Descendants of John Ebenezer Black

[Teddy1]

Hello Black researchers of Northumberland and New Zealand.

 May I add a Canadian branch to your family tree?  My husband's maternal grandmother in Canada was Ada Black-Stevens whose ancestors came to Peterborough, Ontario from Northumberland, England.  Names associated with family in England and Canada - Nesbit(t), Edminson(Edminston), Tindle(Tyndal) and Walton in Canada.

I believe that Ada's direct ancestor was Thomas Black who was co-owner of Ford Forge with brother James.   Parents of Thomas and James were John Black and Jean(Janet) Carr from Kilmaurs, Scotland.

I haven't looked at this family for about 6 years so I am a little rusty on the details.  I will have a good look at my files.
Do please be patient while I sort things out!

So, from what I have found today online today - looks like James Black - father of John Ebenezer - moved to New Heaton Farm in Cornhill.

1861 Corhnill Census (Familysearch.org - documents)
James Black - age 68 - born 1793 - BP Ford
John Ebenezer Black - age 24 - single - son - BP Cornhill
Mary Black - born 1830 - Ford

 I found James Black age 78 in 1871 Census - Cornhill, Heaton (Familysearch.org) with daughter Eliza SMITH - age 37 and granddaughter Ann Isabella Smith - age 4
I also found a Elizabeth Dodds in the household - age 20 servant (and I do believe the Dodds married into the Nesbit family in Ford Forge)

Also looks like a blacksmith named Wait might have bought Ford Forge from Blacks - wonder if this could have been the connection to John Ebenezer's wives??  Found in Delaval Manuscripts online "The forge was leased to Thomas Black & Sons who remained there for over a century before transferring their work to Spittal, near Berwick.  In 1894, the Forge was occupied by John Wait, blacksmith".  I need to investigate this further.

I won't ramble on until I get a good look at what I have in my files.

I will be happy to share more if anyone is interested in pursuing the family in Canada

So are Ford Forge and Cornhill nearby?

Bye for now
from Canada

[106519]

HelloTeddy1,

First the easy bit, Ford and Cornhill are neighbouring rural parishes in North Northumberland.
Secondly Black is a very common name in the area, so it is easy to go wrong. You are clearly on the right family, except I have no knowledge of a Carr of Kilmaurs. Almost certainly the Wait that took the lease of the Forge after the Blacks is related to one or both of JEB's wives, very possibly a brother of his second wife.
If there are questions about the family I am happy to share what knowledge I have. A descendent of the family has put a huge amount of material on ancestry.co.uk.

David

[Teddy1]

Hi David

Thank you identifying the location of Cornhill.

From my online searches it appears that the Black's were quite a well-connected family at one time in Northumberland.
There appears to be estate records, letter etc at the National Archives and Scottish Family organization in UK.

I did a bit of sleuthing for John Ebenezer and found in "Southland Times" - 2 Sept 1884 - Estate of John E BLACK - included in the list of creditors was George Black of Lanton, England.

After some GOOGLING - I found the following

Lennel Kirkyard - Coldstream, Scotland
Middle - Row 17 - 3 - Davidson/Black
Erected by AGNES DAVIDSON in memory of her husband GEORGE BLACK who died at Lanton Northumberland 27 July 1889 aged 58 years.
Also of AGNES DAVIDSON wife of the above GEORGE BLACK who died at Newcastle 8 September 1912 aged 80 years. In her heart was the law of kindness.

Notice of Agnes Davidson-Black's estate settlement can be found online in "The London Gazette, 20 Jan 1914 - pages 536 & 537

Looks like Agnes came from prosperous Davidson family of Coldstream - grocers, and spirit dealers

George Black I believe has association (perhaps son of ) James R Black who owned Wynnefield/Winfield farm in Northumberland and also lived in Blackdean.

I haven't investigated this thoroughly, but I believe it was suggested a posting at this site that George Black was Cousin of John Ebenezer?? 

As to my husband's Canadian Blacks - his earliest ancestors in Canada

 Gr Gr Grandparents
Israel Craig Black - born 1825 England - died 1879 Smith Twp, Peterborough, Ontario
Nancy Walton (1834 - England - 1913 - Smith Twp)
Married - 1854 in Peterborough, Ontario

Waltons came to Canada ca 1818 from Alston, Cumberland with Thomas Milburn Settlers.

I believe that Israel was son of John Black(owner of Ford Forge) and Sara Edminson (who married a Tindle and moved to Smith Twp after death of John Black)

So George of Lanton would be family of James Black who was once co-owner of Ford Forge with brother John Black???

Hopefully I haven't gotten this totally muddled! 

I find it amazing how far families strayed from each other - England, New Zealand and Canada and how the computer has allowed us to re-connect!

Comments would be appreciated.

Bye for now
Teddy1

[106519]

hello again Teddy1

A lot there, you have been very busy. Much of your post is correct
George Black of Lanton was was JEB's brother, both sons of James Black of New Heaton. George married well, Agnes Davidson's family owned the Coldstream brewery, and she was later described as the sole partner. They had no children and she used her wealth to endow Coldstream with a new church.
James R Black was a cousin, son of Ebenezer Black of Grindon.
Another cousin was also called George Black.
Israel Black was the youngest of John and Agnes Black's fifteen children, he died in 1823 aged about 27. His son Israel Craig Black (hopefully born in 1824 rather than 1825!) was therefore a full cousin to the men named above.
It is all quite confusing as the same Christian names are used in each family (except Israel!)
I have emailed you direct asking you to contact a relative of yours who can give more detailed information.
Walton is quite a common name in South Northumberland and over into North Cumbria and Durham. The name almost certainly comes from "Walltown", a settlement on Hadrian's Wall.
Good luck!

David

[JBI]

As couple of points to clear up some ambiguities and an educated 'guess' to take things a bit further forward.
1. Ford Forge is the name of a place, and not just of a forge.  It's just down the hill, on the banks of the River Till, about a mile from Ford village in Northumberland.
2. Many of the Black family are buried in the cemetery of the old church just outside Ford village, on the slope down to Ford Forge.  Some of the graves are monumental.
3. The muddle over occupations seems to me to be explainable as follows:  John Ebenezer Black was recorded mainly as a miller, and the mill at Ford Forge is just opposite the smithy, separated from it only by the river.  The mill was water powered and is open today as a working museum.
The Wait(e) family into whom John Ebenezer married were occupied with spade making, - hence the association with the smithy.
William Wait, the father of John's two wives, it seems (they were sisters or half-sisters?) is recorded as a spāde-maker in Main street, Spittal, Tweedmouth.
Spade-making was an important activity in the local economy.
It seems too that the religious connections of the two families, Black and Wait, were strongly Presbyterian.
Hope this helps those interested.
John