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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: BLACK, Valentine L.
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
September 26, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative
Citizens
W.S. Laidley
Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL.
1911
p. 450-453
VALENTINE L. BLACK, an attorney of Charleston, a member of the well known law
firm of Brown, Jackson & Knight, was born in Beaver County, Pa., November 14,
1864, a son of Isaac and Sarah (Kay) Black. His first American ancestors,
including the immigrant, settled at an early date in the state of Maryland.
John Black, the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, removed
to Beaver County, Pa., where he engaged in farming. He died there when past
middle age. His wife in maidenhood was Mary Smith, or Smyth, whose ancestors
were from Germany. She lived to the remarkable age of 101 years. The Smiths
were at first Lutherans but afterwards became attached to the Presbyterian
faith. The children of John and Mary (Smith) Black were Andrew, John, Adam,
Mary and Isaac, the father of our subject.
Isaac Black became a coal and steamboat operator on the Monongahela and Ohio
rivers, meeting with varied success in these occupa-tions. In April, 1872, he
came to Charleston with his family, and for the rest of his active life. he
was engaged in business here. His death took place in 1888, when he was
about sixty-three or sixty-four years old. He was a Democrat in politics and
a member of the Presbyterian church. He married in Pennsylvania, Miss Sarah
Kay, who was born in Yorkshire, England, and was of English parentage and
an-cestry. She was twelve years of age when she accompanied her parents,
Henry and Mary (Ward) Kay, to America. The Kays are said to be chiefly of
Norman stock while the Wards are Saxon. Mrs. Black's parents on coming to
this country, settled in Allegheny County, Pa., where they lived and died.
She herself died in Charleston, W. Va., at the age of fifty-three years, in
December, 1891, having survived her husband about three and one-half years.
Their children were William, Henry, David, Alice, Valentine L., Thomas W. and
Sarah, whose records in brief are as follows: William and Sarah died in
childhood. David Marcus is a printer residing in Charleston. He is married
and has three children, namely: William, Nellie, who is married and has a
daughter; and Alice, who is also married and has two children, a son and a
daughter. Dice (daughter of Isaac and Sarah Black) became the wife of James
S. Stewart and resides at Newport, Ky. She has one daughter. Thomas W. died
un-married when over thirty years of age.
Valentine L. Black was about seven years old when his parents took up their
residence in Charleston. He was educated in the public schools of this city,
became a clerk, and read law with his brother, Judge H. K. Black, now of the
Intermediate Court, but who was then-from 1891 to 1896 circuit clerk of the
county. Admitted to the bar in 1896, he became in January of the following
year, associated with the firm of Brown, Jackson & Knight, and is still
associated with this firm, which transacts a large amount of the important
legal business of the county. He is a Republican politically, and belongs to
the Masonic order, being a member of Kanawha Lodge No.20, A. F. & A. M.;
Chapter No. 13, R. A. M.; Kanawba Commandery, No. 4; and Beni-Kedem Temple,
M. S. He is also a Scottish Rite Mason, hav-ing taken the fourteenth degree;
and an Odd Fellow, belonging to the Encampment; and a member of Glen Lodge of
Elks, No.95.
He was married in Charleston, W. Va., in
December, '899, to Miss Maybell Burdett, who was horn in this city in 1877,
being a daughter of- Hon. Samuel C. Burdett, judge of the Cir-cuit Court of
Kanawha County. Mrs. Black was given a good education, attending the best
schools in Charleston. She and her husband are the parents of two children:
Ruth B., born December 9, 1900; and Mildred, horn December 19, 1905. Mr. and
Mrs. V. L. Black are members of the Episcopal church.
Henry K. Black was born in Freedom, Pa., and was educated in the public
schools of that place. Coming to Charleston in 1872, he began the study of
law and was subsequently deputy clerk and clerk of the Circuit Court for
sixteen years. He was admitted to the bar in 1896 and was later appointed
vice chancellor or commis-sioner of chancery. In 1902 he was elected to his
present position as judge of the Interme-diate Court (or Criminal Court) of
Kanawaha County, being re-elected in 1908. He has proved his ability on the
bench and has been usefully active in many local matters. He was a meniber of
the city council for three years, being elected in '899. In politics he is a
Republican. He is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge, No.20, of
Charleston, and he is a charter member also of Elkana Lodge, No.63, K. P.
Judge Black was married in Denver, Cob., to Miss Etta Anderson, a Charleston
lady and daughter of John P. and Ellen (Irslow) Anderson. Her father, who was
engaged in the brick manufacturing industry in Charleston, died some twenty
years ago. His widow, Mrs. Black's mother, survives him and resides with her
son, James R. Anderson, in this city. She is a member of the Methodist
church, South, and is an active, intelligent, and well informed woman. Her
husband was a Presbyterian in religion and a strong Democrat in politics.
Judge and Mrs. Black have been the parents of three children, namely:
Frances, who is at-tending the city high school, being a member of the class
of 1912; and Henry K., Jr., and Harold K, who died in childhood. Mrs. Black
and her daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
State Contact for WV GenExchange
http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm
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