Black, Wilbert

Submitted by Mike Miller

Wilbert Black, commissioner of public property in the city government of New Orleans, is a native of Louisiana, and is a man of technical training and with an experience that admirably qualifies him for the responsibilities of his present position in the municipal government.

He was born in Livingston Parish, August 20, 1871, son of H. N. and Louise (Cornet) Black, his father a native of Nova Scotia and his mother of Louisiana, in which state they were married. H. N. Black was a mechanical engineer, a work he followed all his life. He died in 1881, survived by his widow more than forty years. She passed away in 1922. She was a devout Catholic, while he was a Presbyterian. They had two children, Matilda and Wilbert. Matilda is the wife of W. A. Simonds, of New Orleans, who is a marine engineer.

Wilbert Black attended public schools in New Orleans, and served an apprenticeship as a machinist. He first took up marine engineering as his profession, and after 1895 became a stationary engineer, a trade he followed a number of years. Mr. Black for some six months had charge of the local office of the Federal Vocational Board, and on September 14, 1920, was elected commissioner of public property, an office he has now held for over four years. He married in 1895, Miss Julia Sturner, who was born in New Orleans. They have four children. The oldest, Wilbert, Jr., was educated in New Orleans, and on April 6, 1917, volunteered for service in the World war, being trained at Charleston, South Carolina, for six months and then was assigned active duty in the navy on the U. S. S. Astoria, and was in European waters fourteen months, in transport and convoy duties, stationed at Cardiff, Wales, and in the waters between there and the French coast. He is now secretary to his father.

The second child, Rodney H., is an employe of the New Orleans Levee Board. Rosalie Louise is the wife of Robert Operkucht, who is with the Capitol City Automobile Company as manager of the Parts Department. The youngest child, Miss Louise, is in school. The family are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. Mr. Black is a York Rite Mason and Shriner, being past master of Corinthian Lodge,No. 190.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 10-11, by Henry E. Chambers. Published by The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.