OBIT: Blanchard Allen BLACK, Rev. Dr., 1942, Rockwood, Somerset County, PA File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Meyersdale Library. Transcribed and proofread by: Richard Boyer. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/ ________________________________________________ BLANCHARD ALLEN BLACK Sudden Death of Rev. B. A. Black Widely Known Minister of the Gospel Found Dead in His Bed Heart Disease Victim The sudden death of Rev. Dr. Blanchard Allen Black, pastor of the Rockwood Evangelical and Reformed Church, and former pastor of Amity Reformed Church of Meyersdale, came as a shock to his family, parishioners and hosts of friends. Dr. Black was found dead in his bed by his wife in their home in Rockwood last Saturday morning. The exact time of his death is not known, but occurred some time early Saturday morning. Mrs. Black entered his bedroom at about his usual time for rising, and found him lying very quietly in his bed, apparently asleep. Some time later she again went to his room to see whether he had waked and was ready for breakfast. He was lying in the same position as before and still seemed to be slumbering. As he was expected to officiate at the wedding of one of his twin daughters, Miss Ruth, before noon, Mrs. Black finally decided it was time for him to wake up and get ready for the nuptial event he had been looking forward to with much pleasure. When she reached his bedside with a breakfast tray, she found him lying in the same position as on her two former visits to his room, still apparently in peaceful slumber, but when he failed to move or respond when she spoke to him, she found to her amazement and sorrow that he was sleeping the sleep that knows no waking on this earth. With a heavy heart she broke the sad news to the remainder of the household. His physician was hastily called and responded, and after examining the body concluded that the well known and well beloved minister had succumbed to a heart attack during the night or early morning and passed away peacefully, apparently without a struggle. Within an hour or two other members of the family who live elsewhere and the young bridegroom and his parents began arriving for the wedding, only to be greeted with the sad news that death had taken the beloved father. The sad news caused much sorrow wherever it was received, for Dr. Black was held in very high esteem, not only as a clergyman, but also as a friend and neighbor and sterling citizen. Many were the expressions of sorrow heard in Meyersdale where Dr. Black had lived and labored for 18 years of his useful and eventful life. Blanchard Allen Black was the first-born son of William W. and Frances Allen Black, devout Christian parents and pillars of Christ Reformed Church of Alexandria, Huntingdon County, Pa. He was born and reared on a farm adjacent to the village of Alexandria and did his share of the farm work, when not in school, until he was grown up and chose the ministry for his vocation. He was confirmed as a member of the Reformed Church at the age of 12 years by the late Rev. Calvin U. Heilman, when the latter was pastor of Christ Reformed Church at Alexandria. Rev. Heilman had previously been pastor of the Salisbury charge of the Reformed church, which at the time embraced the St. Paul (Wilhelm), and several other neighboring congregations. Heilman was a very able preacher and minister and exerted a powerful influence in inspiring bright boys and young men to devote their talents to the service of the church. Blanchard Black felt the urge to become a minister of the gospel at an early age. He received his elementary education in the public schools of Huntingdon County, and his higher education in the Lock Haven State Normal School, Mercersburg Academy, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Union, and Auburn theological seminaries and Chicago University, F. & M. College conferred the honorary degree of D.D. on him in 1932. He was ordained as a minister of the Reformed Church in 1903, and satisfactorily served as pastor at the following places during the 39 years of his ministry: Lone Tree, Iowa; Louisville, Ohio; Wilkes-Barre, Irwin, Meyersdale and Rockwood. He was president of Iowa, East Ohio, Westmoreland, Somerset classis of the Pittsburgh Synod. The various classes to which he belonged elected him delegate to General Synod five times. Dr. Black was pastor of Amity Reformed Church of Meyersdale for 15 years, from July 1, 1924 until July 1, 1939. He retired from the active ministry temporarily on the latter date, owing to failing health. His sons, James and William were at that time lessees of the Meyersdale Republican, and Dr. Black, after his resignation as pastor of Amity Reformed Church, assumed the editorship of The Republican for four months until the expiration of his sons' lease of the printing and publishing plant. While recuperating his health he continued to live in Meyersdale, acting as supply pastor for vacant pulpits in the surrounding country until July of this year when he accepted the pastorate of the Rockwood charge of the Evangelical and Reformed Church. His health was much improved during the last year or two, but about two weeks before his death he became afflicted with an intestinal disorder which seems to have brought about a recurrence of heart trouble which had caused his temporary retirement from active pastoral work. He had lately expressed a desire that he might be in active service of the Church he loved until his stay on earth was ended. This wish of his was fulfilled. Married in Iowa Rev. Black was married to Mertle Ellen Loehr, daughter of Jacob C. and Emma Falkner Loehr, of Lone Tree, Iowa, September 26, 1905, Rev. S. Charles Hoover, a classmate in college and seminary, at that time pastor at Lisbon, Iowa, performing the ceremony. Surviving are Mrs. Black and the following children: Margaret, Mrs. Joseph Connelly, of East McKeesport; Frances Marion, Mrs. Douglas Brodie, at present residing in her parental home; James A. Black, business manager of the Cumberland Evening Times News; William W. Black, member of the B. & O. police force, serving at Cincinnati, O.; Elizabeth, Mrs. John Smith, Sharon, Pa.; Jane, Mrs. J. J. Hoblitzell, III, Washington, D.C.; Ruth, domestic science teacher in Rockwood High School; Florence, Mrs. Donald Dively, formerly teacher in Meyersdale High School, now teacher in Washington, Pa., high school; and Marcia, student, Seton Hill College. Francis Marion Black Brodie taught in Sendai College in Japan prior to the outbreak of the war. While there she married an English merchant, who has since the war been in a Japanese concentration camp. Since returning to the U.S. she has become the mother of a son, now six months old. Mrs. Brodie recently received a cablegram from her husband who had arrived at a neutral port in Portuguese where he was being exchanged with other British subjects for Japanese subjects held by the British. He expected to sail from there either for England where his parents live, or to Canada where he has a sister, and where he hopes his wife and child may come to him. The marriage of Miss Ruth Black to John Beyer, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Beyer of Ramey, Clearfield County, Pa., which was to have taken place last Saturday, has been postponed until Friday evening of this week. Dr. Black's funeral took place at 11 o'clock Monday morning in the Reformed Church at Rockwood of which he was the minister. Members of the consistory of his church served as pall bearers. Ministers of the Somerset Classis and the Rockwood ministerium attended in a body. Rev. Dr. D. S. Stephan, retired pastor of the Berlin Church officiated, assisted by Rev. George Roth of Somerset and Rev. E. D. Witmer of the Garrett-Hay's Church charge. The floral tributes were beautiful and abundant, and a large congregation of sorrowing friends, former and present parishioners attended the obesquies. Mills and Mickey, Rockwood morticians had charge of the funeral arrangements, assisted by H. R. Konhaus, funeral director, of Meyersdale. His body was laid at rest in the family lot in the cemetery at Alexandria, where the minister of the local Reformed Church conducted the final burial rites. Meyersdale Republican, September 10, 1942