Mary Elizabeth Clark1

b. 9 August 1830, d. 13 May 1901
Mary E. (Clark) Clark (cropped)
photo courtesy Jim Faris
FatherRobert Clark2,3 b. 16 Mar 1797, d. 6 Mar 1849
MotherJane Berry3 b. 19 Jun 1806, d. 17 Aug 1862
Birth9 Aug 1830 Mary Elizabeth Clark was born on 9 Aug 1830 in Virginia.4,5,1 
Marriage25 Aug 1853 She married her second cousin James Alex Clark, son of James Clark and Ann Ryburn, on 25 Aug 1853 in Washington County, Virginia.6 
Legatee30 Jun 1861 Mary's Uncle, William G. Clark remembered her in his will, written in the summer of 1861. She, along with her siblings, was to receive the proceeds from the sale of various items which was to take place following the death of William's sister Mary Clark.7 
Legatee1 Jul 1863  The older Mary Clark wrote her will a few years later, leaving the younger Mary $200 if that amount remained after all other bequests were paid. However, the will specifically stated that James Alex Clark, Mary's husband, was not to inherit.8 
Cens-186011 Jul 1860 James and Mary first appear together on the 1860 census. Also enumerated with them were two sons, Charles, age six, and William, age 1.9 
  A third son had been born to the couple in 1857 but died at 4 months of age. In 1861 a daughter Margaret was added to the family. A headstone in Old Glade Spring Cemetery indicates the couple lost an additional child in infancy but does not provide a name or date.10 
Cens-187028 Sep 1870 In 1870 James was reported to own land worth $2,000. James and Mary's 3 children, Charles, William and Margaret were also enumerated as was a housekeeper, Sally Larimer.11 
Cens-18805 Jun 1880  Ten years later son Charles had married, but William and Margaret still lived at home with their parents. Also listed in the same household that year (but enumerated with a different family number) was a 68 year old widow, Katherine Mason. Six Mason children, ranging in age from Mary (18) to Ida (2) were listed with her.12 
 Mary's obituary stated that she was the mother of four children.1 
  However, when the census enumerator asked her, in June 1900, how many children she had given birth to, she replied that she was the mother of five children, and that three were living.13 
Death13 May 1901 Mary died on 13 May 1901 at the home of her son William at Old Glade Spring, Virginia. She had suffered for over two years from a nervous condition which caused her great pain.14 
Burial14 May 1901 She was buried on 14 May 1901 in Old Glade Spring Cemetery, Washington County, Virginia. The pallbearers were: M. Walter Robinson, Andrew Crow, J.D. Kent, Charles B. Clark, T.M. Porterfield and W. Horne.4,14 

Related Links and Images:

Mary lived with her son Charles and his family when the 1900 census was enumerated. Click on the camera icon for a close-up photo taken in 1894 on the front porch of their home. Mary is seated on the far left.15
Mary's headstone
Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery

Family

James Alex Clark b. 21 May 1825, d. 28 Oct 1889
Children
Last Edited14 Oct 2013

Citations

  1. [S50] Mary Elizabeth Clark obituary.
  2. [S50] Mary Elizabeth Clark obituary. States Mary was a daughter of Robert Clark of Meadowview.
  3. [S851] William G. Clark will and codicil|recorded 1861 (247), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 15: The will was dated 30 June, 1861; codicil added 4 Jul 1861. It was recorded in court on Aug. 26, 1861, with Dr. William Barr executor. The will lists these Clark siblings: Robert, James Clark, William T., Susan E., Mary E. and Sally. It does not specifically state that they are the children of Robert Clark, though that is inferred. Robert Clark was William G. Clark's deceased brother.
  4. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 177. Transcription reads: Mary E. Clark, w/o James Clark, 9 Aug. 1830 - 13 May 1901.
  5. [S5] Elizabeth Kelly Allison, Early Southwest Virginia Families, p. 70-85.
  6. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 60. James A. Clark & Mary E. Clark; 25 Aug. 1853.
  7. [S851] William G. Clark will and codicil (recorded 1861), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 15: 247. The will was dated 30 June, 1861; codicil added 4 Jul 1861. It was recorded in court on Aug. 26, 1861, with Dr. William Barr executor.
  8. [S705] Will of Mary Clark (recorded 1873), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 18: 109. Mary named her friend, Dr. W. Barr, as her executor.
  9. [S234] James A. Clark household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 463 (added script), dwelling 713, family 690, viewed online at Ancestry.com, June 2003, image 101 of 361. Reported data includes: James A. Clark 34, farmer, owns personal prop val $1,400; Mary 30; Charles 6; William 1; all b. VA.
  10. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 177. Stone reads: infant of J.A. & M.E. Clark.
  11. [S635] Jas A. Clark household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring township, p. 72b (stamped), dwelling 270, family 276, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 144 of 426. Data includes: Jas A. Clark, 45, farmer, owns real estate valued at $2,000; Mary E. 40, keeping house; Charles A. 16, farmer; Wm N. 12; M.J. (f) 9; Larimer, Sally, 29, housekeeper; all b. VA.
  12. [S165] James A. Clark household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 12 (58D stamped), dwelling 107, family 108, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 12 of 54. James A. Clark, 55, farmer; Mary E. 49, wife; Wm N., 21, son; Margaret J., 20, dau; all b. VA; all parents b. VA. Also in the home, but listed with a separate head of household number were: Katherine Mason, 68, mother; widowed, father b. PA; Mary, dau, 18; Henrietta, dau, 16; Lucy, 14, dau; Bette, 11, dau; James E., 7, son; Ida, dau, 2; all b. VA.
  13. [S574] Charles A. Clark household, 1900 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 108, sheet 18A (p. 78 stamped), dwelling 315, family 322, viewed online at Genealogy.com, April 2003, image 35 of 70. Charles A. Clark, 45, b. May 1855, married 22 yrs, farmer; Florence, wife, 36, b. Feb. 1864, married 22 yrs, mother of 3 children, all living; Benjamin, son, 20, Dec. 1879; Claude, son, 17, Apr 1883; Ray, son, 11, March 1889; Mary, mother, 69 wid, Aug. 1830, mother of 5 children, 3 living; all b. VA, all parents b. VA.
  14. [S50] Mary Elizabeth Clark obituary. Source provedes date, place and cause of death, date and location of burial, pallbearers names.
  15. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Jim Faris.
  16. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 59. Charles A. Clark, 25y, sgl, b & resid Wash. Co. VA, farmer, s/o Jas Alex & Mary E. Clark and Florence V. Rosenbalm, 20y, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o Adam & Hetty J. Rosenbalm; 26 Feb. 1879.
  17. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 177. Robert Walter Clark, s/o J.A. & M.E. Clark, 7 Feb to 4 Jun 1857.
  18. [S3] Moore and Stephens, Washington Co., VA Birth and Death Records, p. 176. Record states: Robt. W. Clark, 4 or 11y, d. 8 Apr 1857 of inflammation; parents Jas A. and Mary Clark.