ELIAS G. BLACK is the oldest resident at Glenarm and was the first to establish himself there in business, where he is prosperously engaged as a blacksmith and wagon maker, he building the first house and shop in this village. He is a son of Benjamin Black, a native of Botetourt County, Va., who was in turn a son of Christ Black, who was a native of Pennsylvania. The grandfather of our subject was a farmer in Virginia, where he owned a farm. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and fought in the battle of New Orleans under Gen. Jackson.

Benjamin Black was reared in the county of his nativity and early learned the trade of a shoe maker. When he attained manhood he located on a farm in Botetourt County, where he followed agriculture mostly, though wen a young man he often engaged in teaming and for seven years drove a stage between Beauford and Buchanan. In 1861 he enlisted in a Virginia regiment commanded by "Stonewall" Jackson, and served three years and eight months in the Confederate Army. He at one time was taken prisoner by the Union soldiers and was imprisoned at Elmira, N.Y. He now resides with a son at Roanoke City, Va., and has attained the venerable age of seventy-eight years. He never was a slave owner and is now a strong Republican.

The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Matilda A. Taylor, and she was born and reared in Bedford County, Va. Her father, Thomas Taylor, was the son of an early pioneer family of Ohio and was born in that State. He removed to Virginia, where he followed his occupation as a shoemaker until his death. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and served under Jackson. He enlisted twice during that contest, the second time as a substitute. The mother of our subject departed this life in the fall of 1889 in her old home in Virginia. Of her thirteen children ten grew to maturity, as follows: W. T., a blacksmith in Nodaway County, Mo.; H. A., a carpenter in Roanoke City, Va.; James P., a farmer at Glenarm; Elizabeth F., a resident of Bedford, County, Va.; David, a teamster at Roanoke City; E. G.; Rachael M., Mrs. Adams, who died in Virginia leaving one child; B. F., who has a carpenter shop at Roanoke; Mary S., Mrs. Tomlinson, of Roanoke City; Nancy J., Mrs. J. Orange, of Botetourt County, Va. W. T. was a soldier in the Confederate Army during the late Rebellion, serving under Lee from 1861 until the close of the war. He was Captain of a company in a Virginia regiment and was wounded in the right arm in the battle near Richmond. H. A. was Orderly Sergeant in a Virginia Artillery Regiment, serving from 1862 until the close of the war. He was wounded at one time in the knee. James P. served in a West Virginia regiment from 1862 to the close of the war.

He of whom we write was born amid the beautiful scenery of Blue Ridge Springs, Botetourt County, Va., June 26, 1848. His early life was passed on a farm and his education was received in a subscription school where he advanced in mathematics as far as the rule of three. He remained at home until the war and then took charge of the farm, and managed to make a living. He continued an inmate of the parental household until he was twenty-one years old, and then wishing to advance his education further he attended the common school in the vicinity. In 1870 he apprenticed himself to learn the trade of a wagon maker and blacksmith under W. A. Starkey, with whom he remained two years.

In the fall of 1873 Mr. Black took an important step in life, as he then came to Illinois and opened a shop in Talkington Township. Six months later he sold it and worked in Auburn for J. M. Lord awhile. In 1874 he was employed by Mr. K. Nuckolls and worked for him the ensuing three years. While there he was married to Miss Margaret J. Bowman, who was born and reared on a farm in Wayne County and theirs has been a pleasant wedded life. Mrs. Black is a sincere Christian and is a member in good standing of the Presbyterian Church.

In 1877 Mr. Black located near the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Ball Township, where he bought a shop and was busily engaged at his trade there until 1886, when he sold out and went to work in Auburn. In 1887 he purchased the first lot that was ever sold in Glenarm, and erected the first house and shop that were ever built there, and since then he has been actively engaged as a blacksmith and in the manufacture of wagons. One year he and his wife kept a public boarding house.

Mr. Black is a wide awake man, is a very skillful mechanic, and in the few years that he has been established here has built up a profitable trade and has enhanced the business interests of the village of which he had the honor of being the first settler. He is a man of sound principles and of sterling habits, and in word and deed is a temperance man who strongly advocates the Prohibition cause. He has done honorable service as a civic official, has served as Commissioner of Highways three years and as School Director six years.