JAMES L. BLACK

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James L. Black. It is undoubtedly the duty of the present generation to chronicle everything of historical value, concerning the various movements in the recent war, as a paramount duty to the future generations. The interest that may be evinced in the attainments of the men and women in the great epoch just closed, of course, cannot be measured. It is sufficient perhaps to be guided by the experiences of the past in this as well as in all other matters; so it is entirely within the bounds of ethics to touch intimately on the lives of those men and women who were the outstanding figures in the movements which claimed their attention. In this instance we divert to Mr. James L. Black, the able county chairman of the Fourth and Fifth Liberty Loans in Miami county. Mr. Black was born in Tontogany, Ohio, May 20, 1876, a son of Captain L. Black and Georgia C. (Cooper) Black. Captain L. Black served with distinction in the Civil war in the One Hundred and Forty-fourth and One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Ohio. He was captured in battle and confined in Libby prison for four months. Captain Black was elected treasurer of Wood county in 1880 and was prominent in the councils of the Republican party, having also been selected as a delegate to the National convention, which nominated McKinley. He embarked in the clothing business at Bowling Green, Ohio, and was one of the pioneer oil operators in that part of Ohio, being one of the very first to develop that field. The Cooper family, of which Mrs. L. Black was a member, was of old American stock, she being a second cousin of the renowned author, James Fenimore Cooper. To Captain L. Black and wife were born two children: James L. and Mrs. Marie Friedlich. James L. Black was educated at Bowling Green, Ohio, in the common and high schools and later attended Oberlin College, after which be managed a store (general) at Portage, Ohio, belonging to his father. He subsequently, in 1900, entered into a partnership with John P. Spiker, of Piqua, in the manufacture of underwear; the factory at that time being established at Bowling Green. On January 1, 1905, the industry was removed to Piqua, since which time it has grown to splendid proportions. For a complete history of the Superior Underwear Company, above referred to, the reader is referred to the industrial section of this work, entitled Piqua industries. J. L. Black was married in 1905 to Miss Florence Zitterbart, of Pittsburgh, daughter of Prof. Fidelis Zitterbart, a noted musician. Professor Zitterbart founded the first conservatory of music in Pittsburgh and for more than fifteen years was concert master with the Theodore Thomas Orchestra, and was also widely known as a composer of classical music and a recipient of honor medals from the Philharmonic Society, of New York. To Mr. Black and wife have been born two children: Catherine, who died in infancy; and James L. Jr. Mr. Black's able service as chairman of the Fourth and Fifth War Loans in this county and as district chairman of the War Savings Stamps campaign, is fully set forth in that portion of this work dedicated to the war movements in Miami county. In addition to his interests in the Superior Underwear Company, Mr. Black is a director in the Piqua Savings Bank; a director in the Meteor Motor Car Company, and in the Wood Products Company; president of the Hetherington Company; a director of the Chamber of Commerce, of which he was formerly president, having been instrumental in its re- organization and maintenance; past-president Piqua Club; president of the Golf Club; Masonic-Scottish Rite, Shriner; director Y. M. C. A.; trustee Y. W. C. A., trustee Presbyerian church, secretary and treasurer of the Superior Underwear Company, and president of the Superior Athletic Underwear Co.