Husband Jacob Black 1 2
Born: 25 Jan 1809 - Maryland 2 3
Christened:
Died: 20 Apr 1888 2
Buried:
Father: Frederick Black ( -Abt 1815) 4
Mother: Mary Ann Rupert ( - ) 3
Marriage: 18 Jul 1833 - Shippenville, Elk Twp, Clarion Co, PA 5
Wife Margaret Shippen 5 6
Born: 30 Jun 1809 - Little Britton, Lancaster Co, PA 6
Christened:
Died: 16 Feb 1874 2
Buried:
Father: Robert Shippen ( - ) 7
Mother:
Children
1 F Priscilla Black 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: Bef 1898
Buried:
Spouse: [Unk] Montgomery ( - ) 7
2 M Frederick Black 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
3 M Bordley Black 7
Born: 1838 7
Christened:
Died: Aft 1898
Buried:
4 M William H. H. Black 7
Born: 23 Jun 1840 - Clarion Co, PA 7
Christened:
Died: Aft 1898
Buried:
5 F Jenny G. Black 7
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: [Unk] Crawford ( - ) 7
6 F Maggie Black 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: in childhood
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
7 F Josephine Black 7
Born: 13 Aug 1846 7
Christened:
Died: 1890 7
Buried:
Status: Twin
8 M Jacob Black 2
Born: 13 Aug 1846 - Shippenville Furnace, Clarion Co, PA 2
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Status: Twin
Spouse: Mary E. Wilson (1858- ) 8
9 F Ellen E. Black 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: when two years old
Buried:
Spouse: Did Not Marry
General Notes: Husband - Jacob Black
In 1832 John Shippen, Richard Shippen, and Jacob Black formed a co-partnership for the purpose of manufacturing pig metal and iron, and in 1833 the Shippenville Fur-nace was built, metal made and hauled to the Clarion River above the turnpike bridge, and run to Pittsburgh in boats. Some years afterwards the other partners bought out John Shippen's interest, and the furnace was operated by Shippen & Black for many years. Jacob Black lived at the furnace, and was the active partner and manager. The firm built the forge a mile below on the creek, and made blooms and bar iron. A saw and grist-mill were erected, and a large number of hands found employment in cutting cord-wood, digging ore, burning charcoal (all the smelting was done with charcoal), hauling coal, ore, and metal, and operating the works. The "furnace" became the mar-ket for all kinds of produce. Farmers came there with grain and marketing from all over the county. Money was paid out for everything and circulated throughout the county, and the "works" became an important factor in developing and improving the neighborhood around. By able management and careful financiering, the firm success-fully weathered the disastrous times of 1837, 1847, and 1857. The partners became large real estate owners. At one time they bought three thousand acres of timber land on the upper waters of Paint Creek.
Mr. Black was recognized as one of the most successful and able iron masters in the county, and the poor or unfortunate had no better friend than he. Many of his workmen became farmers and property owners through his assistance and liberality. Although in years of great depression the firm lost money, it was more than made up in prosperous times, and throughout the years the furnace was operated the partners accumulated a handsome competence.
In 1859 the furnace blowed out, and the partnership was dissolved. At that time the firm owned a large amount of land in Beaver, Elk, and adjoining townships, and it was agreed that Mr. Shippen should make a division of all the real estate owned by the firm, and Mr. Black was to have the choice of the two parts into which it was divided. In this way an am-icable partition of the property was made, and deeds were executed to each for his purpart. The awkward result of Mr. Black's choice was that it left the house and property at the furnace, where Black lived, in Shippen's division, but a subsequent trade again vested the homestead in Mr. Black, and he continued to live where he started in business many years before. After retiring from the manufacture of metal he bought and sold real estate. The timber tract north of Shippenville, some fifteen hundred acres, was sold to Hahn, Metzgar & Wagner for about fifty thousand dollars.
When the First National Bank of Clarion was organized Mr. Black became a stock-holder, was an officer, and later president of that institution.
When the oil excitement broke out in Clarion county he became an operator and producer in the vicinity of Edenburg and Shippenville, having wells drilled on his lands in several localities, and spending a considerable amount of money in developing new territory. [HCC 1887, 659]
The issue of his marriage was nine children, five of whom, three boys and two girls, were still living in 1887.