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Daniel Clark (c. 1720–1787), son of Joseph Clark and Lydia Grinnell

Deborah Lewis (1721–1775), daughter of Joseph Lewis and Elizabeth Burge.

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Daniel, the son of Joseph and Lydia (Grinnell) Clark, was born about 1720 in Saybrook.¹ He died on 13 July 1787, age 67 or 68, in Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut.^1,2 He was buried in the Old Haddam Cemetery.¹ He was "killed by a fall from a load of hay."¹ He married first Deborah Lewis.¹ He married second Martha (Benjamin) Ray, the widow of James Ray, Jr. of Haddam, in December 1778 in Haddam.^1,2

1766 Map of Connecticut

Deborah, the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Burge) Lewis, was born on 16 April 1721 in Haddam.¹ She died on 9 April 1755 in Haddam.^1,2 She is called Deborah (Lewis) Clark in the church record of her death.² She is buried in the Thirty Mile Island Plantation Burial Yard in Haddam.³

Daniel's grandfather, Major John Clark, left him a bequest in his will of 12 February 1735/6.

On 25 June 1742 Joseph Clark gave his son Daniel land in Chester just to the north of land that he had given his son Daniel. Daniel sold to Joel Canfield land in Chester just north of land Joseph Clark was willing to sell to and just south of land his father was willing to sell.¹ Chester was a part of Saybrook until it was incorporated in 1836.

In 1775 Daniel became guardian of four children of his deceased brother Joseph.¹ On 4 March 1775 Daniel gave his son Zelotus of Saybrook 40 acres in Chester.¹

Daniel was admitted to the Congregational church in July 1757; Deborah was admitted in April 1771. She is referred to as Deborah (Lewis) Clark, the wife of Daniel.²

Daniel wrote his will in 25 February 1785/6; it was proved on 6 August 1787. He named his wife, his sons Zelotus and Joseph, his daughters Priscilla, Sarah, Lois and Thankful, and Zelotus's son Lewis.¹

Children of Daniel Clark and Deborah Lewis:

i. Zelotus Clark was born on 4 June 1748.¹ He died on 8 December 1834 in Twinsburg, Ohio.⁴ He may have married first Mary Unknown. Mary, the wife of Zelotes Clark, died on 4 November 1773, age 29, and is buried in the Hearse Hill Cemetery in Chester.³. He married [second?] Elizabeth Harris on 1 September 1778 in Killingworth, Middlesex, Connecticut.²

Zelotus served as a private in the Revolutionary War. He enlisted on 8 May 1775 and was discharged on 18 December 1777.⁴ He was granted on pension on 24 February 1833, when he was 29.⁵ In his application he said that he was a poor, penniless old man who could not employ a proper lawyer to prepare his papers. The details of his service are found in his application papers.⁶

In 1790 Zelotus was the head of a household in Saybrook with one male over 16, four males under 16 and four females. In 1800 he was the head of a household with one male and one female 26 to 44, two males and one female 16 to 25, one male and one female ten to 15, and one male and three females under ten.⁷

ii. Priscilla Clark married first William Miller.⁸ She married second Joel Canfield on 9 April 1793 in Chester.⁸ He died on 4 May 1808 in Chester.⁸

Priscilla was named in her father's will.

iii. Joseph Clark was born on 17 September 1753.¹ He was baptized on 9 February 1755 in Haddam.² He died on 29 May 1831, age 78. Joseph Clark of Haddam married Sarah Dudley of Haddam in the Third Church of Saybrook (now in Chester).⁹ She died on 1 May 1840, age 83.³

Joseph and Sarah are buried in the Shailorville Tylerville Cemetery in Haddam. The inscription on Joseph's gravestone says, "In memory of Joseph CLark who died May 29, 1831, age 78, Soldier in the Revolutionary War of 1775." There is a Revolutionary War marker.³

iv. Sarah Clark was born about 1756. She died, unmarried, in May 1826.⁸

v. Infant Clark, the child of Daniel, died in April 1757 in Haddam.²

vi. Thankful Clark was baptized in May 1758 in Haddam. She died on 8 April 1828, probably in Exeter, Otsego County, New York. She married Nathan Harding.

vii. Lois Clark was born about 1760. She died on 20 June 1850.⁸ She married first David Dickensen on 21 August 1777 in Chester.⁸ David, the son of Nehemiah, was born on 18 April 1757 in Hadley and died there on 9 September 1822.⁸ Lois married second Nathaniel Griswold on 26 February 1824 in Hadley.⁸ Michael, the son of Michael and Sarah (Parmalee) Griswold was born on 30 November 1759 in Killingworth and died there on 3 May 1839.⁸

viii. Lydia Clark was born on 14 April 1763.¹ She was baptized in May 1764 in Haddam.² She died on 23 February 1847 in Middletown.⁸ She married first Josiah Cary (or Cory) of Middle Haddam on October 1783.^2,8 Josiah Cary was born on 16 January 1761 in Haddam and died on 14 April 1797.¹⁰ Josiah was the son of Josiah and Hannah (Conklin) Cary, the grandson of Seth and Mary (Hebard) Cary, the great-grandson of Deacon Joseph and Mercy Cary and the great-great-grandson of John Cary of Plymouth.¹⁰ She married second Stephen Whitmore.⁸ Stephen, the son of Daniel and Mry (Chalker) Whitmore, was born on 16 August 1746 in Middletown and died there on 4 September 1835.⁸

Josiah was a coastal trader.¹⁰

References:

1. Mayflower Families Fifth Generation Descendants, 1700–1880," online database, AmericanAncestors, vol. 16, part 2, 356–7, citing Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620 (Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1975–2015).

2. "Connecticut, U.S., Church Record Abstracts, 1630–1920, database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3032) > vol. 48 Haddam, images 100–113; vol. 56 Killingworth, image 29 (marriage of Zelotes and Elizabeth).

3. "Deborah Lewis Clark," webpage, Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62336531/deborah-clark); "Joseph Clark," webpage, Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62652997/joseph-clark); "Sarah Dudley Clark," webpage, Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62653361/sarah-clark); "Pvt Zelotes Clark," webpage, Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6457529/zelotes-clark); "Mary Clark," webpage, Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42293471/mary-clark).

4. "Ohio, U.S. Soldier Registrations, 1804–1958," database with images, Ancestry (2017, https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61438), entry for Zelotes Clark.

5. "U.S., The Pension Roll of 1835," database with images, Ancestry (2014: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60514) . vo. IV > 6 Ohio, image 1153.

6. "Revolutionary War Pensions," database with images, Fold3 > Connecicut > C > Clark > Zelotes Clark.

7. United States Federal Census. Databases with images, Ancestry (2004, 2009, 2010):

8. Jean Rumsey, "Descendants of Daniel Grinnell for Three Generations," The Genealogist 7-8 (1986–1987): 144–277.

9. Frederic William Bailey, Early Connecticut Marriages as Found on Ancient Church Records Prior to 1800 (New Haven: Bureau of American Ancestry, 1896), 90 (Joseph).

10. Seth C. Cary, John Cary the Plymouth Pilgrim (Dorchester: Seth C. Cary, 1911), 66, 79, 100, 146.

Portion of a 24 November 1766 map of Connecticut from UConn Library Magic.

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Last revised: 19-Jul-2023