The Fargo Forum - 4 April 1938

William E. BLACK, 68, former city commissioner and a Canadian government general agent for 25 years, died Sunday in a Fargo hospital following a period of poor health. A resident of Fargo since 1921, he had been engaged in real estate and insurance since the closing of the Canadian office here in 1930. He was a candidate for the Republican indorsement for governor in the 1932 primary.

Mr BLACK was born July 2, 1869, at Elmwood, Ont., son of Mr and Mrs John BLACK. As a young lad in college he came to North Dakota during two summers working on farms near Minto.

After attending Owen Sound College, Ontario, he returned to Conway, N.D., where he taught school until his marriage to Minnie E. Carey in 1895. The next year they moved to Fosston, Minn., where he opened a real estate office and served as state oil inspector under Gov. John A. Johnson.

In 1905, he received an appointment to open the Canadian government agency office at Crookston, where he lived until the office was consolidated with Grand Forks in 1913. He stayed at Grand Forks until coming here in the same capacity in 1921. The office here was closed in 1930.

Besides Mrs BLACK, 1018 Fifth St., N, there is a daughter, Miss Laura BLACK, St Paul. He also leaves two brothers, John at Plaza and Robert at Berthold, ND; five sisters, Mrs Charles WILKINSON of Elmwood, Ont., Mrs Thomas LATIMER of Montreal; Mrs John MCCONKEY of Paisley, Ont; and Mmes, William LATIMER and Gertrude NOBLE of Walkerton, Ont.

He was a member of Shiloh lodge, AF and AM, Scottish Rite, Shrine and Odd Fellows. His church affiliation was First Methodist.

Funeral services will be at 11 Wednesday in the Merril Moore chapel.