George William Clarke

Rev. Walter Jogensen Young, Ph.D. was a Professor at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va. in 1938. That year he wrote a book on the 150-year history of the Massaponax Baptist Church in Spotsylvania County. Here is what he wrote in a tribute to George W. Clarke and his wife Esther Virginia Bullock: He spelled the name with e at the end whereas the Tombsone for Clark has no e.

"In the year 1925 Deacon George W. Clarke (Sept. 15, 1846-Sept. 14, 1925) passed to his great reward. Deacon for 52 years, Suncay School Superintendant for 30 years, it is my privilege to set down this memorial of him, for few knew his heart of hearts so well or the value of his councils to his pastor. One of the world's gentle souls, if he ever had an enemy, I never knew of it. From day to day he lived under God's all-seeing eye and by the grace and power of his Holy Spirit. His prayer life was unaffected and unashamed and there was in his spirit something so radiant it was beautiful. Always, always I reverenced the holiness that was in George Clarke and wished often that I could be as good as he was.

   His wife had a singular experience in that for many years, being a ponderous woman, she was unable to walk.  One day in reading Matt. 17:20, something told her to walk and she did until the day of her fatal illness.  It was the most remarkable case of faith cure I have ever known personally."

Find A Grave

Autobiography of George Clark taken from typed copy of history written in blank feed store book now in the ownership of another family member (unknown). Many copies circulate in the family. The History of My Life I was born at Colehill, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on Sept. 15, 1846 - Colehill then being owned by Robert 19 Duerson. I have been told by mother that I had the chills and fever from my birth. My parents' names were J. H. and Martha F. Clark. I suppose I grew as other children grow. My first recollection was Mr. Tom Chanders, at Guiney's Station, on the RF&P railroad. On seeing the old wood - burning engines, with the cow catchers being long, crooked spikes in front of the engine, I was very much afraid. Father moved from there up near the courthouse on a place known as the old George Pollard (or Pollett) Farm. My first schooling started there. I attended the old Field School, taught by Mr. J. F. Coleman, on the old Pulliam farm. I was then seven years old, and I never went to school any more to speak of. I was put to work as soon as I was large enough, and always had to get the wood and start the fires. I was called first every morning, so I became a regular farm-hand. My father was a carpenter, and I worked with him sometimes, but mostly on the farm. In 1861, I was 15 years old, and kept the mill some, and whatever farm work was to be done, until 1864. The Yankee raiders were going through this country, and taking boys of my age to prison, so, in April 1864, I volunteered, and joined the Fredericksburg artillery. I left home in April, 1864. I took the train at Beaver Dam, and joined the company at Teinsey's Station -- was there only a short time when we left. We went to the Wilderness battle. That was the first time I heard a bullet whistle. We did very little fighting there, for we could not get a position for our guns, we only shelled the woods some to dislodge some sharpshooters. That was the 3rd of May, 1864. When we left there, we went to Spotsylvania Court House, and was there until after the 12th. of May. We did some hard fighting there. Our gun had position on the Fredericksburg road, near where the public school Monroe now stands. There I acted as No. 5 - that was to carry the shells, and powder, from the limber chest to the gun. Our caisson was blown up, and I had only left it about two minutes. We used all our ammunition, so we had to go to the Ordinance train for more. I had a hole knocked through my hat brim. I did not know when it was done, but will say right here that I never felt as if I would be hurt. I saw my Father's house when it was burned, and I was in two miles of home, but could not get there, as the Yankeys was between me and home. So we remained at the CH until about 15th. of May, and went down towards Richmond. We had a skirmish at Jerachoo Ford, and then went on to Syains Mill, but did not stay long. From there to Petersburg, was in two fights on the Weldon R.R. I was driving the lead tem to No. 1 gun at that time, so things got quiet. We put our guns in the breast works, and took our teams up in Dinwiddie Co. near Southerlands Station to graze. I stayed up there until September, when Fort Harrison was taken on the north side of the James River, so we was sent over there to try to recapture the Fort. We had a hard fight on the 7th. of October. I worked at the trail handspike that day, and I really enjoyed the fight that day, but we failed. So we remained over there and was put under the ocmmand of Col. Marmaduke Johnson, and was there until the following April, and, on the 9th of April, we surrendered at Appomattox. I remained there three days when we started for home. It is 125 miles from Appomattox to Spotsylvania CH, so I got home about the 15th. of April. I found everything gone. I had no team, but got an old plug, and went to work. We lived at Bunker Hill**, now owned by S. R. Collert. Everything seemed to grow so good that we rented Salem Farm* the next year, and I worked that for two years, 1866 and 1867. In the meantime, I was converted in August 1865, and united with the Massaponax Church***, of which I have been a member ever since. This is written in 1920. I was married at Salem on February 2, 1869, to Miss E. V. Bullock (Ester Virginia), and my married life has been a happy one. I lived at Salem all together 15 years, and we worked and got along nicely until 1881, and I bought the place I now live in from Father, and have named it Willow Oaks. We raised all of our children, and educated them here. We had a happy family, and enjoyed life as much as any people; but now in our old age, we can look with gratitude to our Father in Heaven for his goodness and mercy, whihc has followed lal the days of our life; I took as my Scripture Text, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," - for we have not suffered for anything that we absolutely needed, for we have an abundance of everything we need. Now, some one will see and read this scratch, and wonder why it was written, but I will tell you I thought perhaps it might help someone, which has been my chief aim in life. February 3, 1920 George Clark - father of: Mrs. Amanda Rhoads, Western Springs, Ill. Mortimer Clark, Seattle, Washington William Clark, Huntington, W. Virginia Mrs. Alice Rice Asbury Park, New Jersey Mrs. Lucy Smith, Fredericksburg, Va. Mrs. Nell Fletcher, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Verna Dickerson, Spotsylvania County, Va.

I was born at Colehill, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on September 15, 1846. Colehill then being owned by Robert Duewson. I have been told by my mother that I had the chills and fever from my birth. My parents were J.H. and Martha F. Clarke. I suppose I grew as other children grow.

My first recollection was Mr. Tom Chanders, at Guineas station, on the RF&P railroad. On seeing the old wood-burning engines, with the cow catchers being long, crooked spikes in front of the engine, I was very much afraid.

Father moved from there up near the courthouse on a place known as the old George Pollard farm. My first schooling started there. I attended the old field school, taught by Mr. J.F. Coleman, on the old Pulliam farm. I was then seven years old, and I never went to school anymore to speak of. I was put to work as soon as I was large enough, and always had to get the wood and start the fires. I was called first every morning, so I became a regular farm-hand. My father was a carpenter, and I worked with him sometimes, but mostly on the farm.

In 1861 I was 15 years old, and kept the mill some, and whatever farm work was to be done until 1864. The Yankee raiders were going through this county and taking boys of my age to prison, so in April 1864, I volunteered and joined the Fredericksburg artillery.

I left home in April 1864. I took the train at Beaver Dam and joined the company at Teinsey's Station - was there only a short time when we left. We went to the Wilderness battle. That was the first time I heard a bullet whistle. We did very little fighting there for we could not get a position for our guns, we only shelled the woods some to dislodge some sharpshooters. That was the 3rd of May, 1864.

When we left there, we went to Spotsylvania Court House and was there until after the 12th of May. We did some heavy fighting there. Our gun had position on the Federicksburg road, near where the public school Monroe now stands. There I acted as No. 5 - that was to carry the shells and powder from the limber chest to the gun. Our caisson was blown up and I had only left it about two minutes.

Rev. Walter Jogensen Young, Ph.D. was a Professor at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Va. in 1938. That year he wrote a book on the 150-year history of the Massaponax Baptist Church in Spotsylvania County. Here is what he wrote in a tribute to George W. Clarke and his wife Esther Virginia Bullock: He spelled the name with e at the end whereas the Tombsone for Clark has no e.

"In the year 1925 Deacon George W. Clarke (Sept. 15, 1846-Sept. 14, 1925) passed to his great reward. Deacon for 52 years, Suncay School Superintendant for 30 years, it is my privilege to set down this memorial of him, for few knew his heart of hearts so well or the value of his councils to his pastor. One of the world's gentle souls, if he ever had an enemy, I never knew of it. From day to day he lived under God's all-seeing eye and by the grace and power of his Holy Spirit. His prayer life was unaffected and unashamed and there was in his spirit something so radiant it was beautiful. Always, always I reverenced the holiness that was in George Clarke and wished often that I could be as good as he was.

His wife had a singular experience in that for many years, being a ponderous woman, she was unable to walk. One day in reading Matt. 17:20, something told her to walk and she did until the day of her fatal illness. It was the most remarkable case of faith cure I have ever known personally." Find A Grave

Autobiography of George Clark taken from typed copy of history written in blank feed store book now in the ownership of another family member (unknown). Many copies circulate in the family. The History of My Life I was born at Colehill, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on Sept. 15, 1846 - Colehill then being owned by Robert 19 Duerson. I have been told by mother that I had the chills and fever from my birth. My parents' names were J. H. and Martha F. Clark. I suppose I grew as other children grow. My first recollection was Mr. Tom Chanders, at Guiney's Station, on the RF&P railroad. On seeing the old wood - burning engines, with the cow catchers being long, crooked spikes in front of the engine, I was very much afraid. Father moved from there up near the courthouse on a place known as the old George Pollard (or Pollett) Farm. My first schooling started there. I attended the old Field School, taught by Mr. J. F. Coleman, on the old Pulliam farm. I was then seven years old, and I never went to school any more to speak of. I was put to work as soon as I was large enough, and always had to get the wood and start the fires. I was called first every morning, so I became a regular farm-hand. My father was a carpenter, and I worked with him sometimes, but mostly on the farm. In 1861, I was 15 years old, and kept the mill some, and whatever farm work was to be done, until 1864. The Yankee raiders were going through this country, and taking boys of my age to prison, so, in April 1864, I volunteered, and joined the Fredericksburg artillery. I left home in April, 1864. I took the train at Beaver Dam, and joined the company at Teinsey's Station -- was there only a short time when we left. We went to the Wilderness battle. That was the first time I heard a bullet whistle. We did very little fighting there, for we could not get a position for our guns, we only shelled the woods some to dislodge some sharpshooters. That was the 3rd of May, 1864. When we left there, we went to Spotsylvania Court House, and was there until after the 12th. of May. We did some hard fighting there. Our gun had position on the Fredericksburg road, near where the public school Monroe now stands. There I acted as No. 5 - that was to carry the shells, and powder, from the limber chest to the gun. Our caisson was blown up, and I had only left it about two minutes. We used all our ammunition, so we had to go to the Ordinance train for more. I had a hole knocked through my hat brim. I did not know when it was done, but will say right here that I never felt as if I would be hurt. I saw my Father's house when it was burned, and I was in two miles of home, but could not get there, as the Yankeys was between me and home. So we remained at the CH until about 15th. of May, and went down towards Richmond. We had a skirmish at Jerachoo Ford, and then went on to Syains Mill, but did not stay long. From there to Petersburg, was in two fights on the Weldon R.R. I was driving the lead tem to No. 1 gun at that time, so things got quiet. We put our guns in the breast works, and took our teams up in Dinwiddie Co. near Southerlands Station to graze. I stayed up there until September, when Fort Harrison was taken on the north side of the James River, so we was sent over there to try to recapture the Fort. We had a hard fight on the 7th. of October. I worked at the trail handspike that day, and I really enjoyed the fight that day, but we failed. So we remained over there and was put under the ocmmand of Col. Marmaduke Johnson, and was there until the following April, and, on the 9th of April, we surrendered at Appomattox. I remained there three days when we started for home. It is 125 miles from Appomattox to Spotsylvania CH, so I got home about the 15th. of April. I found everything gone. I had no team, but got an old plug, and went to work. We lived at Bunker Hill**, now owned by S. R. Collert. Everything seemed to grow so good that we rented Salem Farm* the next year, and I worked that for two years, 1866 and 1867. In the meantime, I was converted in August 1865, and united with the Massaponax Church***, of which I have been a member ever since. This is written in 1920. I was married at Salem on February 2, 1869, to Miss E. V. Bullock (Ester Virginia), and my married life has been a happy one. I lived at Salem all together 15 years, and we worked and got along nicely until 1881, and I bought the place I now live in from Father, and have named it Willow Oaks. We raised all of our children, and educated them here. We had a happy family, and enjoyed life as much as any people; but now in our old age, we can look with gratitude to our Father in Heaven for his goodness and mercy, whihc has followed lal the days of our life; I took as my Scripture Text, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," - for we have not suffered for anything that we absolutely needed, for we have an abundance of everything we need. Now, some one will see and read this scratch, and wonder why it was written, but I will tell you I thought perhaps it might help someone, which has been my chief aim in life. February 3, 1920 George Clark - father of: Mrs. Amanda Rhoads, Western Springs, Ill. Mortimer Clark, Seattle, Washington William Clark, Huntington, W. Virginia Mrs. Alice Rice Asbury Park, New Jersey Mrs. Lucy Smith, Fredericksburg, Va. Mrs. Nell Fletcher, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Verna Dickerson, Spotsylvania County, Va.

From "The History of My Life" by George William Clarke, February 3, 1920. Typed copy provided to me (Barbara Boward) by my partner, Susan Woodburn Fletcher. I have reproduced the manuscript as it is written. I did add paragraphing in the version below: I was born at Colehill, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, on September 15, 1846. Colehill then being owned by Robert Duewson. I have been told by my mother that I had the chills and fever from my birth. My parents were J.H. and Martha F. Clarke. I suppose I grew as other children grow.

My first recollection was Mr. Tom Chanders, at Guineas station, on the RF&P railroad. On seeing the old wood-burning engines, with the cow catchers being long, crooked spikes in front of the engine, I was very much afraid.

Father moved from there up near the courthouse on a place known as the old George Pollard farm. My first schooling started there. I attended the old field school, taught by Mr. J.F. Coleman, on the old Pulliam farm. I was then seven years old, and I never went to school anymore to speak of. I was put to work as soon as I was large enough, and always had to get the wood and start the fires. I was called first every morning, so I became a regular farm-hand. My father was a carpenter, and I worked with him sometimes, but mostly on the farm.

In 1861 I was 15 years old, and kept the mill some, and whatever farm work was to be done until 1864. The Yankee raiders were going through this county and taking boys of my age to prison, so in April 1864, I volunteered and joined the Fredericksburg artillery.

I left home in April 1864. I took the train at Beaver Dam and joined the company at Teinsey's Station - was there only a short time when we left. We went to the Wilderness battle. That was the first time I heard a bullet whistle. We did very little fighting there for we could not get a position for our guns, we only shelled the woods some to dislodge some sharpshooters. That was the 3rd of May, 1864.

When we left there, we went to Spotsylvania Court House and was there until after the 12th of May. We did some heavy fighting there. Our gun had position on the Federicksburg road, near where the public school Monroe now stands. There I acted as No. 5 - that was to carry the shells and powder from the limber chest to the gun. Our caisson was blown up and I had only left it about two minutes.