CHAPTER III.

Now to return to the original stock who came from England.

William Black was the second son of William Black, and was born in Huddersfield, England, in 1760, and removed with his father's family to Cumberland in 1775.

When quite young he was, for several years, with his uncle, Thomas Stocks, at Otley, and was placed at school. In the memoirs of Rev. William Black, written by Rev. Dr. Ritchie, the following incident is related:--

"Mr. Stocks, accustomed, it appears, to spend many of his leisure hours in angling, brought home one day a live trout, and, for the amusement of his juvenile nephew, threw it into a trough of water that stood in the yard. William, after witnessing for some time, with no small degree of satisfaction, the gambols of his finny captive, stooped down, incautiously, to take a drink at the mouth of the spout by which the water was conveyed, and fell headlong into the trough. The position in which he fell precluded the possibility of using an effort to extricate himself from his condition of imminent peril. In a very short time he must inevitably have been drowned had not a female domestic, happening to come to the door just in time to rescue him from the arms of death, seen his feet above the water and ran to his relief. His appearance, when taken out of the water was ominous; for some time he lay motionless and insensible, and serious apprehensions were entertained by his afflicted friends that the vital spark was extinct. To their inexpressible joy, however, their fears were soon dissipated."

His pious and excellent mother watched over him with the tenderness of a mother's love. While his father was on his first visit to America his mother frequently took him aside to talk and pray with him, explaining to him how, at the age of sixteen, she was convicted of sin and experienced forgiveness.

In the early part of the year 1779 a revival of religion took place at Amherst. Social religious meetings were held frequently, and encouraging results followed. The family of Mr. Black shared in the benefits resulting from this work, for William and the rest of the family began a different life from that previously pursued. In his experience William mentions several of those worthy old Englishmen who were a benefit to him in his distress of mind on account of sin. He mentions William Wells, William Freeze, Thomas Scurr, and others, likewise Mrs. Oxley and Mrs. Donkin.

Shortly after this the mind of William Black became particularly impressed with a desire to be useful to his fellowmen by preaching the Glad Tidings to them. He, however, remained at Amherst with his father until he had attained to his majority, which was in the autumn of 1781. William Black left his father's home in Amherst on the 10th November, 1781, under the guidance of his Heavenly Father, directing his steps to the Petitcodiac River. He preached in various places, and returned in eighteen days, having preached twenty-four times, feeling sure that his labor had been abundantly blessed. He had received a good common education, enabling him to deliver his message with freedom and force.

About this time a "Newlight" preacher--Henry Alline--attracted a large share of attention. The force of the religious influence which he exerted has never been erased, but can still be clearly traced in many parts of the Lower Provinces. This man, who resided in Falmouth, had, for several years, been living a miserable existence for fear of death, under the terrors of the law. At the age of twenty-seven light of the Glad Tidings broke into his previously dark mind, and he obtained strong faith in the merits of Christ as his Saviour. Comparing this with the depression he previously experienced, "Oh! the astonishing wonders of His grace," he exclaimed, "and the ocean of redeeming love.

Millions and millions of praise to His name! and oh! the unspeakable wisdom and beauty of the glorious plan of life and salvation." Mr. Alline visited Amherst and many places in the Lower Towns, then so called. He attracted large congregations, and the usual result of his preaching was a revival of religion. In 1783 he went to New Hampshire, where he died the next year, at the early age of 36 years, and his works follow him.

As previously noticed, William Black about this time had begun his itinerant work, for which he possessed special qualifications. He was soon the honored means of gathering a large number into the Methodist society at Amherst and other places at the head of the Bay of Fundy. In 1782 Henry Alline made a second visit to these places. The result was that many united with him, among whom were seventy that belonged to Mr. Black's church.* The slight clashing which occurred between these good men in consequence of a difference of opinion on the doctrines of the Bible, was regretted by many mutual friends.
[As stated in "Memoir of Rev. W. Black."]

Rev. William Black was very highly esteemed by the people generally, and particularly by the body of christians to which he belonged--so much so that he went by the title of Bishop Black and the Father of Methodism in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. He was allowed the privilege of residing in Halifax for many of the last years of his life, the Conference kindly acceding to his desire in the matter. His ministry was exceedingly successful, as may be learned by his memoir.

Though this venerable servant of the Lord is dead he yet speaketh. On the 10th November, 1881, just one hundred years had passed since he left his father's home in Amherst, shouldered his knapsack and proclaimed salvation in the name of Jesus to the inhabitants of Sackville and many other places on the Memramcook and Petitcodiac Rivers, when he had no Conference to support him. He went forth at heaven's call, by which he was guided as he walked the footpaths through the wilderness and forded the streams or crossed them on a single log, sometimes finding the flesh weak while the spirit was willing. We will not pause to picture the dangers and difficulties he encountered through the opposition of men who ought to have welcomed the Glad Tidings and the messenger who bore them.

He may be correctly styled the pioneer itinerant of Methodism in the three Lower Provinces, now embraced in the vast Canadian Dominion. The subsequent growth of the Methodist churches in these Lower Provinces has been such that they now show a membership of about seventeen thousand and a proportionately large number of adherentS. Rev. William Black was social in his manner and judicious in his measures. His labors were widely diffused and in scarcely any instance without apparent results in which all good men will rejoice.

Mr. Black preached for seven and a half years before he was ordained. Mr. Wesley did not ordain any until about seven years before his death. The first to whom he administered the rite were Thomas Coke (whom he sent out to superintend the work in America) and two others, in 1784. Previously to this, Mr. Wesley's ordinations were by the national church. In the year 1787 Mr. Wesley ordained James Wray, and sent him out to superintend the cause in Nova Scotia. In 1789 Mr. Black, with John and James Mann, attended a Conference in Philadelphia, where they were ordained by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury. It was thought by some of the ministers that Wray sought with English determination to enforce certain rules in a thinly settled country which could not in all cases be carried out, and some differences had arisen. Harmony was soon restored, however, and Wray wrote to Dr. Coke to relieve him of the responsibility of Superintendent by appointing another. Mr. Black was immediately appointed Superintendent of the work in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. He accepted the charge, but not without hesitancy.

The first Methodist Meeting House opened in Sackville, N.B., was by James Mann in the year 1790.

Mr. Wesley died in the year 1791.

The Rev. William Black married Mary Gay, daughter of Martin Gay of Westmorland. His children consisted of three sons and two daughters, named Celia, Martin Gay, William Anderson, Samuel, and Mary.

Mrs. Black died in 1827, aged 73 years. Mr. Black, in 1828, married, as his second wife, Mrs. Calkin, widow of Elisha Calkin, of Liverpool, N.S. He lived to the age of 74 years and died in the year 1834.

His widow returned to Liverpool, where she had ten children by her first husband, and where she resided till her death. She was highly esteemed for her many excellencies and christian virtues.

CELIA, the eldest child of Rev. William Black, was married to James Hamilton, a wealthy merchant, of Halifax. Mrs. Hamilton died in 1861, aged 76 years. Mr. Hamilton died in 1856, aged 77 years. They had a numerous family, several of whom died in infancy. The survivors were William, James Martin, Ebenezer Gay, John Barry, Mary Ann, and George Alfred.

William married a lady from the United States; she had no children.
James Martin married Elizabeth Mary Gill, of Newfoundland. He died in 1865, aged 55 years. His wife died in Brooklyn, in 1858, aged 52 years. They left one daughter.
Ebenezer Gay, another son died in New Jersey in 1881, aged 65 years.

John Barry, another son, died in Cadiz, Spain, in 1852, aged 28 years, leaving one daughter. His wife's name was Bohannan.

Mary Ann, daughter of James Hamilton, died in 1862, aged 44 years. She was never married.

George Alfred, the youngest son, resided in Providence, R.I., where he died in the year 1872, aged 47 years.

Of this large and wealthy family but few representatives reside in Halifax or in any part of Canada.

MARTIN GAY BLACK, the eldest son of Rev. William Black, married Fannie Smith, daughter of Doctor Rufus Smith, of Westmorland, N.B. They had six sons and seven daughters, named Eliza, Rufus Smith, Alexander Anderson, Fannie, Celia, Matilda, Martin Gay, Amelia, Louise, William, Samuel H., Sophia, and Charles. Charles died when quite young.

Martin Gay Black was universally acknowledged to possess sterling principles, was a warm supporter of the Methodist church, always ready to support the missionary cause and other benevolent institutions. He was for many years one of the foremost merchants in Halifax, firm in his principles, and was generally esteemed by his acquaintances.
On one occasion a respectable gentleman living in Cornwallis purchased from Mr. M. G. Black a stock of goods, and, on his return to Cornwallis, found with regret that his buildings had, in his absence from home, been consumed, leaving him in a condition not able to meet his engagement. He, therefore, proposed to return the goods. Mr. Black generously replied that he needed the value of the goods more than before, and authorized him to sell them and pay him when he found it convenient to do so.

His mode of trading is shown by the following:--On one occasion a woman in his store bought some small articles. The price asked by Mr. B. for one article did not please her. She made use of her persuasive powers, that women alone possess, when finally, after long resistance, he yielded to her entreaties to sell a shade lower. When this woman went to the door to go away Mr. B. asked if there was not something wrong in the dealings? She said, No. Mr. B. then said that she had persuaded him to reduce his price on a certain article, which was contrary to his custom, but he had laid the amount on other articles that she purchased, and, said he, I now hand you the extra charge, but never try to beat me down again. This, though a small matter, serves to show the systematic manner in which he conducted his affairs.

Mrs. Black died in 1859, aged 68 years, and Martin Gay Black in 1861, aged 74 years.
Rufus Smith, the eldest son of Martin Gay Black, is a medical doctor and stands high in his profession in Halifax, where he resides. He married Theresa Ferguson, only child of John Ferguson, Esq., of Halifax. They had a family of two sons and six daughters. One of the sons died in infancy. The names of the others are Fanny Theresa, Mary Elizabeth, Jane Millar, John Ferguson, Louisa Pinkney, Laura Matilda, and Edith Sophia.

Jane M., daughter of the above Dr. Rufus S. Black, was married to Rev. Jabez A. Rogers, who is a prominent Methodist Minister. They had six children, named Charles Melville, William Arthur, Gertrude Evelyn, Eleanor Theresa, Alfred Seymour, and Bertha. The eldest two died while young, in 1880, at Amherst, where Mr. Rogers was then stationed.
John Ferguson Black, son of the above Dr. R. F. Black is a medical doctor.

Alexander Anderson, the second son of Martin Gay Black, married Mary Ann Leishman. They had two sons, each of whom died at the age of 8 years. Mr. A. A. Black also died in 1855, aged 42 years.

Eliza and Louise, daughters of Martin Gay Black, were never married.

Matilda, daughter of M. G. Black, was married to Rev. Charles DeWolfe, a Methodist minister, who was appointed to several important circuits, and was for several years a professor in the Mount Allison institution at Sackville, N.B. He received the title of Doctor of Divinity from Acadia College. Mr. DeWolfe was emphatically a man of peace, was highly esteemed by all classes of christians, and by people generally.

After Dr. DeWolfe became supernumerary he and Mrs. DeWolfe lived a few years at Shelburne with their daughter, Mrs. White. They then removed to Windsor, where Mrs. DeWolfe died in 1873, aged about 53 years. The Doctor then removed to Wolfville, his native place, where he died in 1875. They had one son and three daughters. Two died in infancy. The names of those living are Fanny and Louisa. Fanny was married to N. W. White, of Shelburne. He is a lawyer and a member of the Nova Scotia Legislature, is also a member of the Executive Council.

Martin Gay Black, jr., another son of Martin Gay Black, married Mary Mitchell, of Chester. They had five sons and three daughters; one died in infancy, another at the age of 12 years. The names of the remainder are Fannie S., John B., Mamia M., Henry B., Wm. S., Alfred C.

Fanny S. was married to Alfred J. Creighton, of Halifax. They have two children, named Mary Black and Alfred D.; two others died when young.

John B., son of Martin G. Black, jr., is living at Londonderry.

Henry, another son, is in Chicago.

William and Alfred live in Dartmouth. Neither is married.

Martin G. Black, jr., died in 1879, aged 62 years. He was a merchant for several years, and also held a responsible position with the Halifax Banking Co.

Fannie, daughter of Martin Gay Black, 1st, was married to James L. Mathewson, of Montreal. They are both dead. Three sons and one daughter survive them.

Celia, daughter of Martin G. Black, 1st, was married to Thomas Cannon, a merchant of Liverpool, G. B., where they reside. Their family consisted of three sons and one daughter. One son died while young. Mr. Cannon died in 1852. His widow married a Mr. Glynn, who also died.

Amelia, daughter of Martin G. Black, 1st, was married to James A. Mathewson, of Montreal, where they reside. Mr. Mathewson is a thorough business man, and in very easy circumstances.

William, son of Martin G. Black, 1st, was never married.

Samuel Henry, the youngest son of Martin G. Black, 1st, married Fanney E. McMurray, daughter of Rev. John McMurray, D. D. of Windsor. Mr. McMurray has, for many years, been a Methodist minister, and is highly esteemed. Samuel H. Black's family consists of one daughter and one son, named Nancy E. and John Henry.

Mr. Black is cashier of the Halifax Banking Co.

Sophia, youngest daughter of Martin G. Black, 1st, died in 1859, aged 24 years.
WILLIAM ANDERSON BLACK, second son of Rev. William Black, married Mary Ann Etter, of Halifax. There he engaged in mercantile business, in which he was exceedingly successful, and became very wealthy. He died in the year 1864, aged 75 years. His wife died in 1847, aged 54 years. He was for many years a member of the Legislative Council of Nova Scotia, and deservedly won public respect.

William A. Black had eight sons and six daughters, named, respectively, Benjamin Etter, William Lang, Mary Ann, Martin Pinkney, Elizabeth, Sarah Sinclair, John Alexander, Samuel Gay, Charles Henry Miller, Celia Hamilton, Fannie Holman, and Emma Louisa. Two others, both named Thomas, died young.

Benjamin Etter, the eldest son of William A. Black, married Hannah Cannon, of Liverpool, England, and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Halifax. They had six daughters and two sons, named Jane, Agnes, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Alice, Celia Gertrude, David Cannon, and Charles. The last three and Elizabeth died when young. Benjamin Black died in 1851, aged 39 years. Hannah, his wife, died in 1848, aged 34 years.

William L. Black, second son of William A. Black, married Mary Marshall, daughter of Judge Marshall. He died in 1878, aged 65 years, leaving a widow and one son.
Mrs. Black was married again in 1881 to H. F. Worrall, a native of Halifax but now residing in the United States of America.

Mary Ann, the eldest daughter of William A. Black, was married to Stephen Newton Binney. They had no children. Mr. Binney was for many years cashier of the bank of British North America. He died in the year 1871, aged 77 years. Mrs. Binney died in 1881, aged 67 years. In her will Mrs. Binney left five thousand dollars for the benefit of religious and benevolent objects.

Martin Pinkney, the third son of William A. Black, lives in Halifax, and is not married. He owns and lives on the property his father occupied--a splendid place with beautifully laid out gardens and extensive grounds, all of which bear the impress of wealth and taste.
Elizabeth, the second daughter of William A. Black, was married to Lemuel A. Wilmot, who at that time was a prominent lawyer of New Brunswick, and resided in Fredericton.

He, for several years, was Attorney-General of that province, and was subsequently elevated to the Supreme Court Bench, and thence to the Lieutenant-Governorship of the province. He was highly esteemed as a gentleman, a christian, and a statesman. He died in the year 1877, aged 69 years. Mrs. Wilmot now lives in Halifax. They had no children.
Sarah Sinclair, the third daughter of William A. Black, was married to Edward Wilmot, of Fredericton, a lawyer and half brother to the late Governor Wilmot before mentioned. They have no children.

John A., son of William A. Black, married a Miss Cannon of Liverpool, England, where they now live. They have a family of five children, named Jane Agnes, Clara, Edith Binney, William A., and Alexander.

Samuel G., son of William A. Black, married Sophia Wright, of Windsor, where they settled and are farming. They have one son and five daughters. His son, William A., is doing business in Halifax as one of the firm of Pickford & Black. The daughters are named Mary, Kate, Elizabeth Wilmot, Laura, and Ellie. Samuel G's son, Wm. A., married Annie Bell, daughter of Sheriff J. Bell, of Windsor. They have two children, named Walter and Muriel.

Charles H. M., youngest son of William A. Black, married Lizzie Smith, of Fredericton. They had two daughters, one of whom died when young. The other, named Ada Louisa, was married to Henry St. George Twining, of Halifax.

Celia Hamilton, daughter of William A. Black, is not married. She resides with her brother, Martin P.

Fannie Holman was married to Dr. McNeil Parker, who stands high in his profession of medicine. He is also a member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Council. They have four children, named Mary Ann, Will, Laura, and Fanny. Dr. Parker is a very efficient Baptist and takes a lively interest in the public deliberations of that body of christians.

Emma Louisa, the youngest daughter of William A. Black, was married to W. J. Lewis, M. D., of Halifax, where they reside. Their family consists of three children, named Florence, Ernest, and Ethel. Two others died when young. Dr. Lewis was, for several years, surgeon in the navy, but is now a merchant in Halifax.

When the sons of the Hon. William A. Black were comparatively young men several of them entered into a partnership under the name of Black Brothers & Company. They did a heavy and prosperous business, principally in hardware, which enabled them to become wealthy. None of them or their sons are now in the trade in Halifax.

SAMUEL BLACK, the youngest son of Rev. William Black, married Rebecca Crane, of Horton, and resided in Halifax. They had three sons and one daughter, whose names are Jonathan Crane, William, James, Noble Crane, and Rebecca.

Samuel Black died in 1826, aged 34 years. His widow was married to a Methodist minister, named Taylor, who died about 1860. During her widowhood she was, in accordance with her wish, called Mrs. Black. She died in Philadelphia, in 1873, aged 83 years.

Jonathan C., the eldest son of Samuel Black, while young, went to Sackville, N.B., for the purpose of getting a knowledge of farming. There he married Elizabeth Scurr and was very comfortably settled in a house which he built, scarcely second to any in Sackville. He died in 1857, aged 43 years, leaving a widow who, after several years, was married to James Ayer, of Sackville. Mrs. Ayer died in 1865, aged 51 years.

Jonathan C. Black had four sons and three daughters, named Samuel, Mary, Albert, Rebecca, Benj. Scurr, Louise, and William.

Samuel, the eldest son of Jonathan C. Black, married Mary, daughter of Reuben Watts, of Sackville. They removed to Calais, where they now live, and had four children, named Howard, Florence, Frank, and Charles Albert. Florence was married to Mr. Read, of Boston. They reside in Massachusetts. They have one child.

Mary, the eldest daughter of Jonathan C. Black, was married to William Boultenhouse, son of the shipbuilder, Christopher Boultenhouse. William died in 1860, aged 38, leaving his widow and two children, named Minnie and Rebecca. One other died when young. Mrs. Boultenhouse removed to Philadelphia, where she still resides.

Albert married Rebecca Teed, of Sackville. They had nine children, four of whom died while young. The survivors are named Alexander, Mary, Carrie, Benjamin S., and Charles Albert.

Rebecca, daughter of Jonathan C. Black, was married to George Thomas Bowser, of Sackville, a farmer. They have no children.

Benjamin Scurr, the third son of Jonathan C. Black, married Miss Marshall, of St. John. He is a telegrapher. They have no children.

Louise, the youngest daughter of Jonathan C. Black, was married to John C. Carter, son of Thomas Carter, Esq. They live at Sackville, N.B., and are farming. They have three children, named Cora, Thomas, and Hattie.

William, the youngest child of Jonathan C. Black, is married and has four children, named Ella May, Ida Louise, Rebecca Victoria, and Clarence William. He lives in the State of Pennsylvania.

William, the second son of the above named Samuel Black, was never married. He resided during a portion of his life at St. John, and also lived in the U. States, at Halifax, and at River Philip. He died in Boston, aged 50 years, in the year 1870.

James N. Crane, the youngest son of Samuel Black (son of Rev. William Black), married Elizabeth Hopson, of Philadelphia. They had three sons and three daughters, named Edwin Crane, Florence Lillie, James Darst, Maggie Hopson, and Carrie Rebecca. Charles, another son, died at the age of 20 years. James N. C. Black was, for many years, a merchant at St. John, N.B., also in Philadelphia, where he now resides.

Rebecca Darst, the only daughter of the first named Samuel Black, moved to the United States with her mother, where she died in Philadelphia in the year 1867, aged 46 years.
MARY, the youngest child of Rev. William Black, was married to John Alexander Barry, of Halifax. They lived in that city, where Mr. Barry was engaged in mercantile pursuits for many years.

Mr. Barry was once elected a representative of the Nova Scotia Legislature for Shelburne, which then embraced Yarmouth and Shelburne. He was possessed of more than ordinary speaking talents, and made use of these talents fearlessly in the Legislature, to the gratification of many, and, of course, to the annoyance of others. In order to carry his points he was, at times, regardless of consequences. In the year 1832, when debating in the legislative chamber, he disregarded a call to order, and refusing to apologise, was imprisoned, but was shortly after released without the apology.

Their family consisted of a son and four daughters, named Celia, Anna, Elizabeth, Housial, and another, who, with her brother, went to Liverpool, England. Housial was there for a few years in the employ of J. S. DeWolfe, after which he became a member of the firm.

Mrs. Barry, after a protracted illness, died in the year 1833.

Mr. Barry was a dealer, to some extent in glass and chinaware, and made purchases of these from a gentleman in New York whose daughter he became acquainted with and married. But there were conditions in the marriage contract by which they were to live alternately one year in Nova Scotia and one in New York. They lived one year in Nova Scotia and a son was born, then a year in New York, and Mrs. Barry refused to return to Nova Scotia. A daughter was born. There was much dissatisfaction on account of Mrs. Barry refusing to carry out the marriage contract, and a separation was about to be formed when a difficulty arose about which should have the children. Mrs. Barry refused to give them up to their father, and he brought a law-suit in the State of New York, to obtain them, and succeeded; but before he could get charge of them, Mrs. Barry had escaped with the children to another State that was not governed by New York laws. Mr. Barry then brought suit in the United States Court, which he conducted in person and gained. Then a compromise was made under which he was to have the son and she the daughter. After this he lived at Liverpool, N.S.

In the year 1782, when the American colonies were recognized by the British Parliament as independent states, the many who had refused to take up arms against Britain were required to seek homes elsewhere, and before winter thousands of families took ship to seek them in the wilderness of Nova Scotia, which included New Brunswick until 1784, when they were constituted separate provinces.

Several of these loyalists removed to Shelburne, among whom was Robert Barry, the father of John A. Barry, who was highly esteemed, particularly by the Methodists. A large number of the loyalists went to Parrtown--now St. John--and in the autumn of 1783 over five hundred framed houses were erected there.

It is extremely difficult to get a correct list of the posterity of Rev. William Black, a large number having removed to England and the United States of America.
We give what is probably below the number of great grand-children and great, great g.children:

Posterity of Rev. William Black in 1882:
Living. Dead.
Children, 5 0 5
Grand Children, 53 29 24
Great G. C., 87 66 21
Great Great G.C. 19 16 3
___ ___ ___
164 111 53