For more than fifty years Joseph Black has been a resident of Kosciusko county and a prominent factor in its material growth and agricultural development. Few have been here as long as he and none have been more active during the last half century in making Prairie township one of the most enterprising and progressive sections of northern Indiana.
Joseph Black was born in Clark county, Ohio, on December 21, 1823 to James and Catherine Black. His childhood and youthful years were spent on the home farm and in the subscription schools he received such educational training as the teachers of those days were capable of imparting. When old enough to begin life for himself he chose the calling of agriculture and a little later operated a saw and grist-mill in connection with his labors on his father's farm.
On obtaining his majority young Black concluded to make a tour of observation through the states of Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, with the object in view of purchasing land; accordingly in 1845 he started on horseback to what was then considered the far west. He traveled through northern Indiana, making his way to Kosciusko county via Huntington, and being much pleased with the advantages the former presented as an agricultural region, concluded to secure land there, provided he found no more favorable location further westward. He proceeded on his trip to the then young and growing town of Chicago, thence as far northwest as Madison, Wisconsin, and before his return rode over a considerable portion of Iowa, at that time a wild, unbroken prairie with settlements few and far between. Being more than ever pleased with the fertile soil of Kosciusko county, he purchased, in the fall of 1846, one hundred and eighty-two acres of his present farm in the township of Prairie. No sooner had Mr. Black obtained possession of his land than he began preparations to improve it. In company with a comrade, one Alexander Wallace, he erected a small cabin and during the three years following the two lived together, each working on his respective place, doing their own housework and obtaining as much pleasure as possible from their isolated and lonely situation. At the end of three years he returned to Clark county, Ohio, where, on the 20th day of December, 1849, he was united in marriage to Miss Susan Richeson, daughter of George and Prudence (Prillman) Richeson.
In the spring of 1850 Mr. Black and wife loaded their household effects and a few agricultural implements on a wagon and started for their new home in Kosciusko county, reaching their destination on the 25th day of April. They moved into the little house that Mr. Black had formerly occupied while "baching" and occupied it for a period of ten years, at the end of which time the present dwelling was erected.
The family of Joseph and Susan Black consists of six children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Clarinda A., December 19, 1850, is unmarried and makes her home with her parents; Edward G., May 18, 1852, married Mary Richie and lives in Seward township; Salem J., July 9, 1854, married Catherine Kimes and lives in Plain township; Sarah C., December 23, 1856, wife of Willis Boggess, a farmer and stock raiser of Prairie township; Cynthia A., March 7, 1859, unmarried and lives at home; James R., whose birth occurred January 3, 1861, married Catherine Borket and is a resident of Prairie township.
Mr. And Mrs. Black are zealous members of the United Brethren church, belonging to what is known as the liberal or progressive part of that body.
In politics Mr. Black exercised his franchise in support of the Democratic party. He cast his first presidential ballot for James K. Polk.

From B. F. Bowen's "Progressive Men and Women of Kosciusko County, Indiana, (Publ. Logansport, Indiana : 1902), pg. 599-601.