Reading Wood Black
Encyclopedia
Reading Wood Black was the father of Uvalde County, Texas
and city of Uvalde, Texas
, which he founded as the town of Encina. In 1979, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
4209 was placed in the Hillcrest Cemetery to honor Reading Wood Black. In 1997, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4208 was placed at the intersection of East Street and U.S. 90, to mark the site of the former home and trading post of Reading Wood Black.
, into a wealthy Quaker
family. By age 17, he was owner and manager of the 144 acre (0.58274784 km²) Clover Hill Farm in North Hampton Township.
Black’s cousin William Reading Montgomery was stationed at Fort Gates in Coryell County
and held sway over Black’s decision to explore Texas. Black left for Texas in 1852, along with his friend Nathan L. Stratton.
. Black then began raising sheep. He opened a store, cleared a garden, and operated a limekiln and two rock quarries.
In 1854, he purchased 640 acres (2.6 km²) more for town expansion and stock raising.
On May 2, 1855, Black hired San Antonio lithographer Wilhelm Carl August Thielepape
, and laid out Encina, which would later be known as Uvalde. The town was divided into 464 lots, a schoolhouse square, a cemetery, a park, a garden and four town plazas. Black named the plazas the Market, the Post Office Townhall and the Courthouse.
In September 1855 he established the first school in what is now Uvalde County, and in November he successfully lobbied the state legislature to organize Uvalde County. On April 21, 1856, he was elected county commissioner. On May 12, he and his fellow commissioners completed formal organization. On June 14, Encina was named county seat.
Between January – December 1856, Black was a Captain of the Texas Rangers Minutemen of Uvalde County.
During this period, his company helped defeat a Comanche war party some thirty miles below Uvalde.
Black was re-elected county commissioner in 1858, and in that same year built a gristmill.
He was elected county judge in 1860. His wagon train enterprise of 1860 freighted between San Antonio
and Piedras Negras, Coahuila
.
On January 6, 1859, he married Permilia Jane McKinney.
until the end of the war, by which time he had amassed property and $50,000.
In 1866 he was elected to the legislature from the Seventy-first District, where he strongly supported ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, designed to protect the citizenship of recently freed slaves. He felt that failure to support the amendment would be interpreted as disloyalty to the Union. Black did not stand for re-election.
Black's attempt to form a strong local Union League
has been debated as a factor in his murder by friend George Washington "Tom" Wall in October 3, 1867. Others offer the point of view that the murder was the result of a falling out between the two friends over money from a business deal.
In 1979, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
4209 was placed in the Hillcrest Cemetery to honor Reading Wood Black. In 1997, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4208 was placed at the intersection of East Street and U.S. 90, to mark the site of the former home and trading post of Reading Wood Black.
Uvalde County, Texas
Uvalde County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 25,926. Its county seat is Uvalde. The county is named for Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish governor of Coahuila. Uvalde County was founded by Reading Wood Black who also founded the city of Uvalde,...
and city of Uvalde, Texas
Uvalde, Texas
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de...
, which he founded as the town of Encina. In 1979, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
4209 was placed in the Hillcrest Cemetery to honor Reading Wood Black. In 1997, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4208 was placed at the intersection of East Street and U.S. 90, to mark the site of the former home and trading post of Reading Wood Black.
Early life
He was born in Springfield Township, Burlington County, New JerseySpringfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,227 people, 1,098 households, and 906 families residing in the township. The population density was 107.4 people per square mile . There were 1,138 housing units at an average density of 37.9 per square mile...
, into a wealthy Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
family. By age 17, he was owner and manager of the 144 acre (0.58274784 km²) Clover Hill Farm in North Hampton Township.
Black’s cousin William Reading Montgomery was stationed at Fort Gates in Coryell County
Coryell County, Texas
Coryell County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 74,978. The county seat is Gatesville. Coryell County forms part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and held sway over Black’s decision to explore Texas. Black left for Texas in 1852, along with his friend Nathan L. Stratton.
Founding and development of Uvalde
Black and Stratton purchased an undivided league and labor on the Leona River in 1853 at the future site of UvaldeUvalde, Texas
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de...
. Black then began raising sheep. He opened a store, cleared a garden, and operated a limekiln and two rock quarries.
In 1854, he purchased 640 acres (2.6 km²) more for town expansion and stock raising.
On May 2, 1855, Black hired San Antonio lithographer Wilhelm Carl August Thielepape
Wilhelm Thielepape
Wilhelm Carl August Thielepape , was an architect, engineer, teacher, photographer, and lithographer. He was Mayor of San Antonio, Texas during part of the Reconstruction era, and later an attorney in Chicago, Illinois....
, and laid out Encina, which would later be known as Uvalde. The town was divided into 464 lots, a schoolhouse square, a cemetery, a park, a garden and four town plazas. Black named the plazas the Market, the Post Office Townhall and the Courthouse.
In September 1855 he established the first school in what is now Uvalde County, and in November he successfully lobbied the state legislature to organize Uvalde County. On April 21, 1856, he was elected county commissioner. On May 12, he and his fellow commissioners completed formal organization. On June 14, Encina was named county seat.
Between January – December 1856, Black was a Captain of the Texas Rangers Minutemen of Uvalde County.
During this period, his company helped defeat a Comanche war party some thirty miles below Uvalde.
Black was re-elected county commissioner in 1858, and in that same year built a gristmill.
He was elected county judge in 1860. His wagon train enterprise of 1860 freighted between San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and Piedras Negras, Coahuila
Piedras Negras, Coahuila
-Natural Resources:This region generates a large amount of the national production of coal, one of the most economically important non-metallic minerals in the state.-Tourism:Piedras Negras' main tourist attractions are:...
.
On January 6, 1859, he married Permilia Jane McKinney.
Mexico, return and death
Opposed to secession from the Union, Black was disgusted by the murder of several prisoners by the Confederate home guards. Black moved to Coahuila, MexicoCoahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
until the end of the war, by which time he had amassed property and $50,000.
In 1866 he was elected to the legislature from the Seventy-first District, where he strongly supported ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, designed to protect the citizenship of recently freed slaves. He felt that failure to support the amendment would be interpreted as disloyalty to the Union. Black did not stand for re-election.
Black's attempt to form a strong local Union League
Union League
A Union League is one of a number of organizations established starting in 1862, during the American Civil War to promote loyalty to the Union and the policies of Abraham Lincoln. They were also known as Loyal Leagues. They comprised upper middle class men who supported efforts such as the United...
has been debated as a factor in his murder by friend George Washington "Tom" Wall in October 3, 1867. Others offer the point of view that the murder was the result of a falling out between the two friends over money from a business deal.
In 1979, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
4209 was placed in the Hillcrest Cemetery to honor Reading Wood Black. In 1997, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4208 was placed at the intersection of East Street and U.S. 90, to mark the site of the former home and trading post of Reading Wood Black.