Benjamin Walter Clark1,2

b. 24 December 1879, d. 26 July 1950
Ben W. Clark (cropped)
photo courtesy Jim Faris
FatherCharles Alfred Clark3 b. 16 May 1854, d. 5 Sep 1931
MotherFlorence Virginia Rosenbalm3 b. 25 Feb 1859, d. 15 Mar 1946
Birth24 Dec 1879 Benjamin Walter Clark was born on 24 Dec 1879 in Washington County, Virginia.4,1 
Childhood  Ben grew up on Clark family land northwest of the old Ebbing Spring Cemetery. He was the oldest of 3 sons. In 1894 Ben's father purchased neighboring land whose northern boundary fronted the Old Stage Rd. south of the community of Glade Spring. The property had belonged to John Breckenridge Clark (a cousin) and included an old home built by John's parents, John B. Clark and his wife Mary (Beattie) Clark. There Ben, his parents, younger siblings, and paternal grandmother, Mary (Clark) Clark, were all enumerated at the turn of the century (see links below for photos).5,6 
Marriage12 Apr 1905 Benjamin married Lena Mary Copenhaver, daughter of Frank Buchanan Copenhaver and Elizabeth Margaret Snodgrass, on 12 Apr 1905 in Washington County.4 
  Ben's brothers Claude and Ray were skilled carpenters. Around the time of the 1910 census they, along with their father, built two new homes for the family near the old John B. Clark home on the Old Stage Road. The first one to be completed was built for Ben's parents, Charles and Florence Clark. 
Cens-19103 May 1910  Charles and Florence's 1910 household included Ben and Lena and their two young sons as well as Ben's brother Ray. As the 1910 census did not record street addresses it is impossible to know if the extended family was living in their new home or in the older John B. Clark home.7 
  Regardless, by 1912 a home had been built for Ben and his family. Ben's son Ernest later recalled that Ben modeled the home after his father's home and used wood from the old home [referring to the original John B. Clark structure] in its construction. Ben and Lena raised two sons and a daughter in their new home, while Ben farmed land first settled by his great great grandparents, James Clark and Isabella Breckenridge in 1807.8,9,10 
Death26 Jul 1950 Benjamin died on 26 Jul 1950 at his home at Glade Spring at age 70.1,11 
Burial He was buried in the Charles A. Clark square at Old Glade Spring Cemetery in Washington County.1 
Obituary  Ben's obituary noted that he was a lifelong member of Old Glade Presbyterian Church and a trustee of the church for more than 30 years.11 

Related Links and Images:

Note the camera icon below the photo of Ben at the top of this page. Click on it for a full size version of the photo.
Click on the camera icon at the end of this sentence for a photo of Ben and his family from the late 1890s. It was taken on the porch of the home Ben's father purchased from John Breckenridge Clark in 189412
See Clark Homes on the Old Stage Rd for photos of the old home as well as of the home Ben built for his family about 1912.12
Around 1908-1909 Ben and Lena were photographed with their two young sons, Garland and Ernest
Ben and his horse Prince in front of Ben and Lena's home
Benjamin's headstone
Other interments in Old Glade Spring Cemetery

Family

Lena Mary Copenhaver b. 7 Oct 1881, d. 7 Mar 1963
Children
ChartsDescendants of Mathew Ryburn and Jane Beattie
Descendants of James Clark and Isabella Breckenridge
Last Edited17 Jan 2012

Citations

  1. [S54] Virginia Historicial Society of Washington County, High On A Windy Hill Vol II, p. 42. Stone reported to read: Ben W. Clark, 1879-1950.
  2. [S165] Chas A. Clark household, 1880 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 94, page 10 (57B stamped), dwelling 79, family 80, viewed online at www.Ancestry.com, April 2003, image 10 of 54. Charles A. Clark, 26, farmer; Florence B., 21, wife; Walter B., 5/12, b. Jan, son; Manerva I, 17, cousin; all b. VA; all parents b. VA.
  3. [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.
  4. [S2803] Jim Faris, "Date questions," e-mail to D. Powell, 16 Jan. 2012.
  5. [S2826] Washington Co., Virginia, Deed Book 51: 433.
  6. [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.
  7. [S237] Charles A. Clark household, 1910 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 116, sheet 15B, dwelling 284, family 296, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2003, image 30 of 36. Recorded data includes: Chas A. Clark, marr once for 32 yrs, farmer, owns home; Florence V., wife, 45, marr 32 yrs, mother of 3 children, all living; Ben W., son, 31, married 5 yrs, first marr; Ray D., son, 20, sgl; Lena M., dau-in-law, 28, married 5 yrs, first marr, mother of 2 children, both living; Garland F., grandson, 4; Chas E., grandson, 2; all b. VA.
  8. [S2827] "Brief Survey Form", (1992), Ernest Clark house, file: 095-233, Department of Historic Resources, Richmond, Virginia.
  9. [S238] Ben Clark household, 1920 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 149, sheet 9B, dwelling 157, family 160, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Feb. 2010. Household includes: Ben Clark, 40, farmer; Lena, wife, 37; Garland, son, 13; Ernest, son, 11; Mildred, dau, 5; all b. VA/VA/VA; Old Stage Rd.
  10. [S639] Ben W. Clark household, 1930 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 96-7, sheet 2B, dwelling 29, family 31, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Feb. 2010. Household includes: Ben W. Clark, 51, marr at 25, farmer, rents farm for $6; Lena, wife, 48, marr at 22; Garland, son, 23; Ernest, son, 21; Mildred, dau, 15; all b. VA/VA/VA.
  11. [S2848] "Ben Clark Dies At Glade Spring", Herald Courier (Washington Co., VA), 26 Jul 1950.
  12. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Jim Faris.
  13. [S238] Ben Clark household, 1920 U.S. cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Glade Spring District, ED 149, sheet 9B, dwelling 157, family 160, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Feb. 2010. Household includes: Ben Clark, 40, farmer; Lena, wife, 37; Garland, son, 13; Ernest, son, 11; Mildred, dau, 5; all b. VA/VA/VA.