politician, banker, legislator, b. near Bitche, Lorraine, France. He attended college at Metz, came to Milwaukee in 1857, and engaged in the wholesale liquor business. He served as a city railroad commissioner (1859-1863), councilor (1870), and a Democratic member of the assembly (1872) and of the senate (1874-1875). While state senator he was instrumental in securing the passage of a law for the punishment of bribery at elections. As mayor of Milwaukee (1878-1880), he was the first official to require members of the police force to wear uniforms. He was Democratic candidate for Congress in 1886 but, because of his opposition to the 8-hour day, lost to the People's party candidate. Black helped to organize the Bank of Commerce (1870), Milwaukee Manufacturing Co. (1872), Milwaukee Industrial Exposition Association (1879), and was instrumental through consolidating two banks in forming the First Wisconsin National Bank of Milwaukee (1894). He served as director of the Northwestern National Insurance Co. and director and vice-president of the Bank of Commerce. Columbian Biog. Diet ... Wis. (Chicago, 1895); H. L. Conard, ed., Hist. of Milwaukee (3 vols., Chicago [1896]); [F. A. Flower] Hist. of Milwaukee (Chicago, 1881); A. M. Thomson, Political Hist. of Wis. (Milwaukee, 1900); J. A. Watrous, Memoirs of Milwaukee Co. (2 vols., Madison, 1909); Milwaukee Sentinel, Oct. 26, 1899; Milwaukee Evening Wis., Oct. 26, 1899; WPA field notes.

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]