A representative of the farming interests of Union township, Mr. Black is also numbered among the natives sons of Ohio. He was born in Mercer county, on the 16th of March, 1848, his parents being George and Delilah (Coate) Black. His paternal grandfather was George Black, a native of Pennsylvania, who emigrated to the Buckeye state in pioneer days. His son, George Black, Jr., the father of our subject was born in Miami county, in 1824, and during his boyhood went with his parents to Mercer county, where he died at the early age of twenty-three years. His wife was born in Union township, Miami county, and was a daughter of Joseph Coate. She went to Mercer county with her parents and died in Shelby county, March 5, 1866, at the age of forty years. Of the Methodist Episcopal church she was a member and her life was in harmony with her professions. By her marriage to Mr. Black she became the mother of three children, but the first-born died in infancy; Sarah Jane, who married Charles Hague, died in 1848, leaving two boys: William and Lorne: the only surviving child of that marriage is Joseph Black, of this review. After the death of her first husband, Mrs. Black, became the wife of William Jones, a native of Miami county, and they had two children: Caleb, a druggist and medical practitioner of Paris, Ohio, and Ella, wife of W. Williams, a resident of Van Wert county, this state.

Joseph Black was only nine months old when his father died and he remained at home with his mother until 1866. In the previous year he had offered his services to the government, but was rejected on account of his youth, his mother withholding her consent to his enlistment. The day following his mother's death Mr. Black came to Tippecanoe City, Miami county, and soon secured work at chopping cord-wood near West Milton. After a short time, however, he secured a situation as a farm hand and was thus employed near Piqua for about three years. He then engaged in farming on the shares for two years, and afterward rented property in Union township for six years. During that time he acquired some capital and with this he purchased sixty-six acres of land, his present home, taking up his abode thereon in 1878. He still owns sixty-six acres, which is a valuable tract, for it is highly cultivated and improved with substantial buildings and all modern conveniences.

Mr. Black was married to Miss Samantha Wyneings, of Staunton township, and six children grace their marriage: Effie, wife of Charles Harshberger; Clarence, a resident farmer of Union township; Lulu, Chester, Olney and Mildred L.

In his political views Mr. Black has been a Republican since he gained the right of franchise and in local affairs he is quite active, doing all in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of the party, although he has never sought office for himself. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and he contributes very liberally to its support. His success in life is entirely attributable to his own efforts, for he started out in life empty-handed and has steadily worked his way upward, overcoming by determined purpose the difficulties and obstacles in his path. He is a man of fine appearance, large and well proportioned, is genial and jovial in manner and has a great many friends in the community where he makes his home.