John Black (judge)
John Black (11 March 1817 – 3 February 1879) was the recorder for Rupert's Land in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company and also a New South Wales politician. In this capacity he acted as a judge for the Council of Assiniboia, and is noted for his various roles in Red River Rebellion of 1869 – 1870.
Black presided over the council on 23 October 1869 when Louis Riel was summoned to explain his rational for preventing lieutenant governor-designate William McDougall from entering the Red River Colony. However, he was also one of three delegates (along with Alfred Henry Scott and Joseph-Noël Ritchot) selected by Riel to travel to Ottawa, Ontario in order to negotiate with the Canadian Government on behalf of Riel's provisional government. During the negotiations, Black proved to be more concilliatory to the government than the other negotiators. Following the Rebellion, Black returned to his native Scotland. He died at St. Andrews on 3 February 1879.
Black was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1859 to 1860, representing the seat of East Sydney. He had moved to New South Wales in 1857 and was Chairman of the Land League when responsible government began in 1856. He was Secretary of Lands from 27 October 1859 to 8 March 1860 in William Forster's administration, but he retired from the Assembly in 1860 and returned to Scotland in 1862.
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| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| New seat | Member for East Sydney 1859–1860 Served alongside: Cowper/Faucett, Martin, Parkes |
Succeeded by John Caldwell Charles Cowper Robert Stewart |