John Black (11 March 1817 – 3 February 1879) was a Scottish-born figure who acted in the politics of both the future Canada and the fledgling Australia.
Black traveled to the Red River Colony, in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba in 1839, having been appointed clerk to the General Quarterly Court of Assiniboia.
His duties as deputy to Adam Thom, the recorder of Rupert's Land, were soon superseded by his active employment in the offices of the Hudson's Bay Company.
[1] In 1850 Black was appointed chief accountant of the Upper Red River district, with residence at Fort Garry (Winnipeg).
[2][3] Black was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1859 to 1860, representing the seat of East Sydney.
He presided over the council on 23 October 1869[5] when Louis Riel was summoned to explain his rationale for preventing lieutenant governor-designate William McDougall from entering the Red River Colony.
He was offered the position of lieutenant governor or of recorder of Manitoba, but he declined, and in the summer of 1870 took up residence in Scotland for good.