Sergeant John Clark

Sergeant John Clark (d. 1731), son of William Clark

Elizabeth White (1655–1711), daughter of Captain Nathaniel White and Elizabeth Unknown

Sergeant John Clark died on 26 July 1731 in Middletown. [1] He married Elizabeth White, the daughter of Nathaniel White. [2]

Elizabeth, the daughter of Captain Nathaniel and Elizabeth White, was born on 7 March 1655. [2] Elizabeth, the wife of Sergeant John Clark, died on 25 December 1711 in Middletown. [1]

John Clark of Haddam, the son of William Clark of Haddam, settled in what became the North Society of Middletown after he married Elizabeth, the daughter of Captain Nathaniel White. He purchased the south half of land that belonged to Thomas Hubbard on 21 March 1681. He lived in the house built by Hubbard in 1663/4 until 1731. He gave the property to his son John, who was in 1737 the first settler of East Hampton (then Chatham) on what is known as Clark's Hill. [2]

John was a carpenter, a sargeant, and was chosen selectman on 8 March 1700/1. [3]

In the 1714 "grand levy" for the North (Upper) Society in Middletown, Sergeant John Clark was assessed £71-17. [2]

On 14 March 1714 Sergeant Clark was hired to make seats for the meeting house for eight shillings a seat. [2]

On 7 September 1720 he executed a deed giving his real property to his three sons. He gave his homestead to his son John; he gave his son Nathaniel ten acres on the east side of the road to Hartford; he gave six acres to his son Daniel. On the same day he executed a deed giving his personal property to his daughters. [2]

Children of Sergeant John Clark and Elizabeth White: Recorded in Middletown as the children of John and Elizabeth [1]

i. Nathaniel Clark was born on 18 April 1676. He married Sarah Graves.

ii. John Clark was born on 14 June 1677. He died on 18 February 1771 in Chatham. [3] He married Sarah Goodwin on 9 May 1710. [3] Sarah, the daughter of William Goodwin, died on 19 October 1781, age 99. [3]

In the 1714 "grand levy" for the North (Upper) Society in Middletown, John Clark was assessed £46-00. [2]

John was of the earliest settlers of East Hampton. [4]

iii. Daniel Clark was born on 30 August 1670. Daniel Clark, Sr. died in March 1725 in Middletown. [1] He married Elizabeth Whitmore on 12 July 1704 in Middletown. [1] Elizabeth, the widow of Daniel, married Captain William Savage in November 1726 in Middletown. [1]

In the 1714 "grand levy" for the North (Upper) Society in Middletown, Daniel Clark was assessed £65-10. [2]

On 24 March 1714 Ensign Daniel Clark was on a committee to finish the meeting house. [2] Mrs. Daniel Clark was an original member of the new church in the Upper Society on 5 January 1714/5. [2]

Daniel Clark of Middleton made his will on 3 March 1724/5; it was proved and administration granted to the widow Elizabeth Clark on 12 April 1725. Daniel referred to, among others, his wife Elizabeth, his grandfather Harris, and his uncle Joseph White. [5]

iv. Elizabeth Clark was born on 3 April 1685. She died after 1746. [2] She married Ebenezer Selden of Hadley. [2] He died in 1740. [2]

v. Mary Clark was born on 3 April 1691. She probably died young.

vi. Sarah Clark was born on 8 September 1692. She married John Shepard on 17 February 1720. [2]

vii. White Clark was born on 4 November 1692. She married first Joseph Cole of Wethersfield. [2] She married second Samuel Smith of Middletown on 22 March 1744 [2] or John Loveland about 1743 in Glastenbury [3].

viii. Mary Clark was born on 4 May 1695. She married James Thompson of Brimfield. [2]

References:

1. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," online database, AmericanAncestors (2011, https://www.americanancestors.org/DB414/i/12576/211/24352578) > Middletown, image 96–106, from original typescripts, Lucius Barnes Barbour Collection, 1928.

2. Charles Collard Adams, Middletown Upper Houses: A History of the North Society of Middletown, Connecticut (New York: Grafton Press, 1908), 9, 30–31, 524, 715.

3. The Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants, "In-Depth First Settler Profile: John Clark (1676) / Elizabeeth (White) Clark," online artice, The Society of Middletown First Settlers Descendants (http://sites.rootsweb.com/~ctsmfsd/ClarkInDepth.pdf : accessed 1 October 2021).

4. History of Middlesex County, Connecticut (New York: J.B. Beers & Co., 1884), 204.

5. "Connecticut: Early Probate Records, 1635–1730,"database with images, AmericanAncestors (2006–2019, https://www.americanancestors.org/DB82/i/11950/486/1425927482), vol. 2, p. 486, citing Charles W. Manwaring, A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records (Hartford: R. S. Peck & Co., 1904).

Map from History of Middlesex County, Connecticut.

Last revised: 16-Jul-2023