62 Henry Riddell on 



father taken up to Dublin and there bound apprentice to learn 

 trade to his uncle Alderman John Eccles, afterwards Sir John 

 Eccles who, with his father Mr. John Black, of Belfast, sent John 

 Black, Junr., to go and reside at Bordeaux, in France, where he 

 arrived in the year 1699, and remained some years as corapting 

 house servant, and clerk with Mr. George Boyd, of Coleraine, a 

 distant relation of the family settled there a factor, who discon- 

 tinuing the business young John Black from low circumstances 

 and small beginnings acquired friends, acquaintances and a little 

 , good reputation and credit so as to commence there a factor for 

 captains of ships, super cargoes and merchants in Great Brittain 

 and Ireland who, giving him a good character for his sobriety, 

 care and honest application and industry in business recommended 

 correspondency with him to others and getting acquainted with 

 worthy Robert Gordon, there a factor from Aberdeen and his 

 spouse and family, did become enamoured of the person 

 accomplishment and virtues of Mistress Margaret Gordon and 

 desiring her in marriage their nuptial benediction was given in 

 the year 1716, from whence is descended a numerous issue of 

 eight sons and four daughters yet alive in 1761," The Jane 

 Eccles mentioned was the daughter of John Eccles, of Oranmore, 

 and sister of Sir John Eccles, afterwards Lord Mayor of Dublin. 

 Cranmore was the house where John Eccles entertained William 

 III on his way from Carrick to Drogheda. Eccles blood has 

 flowed in so many channels that any resident of Belfast tracing 

 his descent from one of the merchant families of the 17th and 

 18th centuries in our city, may with great confidence assume that 

 he has a share. John Eccles had three daughters, of whom Jane 

 married John Black, Mary became the wife of William Legge, of 

 Mulone, and the third married John Clarke, the ancestor of the 

 Clarke family. In his journal in Bordeaux, dated December, 

 1754, John Black gives us more personal and family reminiscences. 

 Joseph Black was at this time twenty six and the occasion is the 

 birth of an heir to John Black's eldest son, also John, who had 

 niarried in 1750 Jane Banks, a member of one of the leading 



