Person:Robert Black (36)

Lt. Robert Overton Black, Sr. Biography Submitted to http://www.rootsweb.com/~inputnam/ By Brenda Black Watson, Granddaughter, Memphis, TN 2007 Lineage http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=brendablack&id=I00009 Picture http://www.ancientfaces.com/research/photo/352644

The oldest of four children born to Robert Miller Black and his second wife, Laura Catherine Moore, Robert was born 30 Aug 1890 in Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana. He lost his father at the age of nine years. While his father and his family were from Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana the family lived in Douglas County, Illinois (about 100 miles due west) where Laura Moore’s family had migrated from Parke County, Indiana to Coles (later Douglas) County Illinois.

Highly intelligent, Robert was sent as a teenager to Todd Seminary for Boys in Woodstock, Illinois (Grad. 1906) and later to the University of Illinois. At Todd Seminary he won the Prize Speaking Contest (Henry V at Agincourt), Sr. Class Oration ("A New World's Power"), and the Roll of Honor.

He joined the Army and was stationed at Park Field (Aviation Field, Park Field, Memphis, Tennessee) as an aviator where he met his future wife, Margaret.

(Naval Support Activity Mid-South has a long and rich history, one which can be traced to the birth of military aviation itself and to our country's proudest moments. This site was originally established in November 1917 as Park Field, an Army Signal Corps Aviation School used to train pilots for service with the Allied Forces during World War I. By February 1918, flight operations were in full swing, but only until November of that year when the Armistice was signed. Two days after the signing, training operations were ceased. http://www.nsamidsouth.navy.mil/cmd-history.htm). Airplanes were part of the Signal Corp because aircraft were primarily used for observation of enemy positions as hot air balloons were part of the Signal Corp in the Civil War. Signal Corp Park Field later became the Naval Air Station of Memphis.)

He married Margaret Fleda Hinson (22 Aug 1897 Memphis, Shelby Co., TN - 18 Dec 1987 Memphis, TN) while stationed at Park Field on 23 Mar 1918 and had one child, Robert O. Black, Jr., DDS (13 May 1920 in Oakland, Coles Co., IL - 12 Jun 1964 in Memphis, TN ). Robert, Jr, married Harriet Howe (7 Mar 1924 in Memphis, TN - 19 Feb 1999 in Memphis, TN) in 1943 and had three daughters, Diane Ardenne, Brenda Lynn, and Margaret Warner.

Robert, Sr. had the wanderlust and moved the family frequently as explored “the next possibility.” They divorced after 12 years of marriage. Margaret and her son moved back to Memphis and lived with her father, Shelton Hinson, Jr., and her sister, Dr. (Mary) Ardenne Hinson. Robert, Sr. continued to work at various endeavors around the country but visited his “Memphis family” until his death. He maintained his residences at the Soldier’s Homes in Boise, Idaho and Wood, Wisconsin where he died 7 Jan 1970.

The Black family was very proud of its heritage - keeping notes, Bibles, pictures, and family possessions. Robert, Sr. was a member of the SAR and stressed the importance of the family having "Scotch-Irish" roots. His introduction of these values to me encouraged my interest in the family’s genealogy.

(Scotch-Irish is a genealogical term. It refers to the descendants of the Presbyterians from Lowland Scotland who settled in Ulster, the northernmost province of Ireland, in the 17th century and subsequently emigrated from there to America. It is used by historians and genealogists alike and the term has been in use in America since the early 1700s. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~everascot/index/links/links.htm)

Name Robert Black Birth 30 Aug 1890 Death Jan 1970 Last Residence 53193 (Wisconsin) Issued Louisiana

http://www.execpc.com/~sril/srillist Illinois’ Revolutionary Ancestors Office of the Registrar Sons of the Revolution in the State of Illinois List of Members & Revolutionary Ancestors State of Illinois 496 Robert Overton Black Corp. Andrew Malone

Cousin Albert's SAR 21 Albert Owen Lockridge Corporal Andrew Malone, Maryland Militia http://www.execpc.com/~sril/srinmem Indiana’s Revolutionary Ancestors Office of the Registrar Sons of the Revolution in the State of Indiana List of Members & Revolutionary Ancestors State of Indiana

1. ↑ Self Report.

   Brenda Black Watson, Self Report.

2. ↑ Laura Moore Black. Laura Moore Black's Notarized Family Record.
3. ↑ Will.

   Will. Virginia Black, 1929

4. ↑ Cemetery Record.

   Forest Hill Cemetery, Putnam Co., IN Records

5. ↑ Virginia Black's Will Signed 1927, Probated 1929.
6. ↑ Raymond Finley Hughes and Howard Clift Black. William Black and his Descendents A Genealogy of the Descendents of William Black of Augusta County, VA and la. (Unpublished. Copyrighted 1973 by Hughes).
7. ↑ Greencastle, Putnam, IN. Forest Hill Cemetery.