Kansas City School of Law - Pandex Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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He was splendidly moulded to meet and overcome hardships. Slowly, yet surely, he began to enjoy his share of the practice 1 though tradition relates much of what he endured to conquer, but never stooped to conquer. In 1867 he married Miss Susan B. Geigerg the beginning of that ideal home life that only ended with his death. Along the path of steady and honorable progress, Francis M. Black continued, as a member of our bar, for sixteen years. His lines of legal battle and practice were always cast on the elevated planes. He was an open fighter, and never a crafty one. He had not a quality of mind, heart or character that so much as suggested the need or charm of evasion and subterfuge. He was content to rely upon manly power and legal principles. His ideas of the ethics of our profession, and of the wholesome code which should govern the practice of the law, were high and pure. He carried his knowledge and love of moral philosophy into daily action. Rapidly his cases became of the most important type, and his advice in the oflice and services in the courts were sought by wealthy clients and leading corporations. In answer to the strong desire of the bar, he was elected Circuit Judge in 1880, and discharged the duties of his oilice with marked ability, industry and fairness. So rapidly grew his repute as a jurist, that January 1. 1885, he became a member of our Supreme Court. The opening phrase of the speech that placed him in nomination, proved strong and thrilling, An hon- est judiciary is the chief defense of a state. He entered upon his enlarged field of labors with a zeal and industry that never knew abatement, and has made famous his record for judicial ability and untiring labor. Throughout forty-three volumes of our state reports, beginning with the 84th and closing with the 126th, his opinions, over six hundred in number, are found. They constitute a most enduring monument. How many an anxious lawyer of to-day, bewildered by the created uncertainties of the law, by conflicting decisions and thoughtless dicta, has found his relief or ruin in one of the opinions by Judge Black! His plain, terse statement of the facts, followed by his able, decisive appli- cation of the law, are models of judicial literature. In 1893 the Democratic State Convention renominated Judge Black for the Supreme Bench. For the first time in the history of such a convention the nomination was unamimous. He was defeated at the polls. The over- confidence of his friends, the political tides which sometimes ebb and iiow without even the excuse of the influence of the moon, and his independence as a judge, have been the only ascribed causes for his defeat. But of him, as of Chancellor Kent, it can be justly said, he could far better afford to re- tire to private life, than could his state afford to suffer him so to do. The Kansas City School of Law was established in 1895. It was richly endowed by the hopes, zeal and eiiorts of its many friendsg but it did not 6

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FRANCIS MARION BLACK. 5 9 HERE are three chief sources of inspiration, first, the forces and aptitudes within us g second, the record, ex- periences and thoughts of those who live in the booksg third, the strong characters we have personally known. , Francis M. Black was born July 26, 1836, in Cham- paign County, Ohio. He was a farmer's son. He was born under a happy star, in this : that every circum- stance and surrounding of his boyhood ministered to the development of physical strength and mental stamina, to the creation of sturdy self-reliance and ambitious eifort. He was completely fashioned to guide strong young men along strong lines. In a log district school house he began and continued his studies, as far as his home duties permitted, whilst his vacations were constantly spent in farm labor. His further education, as far as it was at all made depend- ent upon others, was completed by a one year's attendance at the high school of Urbana, and a three year's course at Farmer's College of Ohio. Here he mastered the English branches and literature with a thoroughness that made strong and clear his writings in after lifeg whilst his excellency in moral philosophy and higher mathematics not alone won him college honors, but far better created that love and power for thorough investiga- tion that peculiarly distinguished his subsequent labors. At the age of twenty-eight he was admitted to practice at the bar of the Supreme Court of his native state: but almost immediately his ambition sought newer iields. It is uncertain why he selected Kansas City as the 'deld of his future labors. It surely then seemed not the land of promise, it was passing through the stormy and meagre days of its history. Legal services were not here and then richly rewarded. The country was poor, war-ridden, and sparsely settled. Everything was scattered, save money. But there is a destiny which shapes our ends, and it is doubtful if this self-reliant, determined young worker could have made a happier choice. 5

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require great perception to foresee that its early years must prove its most trying ones: it required even less perception to determine how much of its success must be made dependent upon its chief leader and sponsor, it re- quired no perception whatsoever to decide that Francis M. Black should be chosen as its president. His eminence as a citizen, lawyer and jurist, his wealth of legal learning and experience, his proved executive ability, united to fit him to especially aid in founding an institution of law. But, perhaps, then, it was not fully believed, either by himself or others, how completely he could bring himself into touch with the students. It was altogether a new field of action for him. But his rugged strength, his devotion to the school, his conscientious efforts, throughout his lectures on equitable juris- prudence, to share with them his learning as a great equity lawyer, aroused their immediate admiration. Beyond all this, they soon discovered that though his manners were oftimes stern, abrupt and authoritative, his heart was never severed from the humanities of life. Francis M. Black, in the full possession of all his powers, suddenly died, May 24, 1002. -.lolm W Snyder. X .. .. X .-:1::.1.., ' E n V 4nm's2jgE 7