John Black

John Black (11 March 1817 – 3 February 1879) was the recorder for Rupert's Land in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company. In this capacity he acted as a judge for the Council of Assiniboia, and is noted for his various roles in Red River Rebellion of 1869 – 1870. He presided over the council on 23 October 1869 when Louis Riel was summoned to explain his rational for preventing lieutenant governor-designate William McDougall from entering the Red River Settlement. However, he was also one of three delegates (along with Alfred Henry Scott and Joseph-Noël Ritchot) selected by Riel to travel to Ottawa, Ontario in order to negotiate with the Canadian Government on behalf of Riel's provisional government. During the negotiations, Black proved to be more concilliatory to the government than the other negotiators. Following the Rebellion, Black returned to his native Scotland in 1870. He died at St. Andrews on 3 February, 1879.

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