CLARK GENEALOGY
The name Clark is derived from the word Clericus, meaning " a priest," or one connected with the service of the church. It is an English name and distinguished during the time of William the Conqueror. The old records show a variety of spelling, viz: Clarck, Clearck, Cleark, Clearke, Clearcke, Clerc, Clerck, Clercke. The name was quite common among the early settlers of Massachusetts,one of the name was on the Mayflower.Of the Virginia and North Carolina Clarks the first of record is the name of Francis Clark, who settled in Virginia in the year 1635. The names of the George Rogers Clark family are similar to those of the Guilford family, however we are unable to trace a genealogical connection. Alexander Campbell relates that his grandfather, John Campbell, came from County Down, Ireland, served as a soldier in the Revolution, and further, that the Clarks of Guilford came from the same county in Ireland. Definite history of the family begins with the will of Thomas Clark, who died at Guilford Court House during the winter of 1780-81. The following is a cop3' of the will:
"In the name of God, Amen, I, Thomas Clark, of the state of North Carolina, County of Orange Yeoman, being very sick and weak of body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be unto God for the same, and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, on this twenty-fifth day of November in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty do make, ordain and publish this m)' last will and testament, that is to say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my executors and surviving friends and concerning such vsrorldl}- estate wherewith it hath please
This will was witnessed by Wm. Strain, John Kay and William Williams. The August court of 1781, Orange county, ordered the will recorded on the testimony of John Ray and William Williams.
Thomas died shortly after this will was written, for Susannah, his wife, was a widow at the time of the battle of Guilford, March 15, 1781. The children related the following occurrence: " A British officer accosted her with this question, Are you a loyalist, or an American (Tory)? She answered. I am a helpless widow with six children, but I am an American. Saluting, he replied, Madam, you are the first honest woman I have found in America.
Susannah did not survive her husband long-, for Abner, the youngest son, was raised by a Quaker, and accompanied him to Kentucky about the year 1795. Thomas and Abner often related their experience on the day of the battle of Guilford. The cannonading frig-htened the boys very much and they clung to their mother. It is very probable that William Clark was the oldest of the family, for he served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Before the year 1800 the six children had found their way into Kentucky. Sarah married Charry Tinnen, and died in Kentucky. Mary married Colonel New, and spent her days in Kentucky. Catherine married a minister, McAdoo by name, and we presume ended her days in the bluegrass state. William Clark remained in Kentucky with his family, with one exception, James, his son, migrated to Brown county in 1835, and settled in Missouri township.
The two youngest boys, Thomas and Abner, who watched the camp of Cornwallis' soldiers from their mother's door at Orangeburg, are the children in which we are especially concerned. Thomas married Mary Anthony), and Abner married Nancy Goram. The children of these families grevpto manhood and womanhood, and man\' of them were weddeing before they left Kentucky.
Calvin, the oldest son of Abner, was the first to come tecIllinois. He came in 1830, just before the ''deep snow." H^?was proud of the fact that he was first to scatter blueg"rass>seed in the new country, and demonstrate that it woulclsucceed.
Harrison M. Clark, son of Abner, with his sister, Inetta,and her husband, Alford Wilgus, left Logan county. Kentuck)', and came to Illinois in 1833. They owned a wagon together and each owned a horse, thus they were able to make the journey to Illinois.
Abner Clark and wife, Nancy, in company with their younger children, Francis A., (commonly called Dick), Abner, Angel, Catherine, Purlina, Delilah, and her husband, GeorgeW. Coffman, left Logan county, Kentucky, and journeyed to Schuyler (now Brown) county, Illinois, arriving in October, 1835. When they reached the prairie regions a fire was en-countered. Francis A. Clark was driving the horses and succeeded in getting through. George W. Coffman was drivingthe oxen and came near being overwhelmed in the fire. Nancy rode on horseback the most of the way, and it is said of her that she followed the dogs in a bear hunt when a girl. She is described as a very strong woman. Perneta and her husband, Banjamin Adams, came to Illinois in the year, 1833.
Wm. T. Clark came in 1836. Lucinda and Hannah, theoldest daughters of Thomas Clark, came with their father toIllinois in 1839. Hannah married Wm. O. F. Campbell, anddied soon after. Lucinda then married this same man, and died ten years later, leaving one son, James A. Campbell.
Wm. Anthony Clark, the oldest son of Thomas, marriedMahala Roberts, in Logan county, Kentucky, April, 1832,and came to Illinois in the year 1837.
Hiram, the second son of Thomas, married Mary A. Hickman in Logan county, Kentucky, in the year 1835. They moved to Moniteau county, Missouri, in 1839, and on his lands grew the little city of Clarksburg. Many of his descendants are prominent in that part of the state at present.
Eleanor, daughter of Thomas, was united in marriage with John W. McDowell, a Presbyterian minister, in the year 1835. They first came to Illinois, but later located at Clarksburg, Mo.
Susan Clark became the wife of Anthony Hickman in 1836. They settled in Moniteau county, Missouri, in the year 1838.
Mary Clark was united in marriage with Alexander Cam.pbell in Logan county, Kentucky, 1838. They came to Illinois in 1840. Mr, Campbell had previously visited Illinois in 1836. He is still living at the ripe age of ninety-eight years and seven months.
Abner, Thomas Milton, Sarah, Elizabeth, Henry C. and Robert Newton came with their father, Thomas Clark to Illinois in 1839. Alford lies buried in Logan county, Kentucky. Sarah Elizabeth married Henry Miller in the year 1844. Afterward moved to Hickory county, Missouri, where she died, leaving two sons.
It seems proper to mention some fatalities in connection with this history. George Coffman, son of Delilah, lost his life in a wolf hunt, by falling and discharging his gun while running along a woods road to intercept the wolf when it should cross. Henry, son of Harrison Clark, died of measles at Humbolt, Tenn., while in the United States army. Finis P., son of Harrison, was killed at a sawmill in Arkansas. Much could be written concerning the many individuals whose names appear on these genealogical pages; suffice to say that all the avocations of life are here represented, some more prominent than others, but we trust that all are actuated by the highest motives in this life. These poetic words are fitting here:
"Like leaves on the trees, the race of man has found;
How green in youth, now withering on the ground.
So generations in their course decay;
So perish these, when those have passed away."
A Link to the complete Clark genealogy
Source: Clarks of Guilford County (Greensboro) North Carolina compiled January 1912 by Edward and Daisy Clark, Mount Sterling, Illinois