 James Dixon Black was born on September 24, 1849 nine miles from Barbourville on Richland Creek in Knox County, Kentucky.He was the youngest of twelve children born to John Craig and Clarissa "Cassie" (Jones) Black.Black's older brother, Isaac Jones Black (August 5, 1828 - October 22, 1866), was captain of the 49th Kentucky Mounted Infantry in the Union Army during the Civil War.