Biography:
Mr. Reuben Black was born in 1846 in Maryland, the son of Mr. Andrew Black. He may have been born free.
{Edited to add]
In 1850, Mr. Black is living with Mr. Stephen Keys, a free Black farmer in Carroll County.
At the tender age of 5 years old, he was apprenticed out. His father either passed away or was unable to take care of him. Throughout the 1800s, orphaned children were often apprenticed to local families by the Orphans Court.
The Orphans Court records first record an apprenticeship to Mr. Stephen Key in 1851. His 9-year-old brother, William Henry Black, was also apprenticed at the same time. Unfortunately, he was sent to another household.
Something must have happened with the Key family, because at age 10, Mr. Black was back in front of the court. The court record shows that, he was apprenticed to “John H. Bowers to learn farming until age 21 when he is to receive $20 cash & 2 suits (Sunday & everyday).”
In 1870, Mr. Black is living with and working for Mr. Mordecai Gist (1814-1890) as a farm hand. In the summer of 1875, he married Ms. Annie Ownings. They had at least one son.
Mr. Reuben Black died sometime before 1900, and is buried in Ellsworth Cemetery in Westminster, Maryland.
Headstone