George was the son of Elias Black and Eliza Bell Wolfinger, natives of Pennsylvania. George served in the 12th Illinois Cavalry and during his service he was promoted to sergeant major (non-commissioned). At the end of the Civil War, George married Francis Dyer, a sister of Edward Dyer, one of the men George served with. George drove stagecoaches out in the west until he was arrested for the murder of a man named Bicking, whose murder occurred on the Plains. George was jailed in Chicago and then moved to Yankton to await trial. A jury was empaneled and sworn in the Bicking murder trial on 17 Jun 1868. B.C. Yates is called as the only witness on behalf of the prosecution. "Cause submitted to the jury who return a verdict without leaving the box of 'Not Guilty' and the prisoner discharged."
George was elected Sheriff of Yankton in 1868. George's brother Alonzo Bacon served as his deputy. In the fall of 1869, George became the first Sheriff of Yankton shot in the line of duty. He was shot by a man named Marvin H. Somers (a/k/a Jim Somers). The shot left George crippled for the rest of his life. Marvin Somers was helped out of town by George's enemies and was never prosecuted for his crime. Marvin Somers was killed in a shootout with his own brother and nephew in February of 1880.
In the spring of 1871, George went to D.C. in an effort to help get a bill for his relief passed before Congress; the bill failed to pass due to the Bicking murder, which haunted George the rest of his life.
While George was recovering from his gunshot wound, his marriage to Francis Dyer fell apart and she left him and went back home to Rockford, IL.
In December of 1871 George married a widow named Mary Cassidy Knight. While living in D.C., George worked for the Census Bureau, the Land Patent Office, and lastly the Pension Bureau. In 1881 George was arrested on suspicion of pension fraud and fired from his job. Mary died in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 1882. In an affidavit March of 1883, George states that he was destitute due to his wife's illness and death. George's case was later deemed null pros, and the case was never prosecuted.
George and Kate Carpenter (nee Ball) were married in St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore, Maryland, 17 Aug 1885. They divided their time between Chicago and Washington, D.C. On 12 Dec 1888, Kate gave birth to George's only known child, George W. Black, Jr., in the city of Chicago.
George was elected Sheriff of Yankton in 1868. George's brother Alonzo Bacon served as his deputy. In the fall of 1869, George became the first Sheriff of Yankton shot in the line of duty. He was shot by a man named Marvin H. Somers (a/k/a Jim Somers). The shot left George crippled for the rest of his life. Marvin Somers was helped out of town by George's enemies and was never prosecuted for his crime. Marvin Somers was killed in a shootout with his own brother and nephew in February of 1880.
In the spring of 1871, George went to D.C. in an effort to help get a bill for his relief passed before Congress; the bill failed to pass due to the Bicking murder, which haunted George the rest of his life.
While George was recovering from his gunshot wound, his marriage to Francis Dyer fell apart and she left him and went back home to Rockford, IL.
In December of 1871 George married a widow named Mary Cassidy Knight. While living in D.C., George worked for the Census Bureau, the Land Patent Office, and lastly the Pension Bureau. In 1881 George was arrested on suspicion of pension fraud and fired from his job. Mary died in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 1882. In an affidavit March of 1883, George states that he was destitute due to his wife's illness and death. George's case was later deemed null pros, and the case was never prosecuted.
George and Kate Carpenter (nee Ball) were married in St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore, Maryland, 17 Aug 1885. They divided their time between Chicago and Washington, D.C. On 12 Dec 1888, Kate gave birth to George's only known child, George W. Black, Jr., in the city of Chicago.
George was the son of Elias Black and Eliza Bell Wolfinger, natives of Pennsylvania. George served in the 12th Illinois Cavalry and during his service he was promoted to sergeant major (non-commissioned). At the end of the Civil War, George married Francis Dyer, a sister of Edward Dyer, one of the men George served with. George drove stagecoaches out in the west until he was arrested for the murder of a man named Bicking, whose murder occurred on the Plains. George was jailed in Chicago and then moved to Yankton to await trial. A jury was empaneled and sworn in the Bicking murder trial on 17 Jun 1868. B.C. Yates is called as the only witness on behalf of the prosecution. "Cause submitted to the jury who return a verdict without leaving the box of 'Not Guilty' and the prisoner discharged."
George was elected Sheriff of Yankton in 1868. George's brother Alonzo Bacon served as his deputy. In the fall of 1869, George became the first Sheriff of Yankton shot in the line of duty. He was shot by a man named Marvin H. Somers (a/k/a Jim Somers). The shot left George crippled for the rest of his life. Marvin Somers was helped out of town by George's enemies and was never prosecuted for his crime. Marvin Somers was killed in a shootout with his own brother and nephew in February of 1880.
In the spring of 1871, George went to D.C. in an effort to help get a bill for his relief passed before Congress; the bill failed to pass due to the Bicking murder, which haunted George the rest of his life.
While George was recovering from his gunshot wound, his marriage to Francis Dyer fell apart and she left him and went back home to Rockford, IL.
In December of 1871 George married a widow named Mary Cassidy Knight. While living in D.C., George worked for the Census Bureau, the Land Patent Office, and lastly the Pension Bureau. In 1881 George was arrested on suspicion of pension fraud and fired from his job. Mary died in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 1882. In an affidavit March of 1883, George states that he was destitute due to his wife's illness and death. George's case was later deemed null pros, and the case was never prosecuted.
George and Kate Carpenter (nee Ball) were married in St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore, Maryland, 17 Aug 1885. They divided their time between Chicago and Washington, D.C. On 12 Dec 1888, Kate gave birth to George's only known child, George W. Black, Jr., in the city of Chicago.
George was elected Sheriff of Yankton in 1868. George's brother Alonzo Bacon served as his deputy. In the fall of 1869, George became the first Sheriff of Yankton shot in the line of duty. He was shot by a man named Marvin H. Somers (a/k/a Jim Somers). The shot left George crippled for the rest of his life. Marvin Somers was helped out of town by George's enemies and was never prosecuted for his crime. Marvin Somers was killed in a shootout with his own brother and nephew in February of 1880.
In the spring of 1871, George went to D.C. in an effort to help get a bill for his relief passed before Congress; the bill failed to pass due to the Bicking murder, which haunted George the rest of his life.
While George was recovering from his gunshot wound, his marriage to Francis Dyer fell apart and she left him and went back home to Rockford, IL.
In December of 1871 George married a widow named Mary Cassidy Knight. While living in D.C., George worked for the Census Bureau, the Land Patent Office, and lastly the Pension Bureau. In 1881 George was arrested on suspicion of pension fraud and fired from his job. Mary died in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 1882. In an affidavit March of 1883, George states that he was destitute due to his wife's illness and death. George's case was later deemed null pros, and the case was never prosecuted.
George and Kate Carpenter (nee Ball) were married in St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore, Maryland, 17 Aug 1885. They divided their time between Chicago and Washington, D.C. On 12 Dec 1888, Kate gave birth to George's only known child, George W. Black, Jr., in the city of Chicago.
Inscription
17270 SGT. MAJ. G.W. BLACK ILL
Gravesite Details
Kate Black (nee Ball) is also buried here with her husband George W. Black, but her name is not on their headstone. George was Sgt. Maj. of Co. A., 12th IL Cav. during the Civil War.
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