Lumberman, municipal official.
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in April 1847, he was educated and later learned the carpenter’s trade there. He came to Montreal and was employed in the building industry for fifteen years. Moving to Winnipeg in 1882, he went into the lumber business and, in 1893, formed the Alexander Black Lumber Company in partnership with his brother, George Black.
He married Margaret Dewar (1842-1912) at Dunfermline, Scotland and they subsequently had five children: Sibella Margaret Black (1869-1952, wife of Richard France Eadie), Marion Black (1871-?, wife of Charles Frederick Rannard), Robert Black (1875-?), Alexandria Black (1877-1912, wife of Elmer Lee Alsip), and Andrew Black (1879-?). He was a Winnipeg City Alderman (1887-1890) and a member of Central Congregational Church and Thistle Curling Club. He served as President of the Manitoba Curling Association (1897-1898).
He died at Winnipeg on 13 November 1913 and was buried in the St. John’s Cathedral Cemetery.
Marriage registration [Sibella Block, Richard France Eadie], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Marriage registration [Marion Black, Charles Frederick Rannard], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Death registrations [Margaret Dewar Black, Alexander Black], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Mrs. Alexander Black], Winnipeg Tribune, 20 August 1912, page 8.
“Alexander Black dies suddenly,” Manitoba Free Press, 14 November 1913, page 15.
“R. F. Eadie, pioneer, dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 8 June 1942, page 14.
“Stories Houses Tell” by Lillian Gibbons, Winnipeg Tribune, 23 March 1949, page 10.
Pioneers and Early Citizens of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Manitoba Library Association, 1971.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
We thank Terry Webber and Glen Toews for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 1 January 2026
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