Person:James Black (38)

Notes

Black Family Research Organization

A perfect example of why researchers in early American family lineages need to keep a broad perspective as far as the location and origins of their families go is the following lineage of John BLACK. The article is taken in part from the book, PIONEER PREACHER by long-time BFRO supporter and author Natalie BLACK.

We are all familiar with the struggles of the Scots and Irish during the long years of religious war and persecution in England in the early part of the 18th century, when the first strong immigration of “Ulster Scots” to this country began. One of the foundation Scots lineages in America is the one that begins in Augusta County, Virginia, but has its roots first in New Castle, Delaware. Immigrant John BLACK first came to new Castle about 1734 and remained there on the forks of the Brandywine River ( Penns County, then Chester Co., PA) until about 1739, when he is found in Augusta County, VA. From his bible record we learn the following: James BLACK, a wool merchant who lived in County Down, Ireland, had four sons; James, John, Anthony and Samuel. the youngest son, bachelor Samuel, age 35, landed at New Castle in 1735. Educated in Edinburgh, he was licensed to preach by the Armagh Presbytery in Ireland. He was listed as a member of the New Castle Presbytery, being “lately from Ireland” 4 Apr. 1735 and licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Donegal, PA on 27 Oct 1736. He was called to take charge of the congregation at the Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church ( in what was then Delaware, now Chester Co, PA) Samuel was married, probably in Pennsylvania before 1740, to Catherine SHAW, and had the following children: Samuel, James, Margaret, Mary, Sarah, John, William. Natalie’s book has extensive genealogies of these families and their descendants, as well as the reference material she used to compile the data. the actual immigration date for father James and sons John, Samuel and Anthony can also be found in Michael J. Tepper’s books Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1993 Supplement, p. 40. reference 9255.7, p.3.

Link Dead as of 31 August 2013

JAMES BLACK I b c1683 Scotland This James Black is the oldest known ancestor of the Blacks in Delaware County IN. According to our best information, James was a Scotch wool merchant who moved from Edinburgh, Scotland to Ireland sometime before 1705. The numerous families who moved from Scotland to Ireland and their descendants are commonly referred to as Scotch-Irish. James I had four sons: John, Anthony, Samuel, and James II.(Vergil F. Black, op. cit.) Samuel was educated at Edinburgh and licensed to preach at Glasgow. He was pastor of Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church in Chester County PA, but in 1743 he came to visit his brother John in Augusta Co VA, and for 4 yrs. traveled as a missionary among the Scotch-Irish in the area. He later moved to Albemarle County VA where he married and remained for the rest of his life. Anthony settled in Augusta Co VA and James II died in Ireland (Ellen McDonald notes; and records at V.P.I. Archives). John Black (A1), the direct ancestor of the Indiana Blacks, also settled in Augusta Co VA with his five sons and four daughters. There he took lands which he later sold to his sons James III, John, Samuel (A11), and William.