McDonough ILGenWeb

One of the loyal citizens and sterling Republicans of the city of Pocatello, Bannock county, Idaho, is Albert H. Black, the subject of this review, who has long been recognized as an important factor in the successes of the party and has ever exerted his utmost energies to achieve its triumph, as he is an earnest believer in its principles. Mr. Black, who is one of the prominent and progressive business men of the city of Pocatello and one of the proprietors of Black's Grocery Co., whose well-arranged and extensive place of business is located at Nos. 146 and 148 North Arthur avenue, was born in Adams county, Ohio, on May 1, 1854, being a son of Arthur G. and Syrena (Pennington) Black, also natives of Ohio, where his father was born and reared, being a son of Isaac Black, a native of Pennsylvania. He was descended from that indomitable Scotch-Irish element that so long maintained a successful position in defense of their liberties in the northern part of the Emerald Isle.

Mr. Black was one of a family of six children and accompanied his parents to Illinois in 1864 when he was ten years of age, and there he was educated. At the age of about sixty years the father died, in Kansas, in 1879, the mother long surviving him and also dying in Kansas in 1897, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. Black received his preliminary educational discipline in the winter country schools, being employed on the farm during the summer, later, however, supplementing the education there acquired by six months' diligent attendance at the McDonough normal school, of Macomb, Ill., and thereafter engaged in agricultural pursuits in Illinois until 1875, when he made his home with a farmer in Lynn county, Ore., there residing until 1881, then entering the service of the Mitchell-Lewis Mercantile Co., with which he was connected in most pleasant relationship for twelve years. In 1894 he established himself as a merchant at Myrtle Point, and was engaged in the general trade at that place, being greatly prospered in his undertakings and considered one of the leading commercial men of that section of the state. He then sold out his interests in Oregon and identified himself as a citizen and business man with the thriving young town of Pocatello, Idaho. Here he engaged in merchandising, ranking high among the leading commercial men of the county. Mr. Black is greatly interested in public affairs from the standpoint of the Republican party, and, while a resident of Oregon served on the city council of Myrtle Point for five years, and for four years was an honored chairman of the city council. In 1900 he was nominated and elected a member of the Legislature of the state of Oregon from Coos county.

Fraternally Mr. Black is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Woodmen of the World, Ancient Order of United Workmen, and with the Maccabees, having held various offices and positions of trust and responsibility in connection with each of these organizations.

The first marriage of Mr. Black occurred on August 12, 1875, in Macomb, Ill., when he was united in matrimony with Miss Eliza. J. Morrison, a native of Pennsylvania and a daughter of Hyman and Catharine (Stump) Morrison, and by this union there were six children: Addie, now the wife of S. S. White, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Tillamook, Oregon; Arthur J., James A., and Elmer H. (all associated with their father in business in Pocatello), George and Edith Grace. Mrs. Black died on May 21, 1891, and was buried in the Multinonah cemetery at Portland, Oregon. On November 4, 1896, Mr. Black married Miss Rose Maguire, of Macomb, Ill., a daughter of Edward and Ellen (Harris) Maguire, her maternal grandfather being a native of Kentucky; she died on November 5, 1900, and was buried at Macomb, Ill. The third marriage of Mr. Black occurred on July 1, 1892, when Mrs. Bessie (Bryan) Porter, the widow of Doctor Porter, of Boston, Mass., and a daughter of Doctor Bryan, of Nashville, Tenn., became his wife. Mr. Black is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment, and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the enterprise with which he has been and is connected a high degree of success. He possesses progressive methods, diligence and sound judgment, and his prosperity is well deserved. He is thoroughly American in thought and feeling, and does all in his power to promote the interests of the city, county and state where he has made his permanent home.

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Source: Progressive Men of Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Fremont and Oneida Counties, Idaho, published in 1904, pages 60-61, contributed 2021 Jun 15 by Norma Hass