19th century American politician
John Black
Portrait from the United States biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of eminent and self-made men ; Wisconsin volume (1877)
In office April 1878 – April 1880Preceded by Ammi R. Butler Succeeded by Thomas H. Brown In office January 5, 1874 – January 3, 1876Preceded by John L. Mitchell Succeeded by John L. Mitchell In office January 1, 1872 – January 6, 1873Preceded by James Hoye Succeeded by James McGrath
Born Jean Schwartz
(1830-08-16 ) August 16, 1830Bitche , Lorraine , France Died October 25, 1899(1899-10-25) (aged 69)Milwaukee , Wisconsin, U.S. Resting place Calvary Cemetery , Milwaukee, Wisconsin Spouse Elizabeth M. Schoeffel (died 1891) Children Elizabeth M. Black (b. 1856; died 1939) Signature
John Black (born Jean Schwartz ; August 16, 1830 – October 25, 1899) was a French American immigrant and Democratic politician. He served as the 24th mayor of Milwaukee , Wisconsin, and represented Milwaukee County for three years in the Wisconsin Legislature .[ 1]
Biography
Black was born near Bitche , Lorraine , France . He attended college in Metz before moving with his family to the United States in 1844, settling near Lockport, New York . He moved with his wife to Milwaukee in 1857, where he started a wholesale wine and liquor business. Black was active in politics, having served in the Wisconsin State Assembly , the Wisconsin State Senate , the Milwaukee Common Council, and, in 1878, as Mayor of Milwaukee for a two-year term, a Democrat in a city largely Republican at the time. He appointed a fellow Democrat as police chief , who fired twenty-five Republican policemen (as part of the spoils system then prevalent).[ 2] He was described by a contemporary, publisher William George Bruce , as "a tall, broad-shouldered, dark-bearded man, a positive character who spoke his mind freely and who called a spade a spade."[ 3] Black was the Democratic nominee to the United States Congress in 1886, but was defeated by Henry Smith of the Union Labor Party .
He died at his home in Milwaukee on October 25, 1899.[ 4] He is buried at Calvary Cemetery .[ 5]
References
^ John Black
^ Wellauer-Lenius, Maralyn A. Milwaukee Police Department. Mt. Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2008; p. 10.
^ Bruce, William George. "Memoirs of William George Bruce: Seeing and Hearing Eminent Persons". Wisconsin Magazine of History , V. 18, No. 1 (September 1934), p.52
^ "Prominent Milwaukeean Dead" . The Green Bay Gazette . Milwaukee. October 26, 1899. p. 1. Retrieved February 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Aikens, Andrew J. and Lewis A. Proctor, eds. Men of progress. Wisconsin. A selected list of biographical sketches and portraits of the leaders in business, professional and official life. Together with short notes on the history and character of Wisconsin . Milwaukee: The Evening Wisconsin company, 1897; pp. 630-632.