas, Florida
Soc Sec No^[1]^[4]		347-05-7829

Featured Page: Week of May 11, 2008

Genealogy well done. Exemplary WeRelate page with excellent use of original sources.

1 Birth and Childhood
2 Emigration from Scotland to the United States
3 Boxing
4 Marriage
5 Life
6 Death
7 Census

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Birth and Childhood

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. ^S9

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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.^S7 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.^S9

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Boxing

At this time two of his friends from Scotland came over because his friend was the #3 contender for the middleweight championship. His friend was to fight the #2 contender and asked Charles to be his second, informing him that under no circumstance was he to throw in the towel. Unfortunately, he was being badly beaten and Charles had no choice but to throw in the towel. They never spoke again.

In the mid 20's Charles and his other friend put on 3 round exhibitions in Cicero for Al Capone who paid them $50 a night. By now Charles had become a laundryman for the Sunshine Laundry. On his route he had Al Capone as a customer, which is how he got the boxing job.^S9

50th Anniversary

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Marriage

In 1924 at the Viking hall at 69th and Lowe in Chicago he met Charlotte Becker. They eloped to Crown Point, Indiana and were married the 17th of October 1925^S10. During the years of 1915 to 1940, Crown Point was a well-known marriage mill. An estimated 175,000 couples flocked to the Lake County Courthouse to be wed, since it became associated as a "quick and painless" marriage site. (from Crown Point Marriage Mill) It broke her father's heart because he wanted to have a big wedding for her. After some time, Grandpa Becker and Charles got along well because Charles knew all the places to get a drink during Prohibition.^S9 They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1975.

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Life

Two years after marrying Charles and Charlotte suffered the stillbirth of their first child, daughter Agnes. About a year later they went on a trip to Glasgow, Scotland where Charles was born. After spending time with relatives, Charles and Charlotte returned 8 Sep 1928 on the S.S. Cameronia.^S8 Charlotte was four months pregnant at that time. Five months later, in Feb 1929 oldest son Charles (known as Mick) was born. Daughter Marilynn joined the family in 1930. Tragically, she would die as a young child, of Leukemia. She died in 1934, just after her fourth birthday. Finally, several years later youngest son William, known as Bill (Living) completed the family.

Charles was a route driver and later a clerk for the Leader Laundry. He worked there for the rest of his life. Charles was a Mason for over 50 years.

Charles raised his family in Chicago and lived the majority of his life there. Charles and Charlotte retired to Tarpon Springs in the Tampa Bay area. Sadly, Charlotte contracted Alzheimers disease and returned to Michigan where her son Mick helped to care for her. Charles also went to Michigan, but returned to Florida after Charlotte's death.

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