History of Glade, (Somerset County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Jeremiah Sullivan Black, statesman, was born in the Glades, Somerset county, Pa., Jan. 10, 1810; son of Henry and Mary (Sullivan) Black. His father was a representative in the 27th U.S. Congress and died in 1841. His paternal grandparents were James and Jane (McDonough) Black. His carly education was derived from that admirable academic system then existing in Scotch-Irish communities. He studied classics and mathematics at Brownsville in Fayette county, and was a student at law under Chauncey Forward, a representative in Congress. He was admitted to the bar in 1831, and in 1842 was made president-judge of the Franklin, Bedford and Somerset district. Nine ycars later he became one of the judges of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, and then chief justice of the state to succeed John Bannister Gibson, who died May 3, 1853. His decisions were held by members of his profession to be ornaments to the reports and were distinguished by virility of style. It was during these years that he delivered his masterly eulogy on Andrew Jackson, and his eloquent forensic address in honor of the memory of Judge Gibson, in which the following sentence blends modest allusion to himself and high praise of his predecessor. "When," said Judge Black, "he was superseded by another as the head of the court, his great learning, venerable character and overshadowing reputation, still made him the only chief whom the hearts of the people would know." President Buchanan selected him as his attorney-general March 5, 1857. He rendered conspicuous service while in this office, in protecting settlers under the government patents in California against fraudulent land grants, purporting to be of Mexican origin. When General Cass resigned his portfolio of secretary of state in December, 1860, President Buchanan appointed Judge Black to that position. He opposed the secession movement, favored the reinforcement of Fort Sumter, declared the union of the states indestructible and indissoluble, and so instructed the representatives of the republic abroad, and vigorously defended the just powers of the general government, the liberties of the people and the life of the nation. His term of service expired, with the administration of Mr. Buchanan, and he returned to the practice of law. He remained a stanch Democrat, but was held in respect as a statesman and patriot by every Republican. He was frequenfiy called into important cases as counsel, notably for Andrew Johnson in impeachment trial, Samuel J. Tilden, the Vanderbilt will case, the Milliken case and the McGarrahan claims. He was a man of devout faith and joined the "Disciples of Christ" or "Campbellites," about the time he married Mary F., daughter of Chauncey Forward, in 1838. He occasionally presided at the political rallies of his townsmen. On one such occasion, as he took the chair he said: "I hardly intended to be here tonight, but I saw in a little newspaper, that Judge Black would now have to show his hand in this campaign. There they are?my hands?there is no stain on them. They never held a bribe." He published, in 1882, "Christian Religion," a reply to certain arguments of Robert G. Ingersoll; and in 1885 a volume entitled "Essays and Speeches of J. S. Black" was issued. He died in York, Pa., Aug. 19, 1883.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Glade, (Somerset County) Pennsylvania

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