The Knowles Story

Thomas and Margaret Black Chapters

The Thomas and Margaret Black Family

by Dave Jordan

Thomas Black was born between 1822 and 1824 in either Ireland or Scotland. He claimed to be of Scottish origin so it is likely that either he or his father were born in Scotland.

His wife Margaret Leddy was born between 1832 and 1836 in Ireland or in the Province of Quebec. It is thought she was of Irish origin.

They were married about 1852 either in the Province of Quebec Canada or Ireland. If Margaret were born in the Province of Quebec she would be my earliest ancestor born in North America and her parents would be my earliest North America immigrants.

Chuck Jordan's 1977 letter provides some possible insight into where they were from "I believe there were several Blacks scattered over the country... They originated in Ireland, County Armagh."

Thus one possibility is that Thomas Black's father was born in Scotland, but as part of the "Clearances" whereby Scottish families moved to Ireland, the Blacks moved to Ireland. Thomas Black may well have been born in Ireland but married a local Ireland girl, thus explaining the varied background about different records indicating different national origins and places of births.

Thomas and Margaret had seven children. They were:

  1. Isabella Catherine born November 30, 1853 in the Province of Quebec, possibly the District of Saguenay.
  2. Margaret Ellen born February 1856 in the Province of Quebec. She later died on March 23, 1872 at the age 16 year.
  3. Thomas Black born in 1856-1857 in the Province of Quebec.
  4. George Robert born in 1860-1861 in the Province of Quebec.
  5. Mary born in 1862-1863 in Montreal.
  6. Elizabeth born in 1864-1865 in Montreal. Elizabeth also went to Chicago and was married to Richard Shannon.
  7. John James born in 1866-1867 in Montreal.
  8. Arthur William born May 26, 1869 in Montreal. Arthur died three days later.

Some data suggests that the Blacks initially lived in the District of Saguenay Quebec. Then around 1860 when Thomas was nearing age 40 the family moved about 500 miles southwest to Montreal where they resided for the rest of their lives. The earliest address listing for our Thomas Black is at 22 Bleury Street, Montreal. His occupation is listed as "black and whitesmith. " A whitesmith is a silversmith. Also shown for the same year is James Black a boilermaker at St. Patrick near Columban. No additional reference to James has been found but this James could be Thomas' brother or father.

By 1865 Thomas and the family had moved to Grand Trunk near St. Francois and was employed as a boilermaker. Then in 1867 the family moved to 121 Magdalen where Thomas became a blacksmith, an occupation he followed for the rest of his life, except for possibly a brief try as a grocer in 1875. The grocer occupation was listed only once in the directory and it is so different than a blacksmith career that it is likely a typographical error for the 1875 publication.

In 1869 Thomas and family moved to 363 Wellington. Then over the next 9 years, Thomas moved up and down Wellington Street every few years, first at 363, then 365, 357 and finally 383 Wellington.

A William Black, machinist is also at 363 Wellington in 1869 and for various other years on streets nearby the Thomas Black family.

The Leonhardt family has a document showing that T. Black, presumably our Thomas Black was a Sergeant in the No. 6 Company, 6th Battalion Active Militia of Canada also known as the Hochelaga Light Infantry. This was a rifle company. The date is not clearly written but appears to be either August 20, 1865 or 1875. Thomas would have been either 43 or 53 years old. Perhaps his military involvement stretched back to Saguenay.

Thomas' daughter Isabella, married William Wallace Knowles in January 1877 and they moved to 445 Wellington just down the block from Thomas and his wife Margaret. And on April 18, 1878, a first grandchild Margaret Jane Knowles was born. Then disaster struck and Thomas died from paralysis of the brain (probably a stroke) on June 30, 1878 at the age of 54.

Margaret continued to live at the same general area of Montreal for another 21 years. There were still young children at home when Thomas died. Son Thomas was about 22, George about 18, Mary about 16, Elizabeth about 14, and John about 12. Margaret did not remarry and most likely she was helped by her son-in-law William Knowles, her husband's brother(s), her brother Michael and her children to get through the inevitable hard financial times of a young family and no husband.

Margaret died on March 28, 1899 at 148 Bourgeois Street in Montreal of a contagious disease at age. She was about 65 year old.

Thomas and Margaret are both buried in the Black family plot in the Mount Royal Cemetery. The plot is located is Section C Grave 853-H. Also in the plot is their 3-day old son Arthur, their 16 year old daughter, three Knowles grandchildren, and a Cameron child of ten thought to be their daughter Mary's son.

Notes
  1. Initial Web Publication Date: 4/1/2003
  2. Modified:
  3. Desktop Master file: Stories_Knowles