Robert R. BLACK, farmer of Hardeema County, is a native of South Carolina, born October 10, 1831, the third of nine children born to Amos and Lucy (Foster) BLACK, both natives of South Carolina. They were married in South Carolina in about the year 1823, and in 1836 they immigrated to Tennessee and settled in Madison County, where they lived seventeen years. In 1853 they moved to Hardeman County and there spent the remainder of their days. The father was of Irish descent, born in 1804. He was a Democrat in politics, a tiller of the soil by occupation, and a prominent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and died in Hardeman County in September, 1877. The mother’s ancestors came from England; she was born about the year 1806, was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and died March 23, 1857, in Hardeman County.
Robert R. received a good education in youth and in early life began farming. At five years of age he came with his parents to Tennessee and has ever since made it his home. In 1853 he came to Hardeman County and after living at different places, in 1865 he purchased the farm where he now resides. Mr. BLACK began life poor but by close application to business, and industry and economy has secured a fair portion of this world’s goods, owning 800 acres of good land in his county, and a water grist-mill and cotton-gin on Mill Creek. May 10, 1855, he married Miss Ann E. TOONE, a native of Hardeman County, born February 5. 1839, and to them have been born six sons, five now living. Mr. BLACK is a Democrat and he and wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Transcribed by David Donahue
Source: Goodspeed Pub. Co. History of Tennessee: From the Earliest Time to the Present ; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketch of Fayette and Hardeman Counties, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, Etc., Etc. Nashville: Goodspeed Pub. Co, 1887.