WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA ***************************************************************************** Biography transcribed & donated to Wabasha County, MN Bios by Barbara Koska Timm. For more information, please check out her site "Biographies and Historical Sketches of Wabasha County, Minnesota" at . ***************************************************************************** HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY TOGETHER WITH BIOGRAPHICAL MATTER, STATISTICS, ETC. GATHERED FROM MATTER FURNISHED BY INTERVIEWS WITH OLD SETTLERS, COUNTY, TOWNSHIP AND OTHER RECORDS, AND EXTRACTS FROM FILES OF PAPERS, PAMPHLETS, AND SUCH OTHER SOURCES AS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE. ALSO A HISTORY OF WINONA COUNTY CHICAGO: H. H. HILL & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 1884 Black, William Wallace, son of the above (Elam Black), was born November 29, 1841, at Monroeville, Huron county, Ohio. He received a good common-school education, meantime giving assistance to his father's farming operations. At nineteen he took up harnessmaking, which was his occupation for many years. On August 2, 1861, he enlisted in an independent battalion then forming at Galena, and subsequently consolidated with the 3d Mo. Cav. This regiment was employed in scouting in Missouri and Arkansas. In the summer of 1863 Mr. Black was discharged and re-enlisted in the following December, in the 17th Ill. Cav., and was elected first lieutenant of Co. F. This regiment was commanded by the subsequent Gov. Beveredge, of Illinois, and saw hard service in Missouri. During most of the time the captain was absent on detached service, and the company was under command of Mr. Black. The history of the company states that it traveled by rail, steamboat and in the saddle, over fifteen thousand miles. At one time twelve hundred miles were made during fifty-nine days spent in the saddle. This was during the famous pursuit of the rebel, Gen. Price, during which this company led a charge of four miles, in which twenty-two thousand rebels were driven back. The principal engagements were those of Allen Station, Rocalope, Booneville, California, Sedalia, Syracuse, Lexington and Utonia. When the company was mustered out, December 18, 1865, less than one-half of its original men were left. On April 19, 1866, Mr. Black became a resident of Mazeppa, and in the following fall bought an interest in a harness-shop. This he soon sold, and in the fall of 1867 established the first harness-shop in Zumbrota. After two years in business there, he sold out and returned to Mazeppa, where has ever since been his home. He again opened a shop here, and conducted the business some years. In August, 1880, he was appointed a postal clerk on the route between St. Paul and Breckenridge; was soon transferred to the Midland railroad; then ran between St. Paul and LaCrosse, and now between the former city and Chicago. Mr. Black has always been an active republican; has served often on local committees; was several years town clerk and supervisor here; has taken great interest in schools, and been most of the time an officer of the village district. He was four years master of the Masonic lodge here, and is also a member of the chapter at Zumbrota. On December 22, 1864, Mr. Black was united in marriage to Miss Dora Dudley, a native of Galena, Illinois. Her father, John Dudley, came from England. George W., the eldest child of this couple, was killed by the cars here on October 23, 1881. The other children were born as follows: Dora B., May 3, 1868; Alice Eva, January 8, 1871; Roy W., April 10, 1873; William W., September 11, 1875; Edgar D., January 23, 1878; Georgiana M., November 4, 1882.