This is Mary Adele Black-Smith. My father Benjamin Edwin Black ws born in 1899 in Crawley, La. he migrated to San Francisco in 1902 with his family. My grandparents are Benjamin E. Black senior & Mary High-Black. Benjamin Black senior was born in Apple River, IL to Joseph Penn Black & Lucy Dimmick-Black around 1835. Joseph's parents were Dr. Reuben Davison Black & Nancy Alkire-Black and was born around 1832 in Sangmon County (now Menard), IL. Reuben Black was born around 1807 or 1811 in Ohio. I don't know who his parents or siblings were. But would love to find out.
I am married to Robert E. Smith and we live in northern CA. I have a BA degree in business management with a minor in accounting. I retired from an auditor's position in 1999 after 27 years of service. My hobbies are: genealogy, traveling, volunteering, reading, just to name a few.
I am interested in the Lamont clan because I was told at the Pleasant Scottish Games that if I am a Black, I am from the Lamont clan.
Yes Black is one of the many Septs of Clan Lamont. Like many Scot family (mine included) name changing was very common for lots of reasons. All the color names, White, Brown, Black, Green are frequent in name changes. There are some other clans who have these as Septs also. I think you can pin this down a couple of ways.
1 try to get back your tree back to Scotland, If you can locate a relative in Cowal or Argyll, odds are you are a Lamont
2 we have a DNA study that if you can find a Male from your Black family to be the donor we could possibly connect you genetically
__________________
George Young CLSNA Senior VP Seanair agus Seannachie