Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-04-13
COL. JOHN BLACK.
SKETCH OF AN EARLY ELLIS
WORTH FAMILY.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COL. BLACK
AGENT OF THE BIG BING-
HAM ESTATE


Wayfarer In Bangor COMMERCIAL
| John Black was born IN London, Eng
July 8, 1881. He received good educa-
tion and when quite young entered the
great banking house Of Hope & Co., OF
London, as clerk. Mr.. William Bingh a m
OF Philadelphia, the principal proprietor
OF the great Bingham estate in Maine, was
in London in 1899, and employed Mr.
Black to come to this country as clerk for
Gen. David Cobb, at Gouldsb borough
agent for the estate. Mr.. Black arrived
there the same year and soon mastered
the details relating to the great landed
interest Of the proprietors.
In 1903, having arrived at the age OF
twenty one, he was elected town clerk OF
Gouldsborough, which Office he held I'M
til 1908. lie was also appointed justice of
the peace in 1S04-5 and occasionally per-
formed the marriage ceremony. He soon
acquired the entire confidence of proprie-
tors, agents and all persons doing bust
ness with him. In 1910, Donald Ross,
the local agent at Ellsworth, having been
compelled to resign his position on ac-
count of ill health, Mr.. Black was APP
pointed to succeed him, and soon re-
moved there.
He continued in that position until
Gen. Cobb and his associate agent, Mr..
Richards, resigned; and he was then APP
pointed general agent for the whole es-
tate. He continued to hold this Office
until about 1850, when he declined, and
his son, George N. Black, was appointed
in his place. No bonds were ever re-
CURED of him by the estate, but it was
stipulated that he should not endorse
nor become surety for others, which
promise he adhered to. Besides receiv-
ing stipulated salary, he was allowed
to cut logs from the lands at fair rate
OF stumpage. He was for many years
large manufacturer of lumber, and also
ship builder. In his business he ac-
| CURED competency, but not great
riches. He was a model business man,
skillfui and sagacious. His honor and
honesty We're never questioned. He was
exact in his accounts and settlements,
and conducted nearly all of his great cor
respondenee himself.
give a specimen of his letters which
shows the price of some OF the best
Bingham townships in 1885:
Mr.. 1ndretc Peters:
SIR:-ln answer to your inquiry respecting
the average prices of Townships Nos. L. % and
3D. Middle Division, V. Townp., No. %, East
/ Division, would inform you that the average
price at which sold those townships was Sl.4l
i per acre, payable 18th part down, or in SO day
/ and the residue in four equal annual payments
with interest annually. Yours &c,
JoHS BLACK.
Ellsworth, % june, lS35.
He had the unbounded confidence o,
all The rights of others We're relig iously
respected by him, and he claimed the
same rights from others. He hated shams
and could never brook mean or dishon-
est transaction. II is sense of justice was
strong, and his Will snd purposes the
same. His nature WAS sympathetic. He
was charitable in his own way, without
! being dictated to by others. In 1914 the
government of the United States being in
straits, levied direct tax on the propert Y
of every nhabitant of the county. Mr.
I
paid the tax for many of his poor neigh
T bors, Hnd Others with whom he had hu-l-
ness, few OF whom ever repaid him.
have several of the receipts.
In other directions he gave, including
the insane hospital at Augusta. He was a
conspicuous and notable character in
eastern Maine and well known all over
tata L.
he SAW tit good off hand public speaker,
with a faculty of hitting the nail on the
head squarey. In religion he was Con-
gregationalist Unitarian, and i'll politics
a federalist. In his early business life he
could have had any office in The gift of the
county OF Hancock, but he would not
neglect his business for official position
His homestead was originally in Sur
/ ry; at that time the boundary between
Surry and Ellsworth was the Union river.
1t is beautiful for situation, and is finely
kept up by George n. Black, jr., to the
great pleasure of Ellsworth people. He
was taxed for many years in Ellswort h
where his mills were, as a non sident.
In 1929 he petitioned the legislature to
be set off from Sufry to Ellsworth. After
a hard fight, in which he spent the most
OF The winter at Portland, he succeeded
although opposed by the Jarvis family,
who were powerful in the county at
that time. After this he WAS of ELS
worth.
He was much interested in military
affairs. He was fine officer and COM
bined great tact with much good taste,
and was of fine personal appearance. He
was commissioned captain July 2, 1854, in
company in the Second regiment, Sec
ond brigade and Tenth division of Massa-
chusetts militia, Eastern division of which
his father in law Gen. David Cobb, was
major general.
After his removal to Surry, that part