Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/331

 BLACK.

BLACK.

lege, 1869-72. He removed to the United States for political reasons in 1873, and was assistant librarian of the Astor library, 1879-81, wlien he was made librarian. He became an authority on orientalia and mysticism and wrote many articles and also lectured in the larger cities of the United States on those subjects. He is the author of : "Mysticism and Nature worship "(3 vols., 1896-97) ; " Being and the Philosophical History of the Subject " (1899). and was an asso- ciate editor of the •' Standard Dictionary."

BLACK, Frank Sweet, governor of New York, was born at Limington, Maine. Marcli 8, 1853 ; son of Jacob Black. He was graduated at Dartmouth college in 1875, and paid his college expenses by working on a farm and teaching school. He removed to Johnstown, N.Y., in 1875 ; edited the Journal and studied law and subsequently en- gaged in newspaper work in Troy, N.Y. He was admitted to the bar in 1879 ; established himself in practice in Troy and was appointed attorney to the receiver of the Troy steel and iron com- pany and the Gilbert car works. He was a representative in the 54th congress and was elected governor of New York by the Republican party, serving, 1897-'98. He received the degree LL.D. from Dartmouth in 1898. He was retained in a notable murder case as counsel of a special investigating committee and secured the con- viction of the accused in the face of great politi- cal opposition. He also secured the acquittal of Roland B. Molineux in 1903.

BLACK, James, prohibitionist, was born in Lewisburg, Pa., Sept. 16, 1823 ; son of John Black, a railroad contractor. He removed to Lancaster, Pa., in 1835 ; was graduated at Lewisburg academy in 1843, and studied law under James F. Linn of Lewisburg in 1844, and William B. Fordney of Lancaster in 1845. He was admitted to the bar in 1846 } served as financial agent of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence railroad, 1850-52, and was an organizer of the Ocean Grove associa- tion, N.J., in 1869. He was associated with the Mutual Life Insurance company of New York 1869-'83. and conducted two model farms at Black Barron Springs, Pa. He became interested in temperance reform in early life, joined the Wash- ington society in 1840, and aided in organizing Conestoga division of the Sons of Temperance in 1846, before wliom he made his first temperance speech in 1852. He was a member of the state central committee of the Prohibition party, 1853- '56, and in 1859 originated and proposed a temper- ance publication society, which idea was approved and accepted at the national temperance conven- tion of 1865, and carried out in the national temperance society and publication house. In 1864 he prepared a memorial to President Lin- coln for the abolition of the whisky ration, and

wrote his celebrated " Cider Tract." In 1867 he secured a convention of the Sons of Temperance and Good Templars in Harrisburg for political action, or prolubition in the state; was instru- mental in the organization of the " National Prohibition Party '" in 1869 and served as chair- man of the national Prohibition committee from 1876 to 1880. In 1872 he was nominated for pres- ident by the national Prohibition convention at Colmnbus, Ohio, the first presidential candidate nominated by his party. Aside from newspaper articles, reports and platforms, he published: " Is There a Necessity for a Prohibition Party," (1876) ; " A History of the Prohibition Party " (1880), and " The Prohibition Party " (1885). He died at Lancaster, Pa., Dec. 16, 1894.

BLACK, James Rush, physician, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, March 3, 1827. He emi- grated to America with his parents about 1835, settled in Ohio, was educated at Granville college and was graduated from the medical school of the University of New York in 1849. During the civil war he served as surgeon of the 113th Ohio infantry and as medical director on the staff of General Gilbert. Afterwards in his medical practice he made hygiene and a?tiology specialties. He was made a member of the American medi- cal association, the Ohio state medical society and various local medical bodies. In 1876 he gave up his general practice to accept the chair of hygiene in the Columbus medical college. His "Ten Laws of Health and Guide to Protection against Epidemic Diseases" is accepted as an excellent handbook.

BLACK, James William, educator, was born in Baltimore, Md., Jan. 31, 1866. He received his early education in the public schools of Balti- more, and was graduated at the City college in 1885, wnth a first-grade Peabody prize, and at the Johns Hopkins imiversity in 1888, where he re- ceived the degree of A.B. and a tmiversity scholarship. He then pursued postgraduate studies in history, economics and historical juris- prudence at the Johns Hopkins university, and was awarded the degree of Ph.D. in 1891. In the summer of that year he was appointed pro- fessor of history and economics in Georgetown, Ky., but he resigned in 1892, when he was made associate professor of political economy in Ober- lin college. In 1894 he accepted the chair of his- tory and political economy in Colby university. He published " Maryland's Attitude in the Strug- gle for Canada," was made a member of the American historical association, of the Maryland historical society, of the council of the American economic association, and of the Maine historical society and a member of the " Commission of Colleges in New England on examinations for admission to college."