The Biographical Dictionary of America/Black, James

​BLACK, James, prohibitionist, was born in Lewisburg, Pa., Sept. 16, 1823 ; son of John Black, a railroad contractor. He removed to Lancaster, Pa., in 1835 ; was graduated at Lewisburg academy in 1843, and studied law under James F. Linn of Lewisburg in 1844, and William B. Fordney of Lancaster in 1845. He was admitted to the bar in 1846, served as financial agent of the Atlantic and St. Lawrence railroad, 1850-52, and was an organizer of the Ocean Grove association, N.J., in 1869. He was associated with the Mutual Life Insurance company of New York 1869-'83, and conducted two model farms at Black Barron Springs, Pa. He became interested in temperance reform in early life, joined the Washington society in 1840, and aided in organizing Conestoga division of the Sons of Temperance in 1846, before whom he made his first temperance speech in 1852. He was a member of the state central committee of the Prohibition party, 1853-'56, and in 1859 originated and proposed a temperance publication society, which idea was approved and accepted at the national temperance convention of 1865, and carried out in the national temperance society and publication house. In 1864 he prepared a memorial to President Lincoln for the abolition of the whisky ration, and wrote his celebrated " Cider Tract." In 1867 he secured a convention of the Sons of Temperance and Good Templars in Harrisburg for political action, or prohibition in the state; was instrumental in the organization of the "National Prohibition Party" in 1869 and served as chairman of the national Prohibition committee from 1876 to 1880. In 1872 he was nominated for president by the national Prohibition convention at Columbus, Ohio, the first presidential candidate nominated by his party. Aside from newspaper articles, reports and platforms, he published: "Is There a Necessity for a Prohibition Party," (1876); "A History of the Prohibition Party" (1880), and "The Prohibition Party" (1885). He died at Lancaster, Pa. , Dec. 16, 1894.

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