Francis Black was born in Scotland. In 1891 he was appointed to the Vancouver branch of the Bank of B.C. He moved to Calgary, and was appointed a public utilities commissioner for Alberta. In 1918 he became treasurer of the United Grain Growers, with headquarters in Winnipeg. From 1922 to 1935 he was treasurer of the Manitoba Government. From 1927 to 1932 he was chair of the fruit and vegetable commission set up under B.C.'s Produce Marketing Act. In 1932 he took over the management of Kootenay Belle Gold Mines.