Biographies
Bamberg County - South
Carolina Genealogy Trails
BLACK, JAMES BENJAMIN, M.
D., for eight years a member of the South Carolina
house of representatives, and in 1905 elected state senator from
Bamberg county, was born in Colleton county, South Carolina, July
19,1849. His father, Robert Black, was a farmer who had served as
captain in the Confederate army, and was sheriff of Colleton county
until the time of his death, which occurred in his twentieth year of
consecutive service in that office. His mother, Elizabeth Black, was
the granddaughter of Thomas Caldwell, who came from Ireland and
settled in Colleton county about 1800; while Robert Black, his
paternal great great grandfather, was of Scotch Irish descent, and
settled in South Carolina about 1760, serving in the Revolutionary
army.
His early life was passed in the country, and to this, in
part at least, he owes a sound constitution and good health. He says
of himself, "I worked on a farm, and learned how to make a living."
Such difficulties as lay in the way of his acquiring an education he
overcame by his industry and his ability to earn his own way. To
biographical reading he attributes much of the stimulus to
achievement in his own life. He completed courses of study in the
high schools of his county, and was graduated from the University of
Maryland, school of medicine, in 1872, with the degree of M.
D.
On August 1,1872, he married Miss Hattie Ayer, and in the same
year he began the practice of medicine in Colleton county. With the
practice of medicine he has combined the business of a druggist; and
for eighteen years he has served as director in the Bamberg bank. He
is also a director of the Bamberg Cotton mills.
He served as
captain of a company in the state militia from 1877 to 1880,
although he saw no active service. He was the prime mover in the
creation of the county of Bamberg, and he has often been styled in
the local press "the father of Bamberg county." For eight years he
has served in the house of representatives of the state of South
Carolina, and he now represents
Bamberg county as
senator. He has also served as attendant of the town of
Bamberg.
Of the ten children of Dr. and Mrs. Black, eight are now
living. Dr. Black is a member of the following fraternities:
Masonic, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World;
and he has filled the highest official positions, in his own
locality, in several of these orders. He is an ex-president of the
Barnwell County Medical society, of which he is still a member. His
political affiliations are, as they have always been, with the
Democratic party; and in religious convictions he is a Baptist. He
finds traveling his most enjoyable and helpful recreation. To his
young fellow citizens he says, "Be honest; abstain from the use of
intoxicants and narcotics; do not smoke cigarettes; keep good
company."
Men of Mark in South Carolina By James Calvin Hemphill
Published 1907 - transcribed and contributed by Barb
Ziegenmeyer
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