Individual Details
Alfred "Griffith" Black
(28 Dec 1806 - 22 Dec 1888)
Below is from another researcher. So, when it says "my personal opinion", that is the other person's opinion.
BIOGRAPHY: Rose Camden submitted a history on Black, Reynolds County, MO that was printed in Reynolds County Missouri "Sesquicentennial Year"1845-1995 Vol
One paragraph of that submission is about a Griffey Black. Here is that paragraph:
One day, Griffey Black appeared. Not much is known about him. He built a trading post by a crystal clear spring on the west bank of the Middle Fork of the Black River. It was the only trading post between Bellevue and Salem. Up to this time the area was known as Camp Ground as it served as a camping place for persons moving through the area. Since the nearest post office was in Potosi, Mr. Black decided to establish a post office in this trading post, giving it the name of Black Post Office. Thereby, the community became Black.
Griffith left Sever Co., TN circa 1833 and moved to AL. After leaving AL about 1850and crossing into MO, he settled in Howell CO.
My Personal view: I believe that Griffith first left Tenn. with the rest of his family when they moved to VA about 1810-1814. The group ultimately consisted of several families that made this journey. It would have been a slow moving group in the summer months, and stopping in winter. I have seen from marriage records etc. that some families would stay in an area for a few years. Maybe to grow and store food for the next leg of the trip.
It seemed that some of the people, I think young unmarried men, would range ahead and prepare the next place for the group to settle. At some point I think Griffith ranged ahead and found the area of what was then Washington Co., Mo. Now Reynolds Co., where the Black River forks. He settled there and founded the post office. Then once enough of the group had caught up with him to hold the settlement, I believe that he went back to Tenn. Married and then followed his wife's family to AL when they started their migration about 1833.
He must have stayed in contact with his family in MO. He moved from AL to MO. and settled in Howell Co., a little West of the others.
Migration: Also it is clear from the birth locations of Spencer's children that they were moving back and forth between TN and VA (but then again during that time, the borderline between TN and VA was pretty fluid and was disputed by both states).
1850 US Census Cherokee Co. AL ED 26 HH-777-777 (Ancestry.com Image 114)
Black Griffith M W 45 <1804> Farmer 413 TN
Clerissa F W 44 <1805> TN c/n read/write
William C. M W 21 <1828> Stn Mason TN
John M W 16 <1833> Farmer TN
George W. M W 15 <1834> Farmer AL
Mary F W 13 <1836> AL
Susan F W 11 <1838> AL
Francis M. M W 9 <1840> AL
Simon M W 7 <1842> AL
Daniel M W 5 <1844> AL
Elijah M W 1 <1849> [twin] AL
Enoch M W 1 <1849> [twin] AL
*
1860 US Census Howell Co. MO Benton HH-317-317
(Ancestry.com Image 17)
Black Griffith M W 56 <1804> Farmer 350 TN
Clerisa F W 58 <1802> TN c/n read/write
Susannah F W 21 <1838> AL
Simon M W 19 <1841> Frm Lbr AL
Daniel M W 16 <1844> Frm Lbr AL
Enoch M W 9 <1850> AL
Sarah J. F W 7 <1852> AL
Francis M. M W 20 <1840> Frm Lbr AL
*
1870 US Census Howell Co. MO Benton HH-37-37
(Ancestry.com Image 6)
Black Griffith M W 64 <1805> Farmer 1000 400 TN
Simon M W 28 <1841> Farmer 50 200 AL
Clerisa A. F W 65 <1805> Kpng House TN
Enoc M W 21 <1849> Farmer AL
Sarah J. F W 19 <1851> AL
*
1880 US Census Howell Co. MO Benton ED 50 HH-17-17
(Ancestry.com Image 3)
Black Enoch L. HOH M W 31 <1848> Mrd Farmer AL TN TN
July M. Wife F W 24 <1855> Mrd Kpng House NC NC NC
Amanda E. Dau F W 3 <1876> S MO AL NC
Thomas G. Son M W 1 <1878> S MO AL NC
Griffith FA M W 74 <1805> Mrd TN TN --
Claracy A. MO F W 75 <1805> Mrd TN -- --
BIOGRAPHY: Rose Camden submitted a history on Black, Reynolds County, MO that was printed in Reynolds County Missouri "Sesquicentennial Year"1845-1995 Vol
One paragraph of that submission is about a Griffey Black. Here is that paragraph:
One day, Griffey Black appeared. Not much is known about him. He built a trading post by a crystal clear spring on the west bank of the Middle Fork of the Black River. It was the only trading post between Bellevue and Salem. Up to this time the area was known as Camp Ground as it served as a camping place for persons moving through the area. Since the nearest post office was in Potosi, Mr. Black decided to establish a post office in this trading post, giving it the name of Black Post Office. Thereby, the community became Black.
Griffith left Sever Co., TN circa 1833 and moved to AL. After leaving AL about 1850and crossing into MO, he settled in Howell CO.
My Personal view: I believe that Griffith first left Tenn. with the rest of his family when they moved to VA about 1810-1814. The group ultimately consisted of several families that made this journey. It would have been a slow moving group in the summer months, and stopping in winter. I have seen from marriage records etc. that some families would stay in an area for a few years. Maybe to grow and store food for the next leg of the trip.
It seemed that some of the people, I think young unmarried men, would range ahead and prepare the next place for the group to settle. At some point I think Griffith ranged ahead and found the area of what was then Washington Co., Mo. Now Reynolds Co., where the Black River forks. He settled there and founded the post office. Then once enough of the group had caught up with him to hold the settlement, I believe that he went back to Tenn. Married and then followed his wife's family to AL when they started their migration about 1833.
He must have stayed in contact with his family in MO. He moved from AL to MO. and settled in Howell Co., a little West of the others.
Migration: Also it is clear from the birth locations of Spencer's children that they were moving back and forth between TN and VA (but then again during that time, the borderline between TN and VA was pretty fluid and was disputed by both states).
1850 US Census Cherokee Co. AL ED 26 HH-777-777 (Ancestry.com Image 114)
Black Griffith M W 45 <1804> Farmer 413 TN
Clerissa F W 44 <1805> TN c/n read/write
William C. M W 21 <1828> Stn Mason TN
John M W 16 <1833> Farmer TN
George W. M W 15 <1834> Farmer AL
Mary F W 13 <1836> AL
Susan F W 11 <1838> AL
Francis M. M W 9 <1840> AL
Simon M W 7 <1842> AL
Daniel M W 5 <1844> AL
Elijah M W 1 <1849> [twin] AL
Enoch M W 1 <1849> [twin] AL
*
1860 US Census Howell Co. MO Benton HH-317-317
(Ancestry.com Image 17)
Black Griffith M W 56 <1804> Farmer 350 TN
Clerisa F W 58 <1802> TN c/n read/write
Susannah F W 21 <1838> AL
Simon M W 19 <1841> Frm Lbr AL
Daniel M W 16 <1844> Frm Lbr AL
Enoch M W 9 <1850> AL
Sarah J. F W 7 <1852> AL
Francis M. M W 20 <1840> Frm Lbr AL
*
1870 US Census Howell Co. MO Benton HH-37-37
(Ancestry.com Image 6)
Black Griffith M W 64 <1805> Farmer 1000 400 TN
Simon M W 28 <1841> Farmer 50 200 AL
Clerisa A. F W 65 <1805> Kpng House TN
Enoc M W 21 <1849> Farmer AL
Sarah J. F W 19 <1851> AL
*
1880 US Census Howell Co. MO Benton ED 50 HH-17-17
(Ancestry.com Image 3)
Black Enoch L. HOH M W 31 <1848> Mrd Farmer AL TN TN
July M. Wife F W 24 <1855> Mrd Kpng House NC NC NC
Amanda E. Dau F W 3 <1876> S MO AL NC
Thomas G. Son M W 1 <1878> S MO AL NC
Griffith FA M W 74 <1805> Mrd TN TN --
Claracy A. MO F W 75 <1805> Mrd TN -- --
Events
| Birth | 28 Dec 1806 | Tn | |||
| Marriage | Abt 1825 | Tenn - | |||
| Death | 22 Dec 1888 | Howell Co., Mo |
Families
| Father | Spencer Black (1785 - 1855) |
| Mother | Haness (1785 - 1855) |
| Sibling | Rebecca Black (1808 - ) |
| Sibling | Rhedmond H Black (1810 - 1839) |
| Sibling | ? John Black (1812 - ) |
| Sibling | George Washington Black (1814 - ) |
| Sibling | Robert Black (1817 - ) |
| Sibling | Mary Pollyanna "Polly" Black (1819 - ) |
| Sibling | Rev James Samuel Black (1822 - ) |
| Sibling | John Black (1823 - 1856) |
| Sibling | Sarah "Lova" "Lova Or Loud" Black (1824 - ) |