John William BLACK 1844-1914, b. Corio Bay, near Geelong, Victoria to Walter BLACK and Sarah WHYTE; d. Casterton, Victoria. In 1882, John William BLACK, carpenter of Casterton, who had arrived at Casterton in 1869 from Talbot in central Victoria, was married to Louisa SEALEY 1861-1934, b. Casterton, Victoria to George SEALEY and Mary GREENHAM; d. Casterton, Victoria.

In 1891 Mrs Louisa BLACK signed the Women's Suffrage Petition at Casterton.

In 1898 the BLACK family house in Miller-street, Casterton was destroyed by fire...

"The Age" (Melbourne, Vic.) Monday, 26th September 1898.
A SENSATIONAL FIRE. CASTERTON, Sunday.--The residence of Mr. John Black was burned down last night. Mrs. Black went to a box under the bed for a material to mend a child's dress, when the bed curtain caught fire from the candle. The baby was lying on the bed asleep, but she had the presence of mind to draw the child away and take it outside, but remembered nothing more. Three other children were asleep in an adjoining bedroom, and the oldest daughter, Susie, aged 15 years, rushed into the room and saved them. Nothing was saved, excepting a sewing machine. The property was insured for about half its value.

"The Argus" (Melbourne, Vic.) Tuesday, 27th September 1898.
CASTERTON.--On Saturday night, about 9 o'clock, John Black's cottage was detroyed by fire. The building, which was situated in Miller-street, Casterton, was of wood, containing four rooms. Mrs Black was slighty injured in removing her children. The damage is estimated at £200. The house was insured for £125 in the Phoenix Conpany. The fire originated through the bed curtains catching fire.

John William BLACK died at Casterton in 1914 and his wife Louisa died at Casterton in 1934, and both buried in the Casterton New Cemetery.

John William BLACK & Louisa SEALEY had the following known family:

  1. Susan Mary BLACK 1883-1970, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Melbourne, Victoria; m. 1915 to Harry Winsor HOLDEN 1887-1957, b. ..?.., to William HOLDEN and Annie WINSOR; d. Melbourne, Victoria.

  2. Ernest John "Ern" BLACK 1884-1946, b. Casterton, Victoria, farmer of "Dunrobin" Estate, d. Geelong, Victoria; m. 1913 to Elsie May WIDDICOMBE 1892-1962, b. Goroke, Victoria, to James Willis WIDDICOMBE and Elizabeth MITCHELL; d. Geelong, Victoria. Children at Casterton...

  3. Christine Martha BLACK 1885-1970, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Warrnambool, Victoria; m. 1921 to Joseph George NORTH c.1873-1937, b. Ballarat, Victoria, to John NORTH and Mary DOYLE; d. Mount Gambier, South Australia.

  4. Walter Thomas "Wattie" BLACK 1885-1973, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. New Zeaalnd, ....?.... .

  5. Lilian Maud BLACK 1888-1963, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Portland, Victoria; m. 1914 to William Crouch DUNNE 1886-1968, b. Ararat, Victoria, to William James DUNNE and Elizabeth Harriet STEVENSON; d. Portland, Victoria.

  6. Gordon Alexander BLACK 1890-1917, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Broodseinde Ridge, Passchendaele (Ypres), Belgium; m. 1913 to Amy Philipina AYRES 1889-1992, b. Casterton, Victoria, to Alfred Henry AYRES and Mary Ann "Polly" RICHARDSON; d. ...?... . He was a carter and storeman of Casterton with a wife and 2 children when he enlisted as Pte 1235, 39th Battalion, AIF on 25 Mar 1916, Hamilton, Victoria; KIA 4 Oct 1917 Broodseinde Ridge, Passchendaele (Ypres), Belgium. Named on the...

  7. Myrtle Louisa BLACK 1892-1909, b. and d. Casterton, Victoria.

  8. George Charles Frederick BLACK [M.M.] 1897-1978, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Nangwarry, South Australia. He was a labourer of Casterton when he enlisted in the AIF on 20 Mar 1916, farewelled at the Dunrobin Hall on 22 April 1916 before he embarked from Melbourne on 27 May 1916 as Pte 1234, 39th Battalion, AIF. He arrived in France on 23 November 1916, was wounded on 4 June 1917, awarded the Military Medal for this operation. He was wounded on another 2 occasions before he returned to Australia in 1919 per "Karoa" and was discharged 8 May 1919. He became a Soldier Settler on "Nangeela" Estate near Casterton and married in 1931 to Eileen Rose WIDDICOMBE 1903-1985, b. Goroke, Victoria to Edward WIDDICOMBE and Agnes Emily BAWDEN; d. Casterton, Victoria. He was named on...

  9. Stanley James Robert BLACK 1899-1968, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Geelong, Victoria; m. 1924 to Linda Elizabeth Maggie HAYWARD 1904-1991, b. Geelong, Victoria, to Hugh Millar HAYWARD and Ethel Mabel BELL; d. Geelong, Victoria.

  10. John William BLACK 1901-1902, b. and d. Casterton, Victoria.

  11. Florence Jessie BLACK 1905-1997, b. Casterton, Victoria, d. Warrnambool, Victoria; m. 1927 to Albert William BRUNTON 1888-1980, b. Glenorchy (near Stawell), Victoria, to James BRUNTON and Mary Livingstone McLACHLAN; d. Warrnambool, Victoria.
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