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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Fulton County
Munsell Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908

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The Biography of Theodore BLACK 

[Surnames: BECKSTEAD, BLACK, BYERS, COURTNEY, EVERMAN, FORD, POLLITT, WILCOXEN, WOODFORD] 

BLACK, THEODORE 

    
An enterprising and successful farmer in Sect. 4, Liverpool Twp., he was born there Nov. 23, 1857, a son of Isaac and Elizabseth (Byers) Black, natives respectively of Ross County, OH, and Bedford County, VA. The father was born Jan. 30, 1813, and the mother Oct. 14, 1819. They were married in Washington, Fayette County, OH in Oct. 1839. 
    
Isaac Black Sr., the grandfather was a native of Berks County, PA, who went to Virginia, where he married Grace Woodford, who was born in Philadelphia, and who went to Virginia. In about 1811 they moved to Ross County, OH. Isaac Sr. located in Fulton County in 1842, settling just west of Cuba where he made his home until 1857. He had purchased a farm of 140 acres in Sect. 4, Liverpool Twp., where he died Sept. 17, 1892 at the age of 79 years, 7 months and 17 days. His wife passed away Feb 14, 1889. They had 12 children: Theodore; Henry, deceased, b. July 27, 1840; Marion, a farmer near Smithfield, born Nov. 30 1841; Willliam, a farmer in Buckheart Twp., born Feb. 3, 1844; James, a resident of Canton, born Nov. 27, 1845; Hannah, born Feb. 2, 1849, wife of John Courtney of Bates County, MO; Martha A., born Apr. 30, 1851, wife of John Everman of Bates Co., MO; Mary L., born Sept 10, 1853, who married William Ford and moved to Indiana, where both died; Sarah E. b. Sept 3, 1855, deceased, wife of Joseph Wilcoxen, a farmer in Liverpool Twp.; Celesta A., deceased, born Dec 23, 1859; Travis, who died in infancy, and Edith M. b. July 31, 1865, wife of William McCann, a farmer of Liverpool Twp. 
    
Theodore Black was born on the paternal farm, and received his education in the common schools and is still engaged in farming where he grew to maturity, on a farm of 140 acres. On June 15, 1882 he married Harriett Pollitt, dau of James T. and Arilda (Beckstead) Pollitt, who was born Dec. 17, 1860. Two children have resulted from this union: Sylvia, b. Dec. 24, 1883, wife of George Wilcoxen, and Bruce, b. Sept. 4, 1887, who is with his parents. 
    
In politics he is of the Democratic Party, and fraternally he is affiliated with Bryant Camp, No. 436, M. W. A.