Robert Clark

b. 21 November 1796, d. 12 November 1886
FatherJames Clark1,2,3 b. 5 Jul 1754, d. 21 Dec 1818
MotherIsabella Breckenridge1 b. abt 1764, d. 9 Sep 1848
Birth21 Nov 1796 Robert Clark was born on 21 Nov 1796 in Virginia.4,5 
Devisee17 Dec 1818  Robert's father wrote his will in December 1818, a few days before his death. The terms of the will left James's land to Robert and his younger brother Peter with the condition that they were to pay certain legacies and also care for their mother and unmarried sisters. Since Peter was under 21 Robert was placed in charge of managing the farm. Robert was only 22 himself.2 
Marriage22 Nov 1827 He married Catharine Dickson, daughter of William Dickson, on 22 Nov 1827 in Washington County, Virginia.6,7 
Land-Sell26 Feb 1831 On 26 Feb 1831 Robert and Catharine sold 48.25 acres of land on the Middle Fork of the Holston River to Peter Clark for $193. The land was described as part of a tract of land left to Robert and Peter in the will of their father James Clark.8 
Land-Sell26 Feb 1831  They sold John Clark 122 acres on the Middle Fork for $507 the same day.9 
Cens-18507 Aug 1850  The 1850 federal census for Washington County recorded Robert and Catherine with three children: William (20), James (18) and Catherine (13). Their land was valued at $5,000.10 
Cens-18607 Jul 1860  By 1860 it had increased in worth to $15,000. Robert also owned personal property worth $11,000.11 
Cens-18801 Jun 1880  Robert and Catherine were enumerated near Glade Spring, Virginia when the 1880 census was recorded. Robert was 83 and Catherine was 82. Living next to them was their son, William, his wife, Nanny, their seven children, and Robert and Catherine's son James.12 
Religion Robert served as deacon of the Presbyterian Church for many years. He planted pines at Old Glade Church.1 
Death12 Nov 1886 Robert died on 12 Nov 1886 at age 89.13 
Burial Robert was buried near his wife Catherine and two of their children at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.13,14 
Will-Recd22 Nov 1886 Robert's will was recorded at Washington County court on Nov. 22, 1886. It was originally written in 1882 but he added a codicil in August 1886, just before his death. He left his daughter Isabella Jane Meek $1,000 in the will and an additional $200 in the codicil. Robert also carefully provided for his wife Catherine.

In his original will Robert simply left his land and other undevised possessions to be equally divided between his two sons, William D. and James B. Clark. However, in his codicil Robert clarified the metes and bounds of the land (which was located on either side of the Glade Spring-Saltville Rd) and stipulated which son was to receive which part. Robert also stated that if James did not marry his land was to revert to William's two oldest children (named as Robert B. and Joseph W. Clark).15 

Research Comment:

There has been some confusion surrounding the parents of the Robert Clark who married Catherine Dixon due to an erroneous entry in Virginia and Virginians, which was compiled about 1882. The text contains an article on William Dixon Clark, who is stated to be the son of Robert Clark and Catherine Dixon, with which I would agree. However the book goes on to say that this Robert Clark was the son of Peter Clark which is incorrect. I believe the authors confused this Robert with his cousin Robert Clark, the son of Peter Clark and Mary Galbreath. THAT Robert was born in 1797 and married Jane Berry in 1826.

A Washington County survey dated 19 Sept. 1828 verifies the lands formerly belonging to James Clark (deceased) and which in 1828 belonged to his sons John, Robert, Peter and James. A portion of this tract was left to Robert in the will of James Clark and in 1831 a portion of this same land, clearly identified as having been willed to Robert by James his father, was sold by Robert and Catherine his wife to Peter Clark.

In addition, the 1840 census enumerator distinguished Robert ("of James") from Robert ("of Peter") when he recorded their families. Although the names of each individual in the household were not recorded in 1840, tallies in the appropriate age columns indicate the make-up of the 2 households. The tallies in the various age columns for Robert ("of James") exactly matches the ages of the known children of Robert Clark and Catherine Dixon. Likewise, the tallies in the age columns for Robert ("of Peter") exactly match the ages of the known children of Robert Clark and Jane Berry.

Both Roberts are buried in Old Glade Spring Cemetery. Both have headstones which record their date of birth. The stone for the Robert Clark who is buried near Catherine Clark reports his birthdate as 21 Nov. 1796. This exactly matches the birth recorded for Robert in the bible of his brother Peter. The bible includes the names and birthdates for all the otherwise established children of James Clark and Isabella Breckenridge Clark.

Therefore, it is my conclusion, that the Robert who married Catherine Dixon and who was the father of William Dixon Clark, was the son of James Clark, not the son of Peter Clark as stated in Virginia and Virginians.16,5,3,13,17,18,19

Related Links and Images:

Robert's birthdate as entered in the Bible of his brother, Peter Clark20
Learn more about Robert's childhood home. Be sure to note the link to the 1821-1890 map page. Robert, although only about 25 at the time, was identified on the 1821 map. He would have been managing the farm per his father's will21
See James Clark's land for information on land Robert inherited from his father and then sold to 2 of his brothers.
Robert's will
Robert's headstone
Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery
The 1850 Washington Co., Virginia census listed Robert as the head of household number 328. Follow the link to see who lived nearby.

Family

Catharine Dickson b. 5 Aug 1797, d. 11 May 1888
Children
ChartsDescendants of James Clark and Isabella Breckenridge
Last Edited23 Jul 2013

Citations

  1. [S11] "Family notes of Mrs. Lizzie Ryburn."
  2. [S131] James Clark will (1819), Washington Co., Virginia, Will Book 4: 281.
  3. [S1772] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 10: 397. Robert and Catherine Clark (26 Feb. 1831) to Peter Clark. The deed specifically refers to the land as part of a tract of land left to Robert and Peter in the will of their father, James Clark. A survey dated 19 Sept. 1827 (WC Survey Book 2:508-509) further establishes this as part of a larger parcel of lands belonging to John, Robert, Peter and James Clark conveyed by James Braden to James Clark, father to the 4 men.
  4. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 178. Stone reported to read: Robert Clark, 21 Nov. 1796-12 Nov. 1886.
  5. [S1546] Peter and Margaret Clark Bible. The Bible included the dates of birth of Peter's siblings and includes the following entry: "Robbert Born November 21st, 1796."
  6. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 12. Entry abstracted as: Robt Clark and Catherine Dickson, 22 Nov. 1827 by Alexr. McEwen.
  7. [S5] Elizabeth Kelly Allison, Early Southwest Virginia Families, p. 70-85.
  8. [S1772] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 10: 397. Deed dated 26 Feb. 1831 and recorded 21 March 1831: Robert and Catherine Clark to Peter Clark for $193; 48.25 acres on waters of the Middle fork of Holston River being part of the land left to Robert and Peter by the will of their father James Clark.
  9. [S1772] Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 10: 397. Deed dated 26 Feb. 1831 and recorded 21 March 1831: Robert and Catherine Clark to John Clark for $507; 122 acres on Middle fork of Holston River.
  10. [S367] Robert Clark household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th District, p. 90 (stamped), dwelling 328, family 328, viewed online at Ancestry.com, May 2003, image 45 of 289. Robert Clark, 53, farmer, owns real estate valued at $5,000; Catherine 52; William 20; James 18; Catherine 13; all b. VA.
  11. [S234] Robert Clark household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., The Western District, p. 455 (added script), dwelling 650, family 635, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Dec. 2006, image 93 of 361. Enumeration includes: Robert Clark, 63, farmer, owns land val: $15,000; pers. prop: $11.000; Catharine, 62; William, 28, farmer, owns pers. prop of $2,500; James, 26, pers. prop of $225; Kate, 22, spinster; Virginia Meek, 9; all b. VA.
  12. [S165] Robert Clark household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 2 (53B stamped), dwelling 12, family 13, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 2 of 54. Robert Clark, 83, farmer, b. VA, both parents b. Scotland; Catherine 82, b. VA, both parents b. Pennsylvania.
  13. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 178. Stone reported to read: Robert Clark, 21 Nov. 1796-12 Nov. 1886 [entered adjacent to Catherine Clark, listed as the wife of Robert Clark].
  14. [S132] Record of persons buried in Old Glade Spring Cemetery, Washington Co. Virginia, as compiled by John A. Blakemore circa 1952 with a plot map drawn by Harold Lester in 1963. The survey recorded a cluster of stones including Catharine, her father William Dickson and two of her children. Robert Clark's stone was noted (by a "late-added number") in an entirely different part of the cemetery. However an onsite visit of the cemetery conducted by Ric Sheets in Feb. 2009 revealed that the stone noted as belonging to William Dickson was actually Robert Clark's stone. No stone for William Dickson was noted in the area at all. Also, no stone was found for Robert Clark in the position noted by the "late-added number" on the survey.
  15. [S711] Robert Clark will (recorded 1886), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 22: 339. Robert's will was written on June 8, 1882. He added a codicil on August 27, 1886. Both documents were recorded at court on Nov. 22, 1886. Robert named his son William D. Clark as his executor.
  16. [S1198] Virgil Lewis, "Residents of Washington County," in Virginia and Virginians, p. 710.
  17. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 178. Robert Clark, 16 Mar 1797-6 Mar 1819, age 21y 11m 10d. Memorial stone reads Robert Clark 1797-1849. The year of death and age of death appear to have been misread when the old stone was "read". Jane Clark, wife of Robert Clark, is noted as the adjacent monument.
  18. [S679] Robt Clark (of James) household, 1840 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, p. after p. 204 stamped, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2007, image 13 of 115. Robt Clark (of James) household: 2M (5-9); 1M (40-49); 1F (under 5); 1F (10-14); 1F (30-39).
  19. [S679] Robt Clark (of Peter) household, 1840 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, p. after p. 205 stamped, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2007, image 14 of 115. Robt Clark (of Peter) household: 1M (under 5); 1M (10-14); 1M (40-49); 2F (5-9); 1F (30-39).
  20. [S1376] Bible images courtesy of Carol Lockas.
  21. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Katherine Clark.
  22. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 178. Stone reported to read: James B. Clark s/o Robert & Catherine Clark, 20 Jun 1832-13 May 1916.