http://www.holcombegenealogy.com/data/p195.htm#i9724

Deacon John Clark

b. 1651

Deacon John Clark|b. 1651|p195.htm#i9724|Lieut. William Clark||p195.htm#i9725|Sarah (?)|||||||||||||||

Deacon John Clark was born in 1651. He was the son of Lieut. William Clark and Sarah (?). Deacon John Clark married Rebecca Cooper on 12 July 1677. Deacon John Clark married Mary Strong, daughter of Elder John Strong and Abigail Ford, on 20 March 1679. Child of Deacon John Clark and Rebecca Cooper

• Sarah Clark

Children of Deacon John Clark and Mary Strong

• John Clark Jr.+ b. 28 Dec 1679, d. 3 Aug 1768
• Ebenezer Clark+ b. 18 Oct 1682, d. 27 Feb 1781

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http://www.holcombegenealogy.com/data/p195.htm#i9724

Deacon John Clark

b. 1651

Deacon John Clark|b. 1651|p195.htm#i9724|Lieut. William Clark||p195.htm#i9725|Sarah (?)|||||||||||||||

Deacon John Clark was born in 1651. He was the son of Lieut. William Clark and Sarah (?). Deacon John Clark married Rebecca Cooper on 12 July 1677. Deacon John Clark married Mary Strong, daughter of Elder John Strong and Abigail Ford, on 20 March 1679. Child of Deacon John Clark and Rebecca Cooper

• Sarah Clark

Children of Deacon John Clark and Mary Strong

• John Clark Jr.+ b. 28 Dec 1679, d. 3 Aug 1768
• Ebenezer Clark+ b. 18 Oct 1682, d. 27 Feb 1781

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http://www.holcombegenealogy.com/data/p195.htm#i9724

Deacon John Clark

b. 1651

Deacon John Clark|b. 1651|p195.htm#i9724|Lieut. William Clark||p195.htm#i9725|Sarah (?)|||||||||||||||

Deacon John Clark was born in 1651. He was the son of Lieut. William Clark and Sarah (?). Deacon John Clark married Rebecca Cooper on 12 July 1677. Deacon John Clark married Mary Strong, daughter of Elder John Strong and Abigail Ford, on 20 March 1679. Child of Deacon John Clark and Rebecca Cooper

• Sarah Clark

Children of Deacon John Clark and Mary Strong

• John Clark Jr.+ b. 28 Dec 1679, d. 3 Aug 1768
• Ebenezer Clark+ b. 18 Oct 1682, d. 27 Feb 1781

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ID: I09871

Name: John Clark

Sex: M

Title: Deacon

Birth: 1 MAY 1651 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass.

Death: 3 SEP 1704 in Windsor, Hartford, Conn.

Burial: Northampton, Hampshire, Mass.

Note:

Sometimes referred to as "Sgt. John Clarke", but more usually as "Deacon John", he was a much respected and useful man in both town and church affairs. In 1691, he was the sixth man chosen as Deacon of the First church and served 14 years until his death. Deac. John was first elected Selectman in 1689 and served in that office in 1692, 1693, 1696, 1698 and from 1700 until his death. He also served on numerous committees and was a Deputy to the General Court from 1699 to 1703. It is said, that Deac. John died from fatigue and cold from a SNOWSTORM on his way home from Boston. At that time, a trip to Boston on horseback was about a week's journey. Deac. John's children were all unmarried at the time so his death was a heavy blow to the family as well as to the church and community. He may have been in Windsor, Hartford Co., CT, to inspect land inherited by his wife, Mary Strong. Based on his will, he was also a farmer.

[From Dave Clark's web site] John2 CLARK Deacon (William1 CLARKE) (#114) was born in Dorchester, Suffolk, MA 1 May 1651. John died 3 Sep 1704 in Windsor, Hartford, CT, at 53 years of age.

He married twice. He married Rebecah COOPER Northampton, Hampshire, MA, 12 Jul 1677. (Rebecah COOPER is #116.) Rebecah was born in Springfield, Hampden, MA 15 May 1657. Rebecah was the daughter of Thomas COOPER Lt. and Sarah (Cooper) RUSSELL. Rebecah died 8 May 1678 Northampton, Hampshire, MA, at 20 years of age. Rebecca was the daughter of Capt. Thomas Cooper and Sarah Russell. When Capt. Cooper was killed in the Indian attack on Springfield Massachusetts in 1675, his widow Sarah, fled to Northampton, and there married Lt. William Clarke over a year later.

John (Deacon) Clark was William's son, and therefore Sarah's stepson. Rebecca died from complications of childbirth, when their only child Sarah, was born on 20 Apr 1678 in Northampton. Rebecca was not yet 21 years old.

Deacon John married Mary Strong, daughter of Elder John Strong, the following year.

He married Mary STRONG Northampton, Hampshire, MA, 20 Mar 1679. (Mary STRONG is #117.) Mary was born in Windsor, Hartford, CT 26 Oct 1654. Mary was the daughter of John STRONG Elder and Abigail FORD. Mary died 8 Dec 1738 Northampton, Hampshire, MA, at 84 years of age. The following was provided by Virginia Lagarias, taken from an unpublished manuscript compiled by Edith M. Clark Nyman. References: Warner Ancestry, Antiquities, Historicals and Graduates of Northampton; Hampshire Co. Probate Court - #32

It is not known where Deacon John Clark lived and brought up his family, but probably, in the house later known as the Upham House, halfway between Pres. Seelyes' and Mr. Maltby's.

He inherited the southern six acres of Lt. William's homelot, but at that time, he was already the father of 8 children.

Sometimes referred to as "Sgt. John Clarke", but more usually as "Dea. John", he was a much respected and useful man in both town and church affairs. He was first elected Selectman in 1689 and served in that office in 1692, 93, 96, 98 and from 1700 until his death. He also served on numerous committees and was a Deputy to the General Court from 1699 to 1703. In 1691, he was the sixth man chosen as Deacon of the First church and served 14 years until his death.

Massachusetts Bay House of Representatives, 1703 The following Representatives took the oaths appointed, and repeated and subscribed the Declaration: County of Hampshire John Hitchcock, Springfield John Clarke, Northampton Eliezar Frarey, Hatfield Thomas Hovey, Hadley Capt. Isaac Phelps, Westfield

J.R. Trumbull in his "History of Northampton" - "As to longevity and rapid increase, he was the father of the most remarkable family probably ever reared in Northampton Of his 12 children, only 1 died young. The remaining 6 sons and 5 daughters all married and all outlived their mates. 3 sons lived past 80 years and 3 past 90.

When his widow, Mary, died she left 83 grandchildren. His sons and their spouses, with the exception of Nathaniel, are buried inside the main gate of Bridge St. Cemetery, between the main cemetery roadway and the Bates Tomb. The stones, except Noah's are all standing and readable at this time (1977).

Dea. John died at Windsor, Ct. Sept. 3, 1704 from fatigue and cold taken in a SNOWSTORM on his way home from Boston. At that time, a trip to Boston on horseback was about a week's journey. His children were all unmarried at the time so his death was a heavy blow to the family as well as to the church and community. (This record has been repeated in every genealogy that I have read about Deacon John. I must really strain my imagination to think of a snowstorm in early September in that part of New England. It HAD to have been a truly freak storm.)) Since there is no record of John Clark ever living in Windsor, he may have stopped there to inspect land inherited by his wife, Mary Strong.

On 12 Oct 1704, his widow and sons, John & Nathaniel, filed an inventory of his estate which included 13 parcels of land valued at L488-10. This included his house and homestead, and the Joshua Carter lot willed to him by his father and land in Lebanon, Ct. His personal estate valued at L161-9 included 2 oxen, 4 cows, 10 steers, 3 heifers, 3 horses, a mare, colt, sheep and a long list of household goods and furniture. The estate was owed L24-07-05 and owed debts which totaled L43-19-07. The net estate value was L630-06-05. (Hampshire Co. Probate Court # 32:1)

Even though Deacon John spelled his name CLARKE, most, if not all, Northampton records do not have the 'e' on them. I don't know if this had become the fashion at that time, or if it was caused by the vagaries of the recorders. In any case, the names of all of Deacon John's children were recorded in the VR's without the 'e', and from that point on, only the children of Deacon John's brother, William, who had removed to Lebanon, CT, retained the 'e'. This continued for many generations in the Connecticut CLARKE lines, and in fact, still continues among several lines there today.

In her manuscript, Ms. Nyman refers to the burial plot in Bridge St. Cemetery, but on my last trip there, I could not locate a stone for Deacon John, although there are several in that location that are so badly worn as to be unreadable.

[Info. on Wills made from Dave Clark's Site. It is at http://www.uftree.com/UFT/WebPages/DaveClark/CLARK/index.htm.]

[OF Deacon John Clark's Will]

On Oct 12, 1704, his widow and sons, John & Nathaniel, filed an inventory of his estate which included 13 parcels of land valued at L488-10. This included his house and homestead, the Joshua Carter lot willed to him by his father and land in Lebanon, Ct. His personal estate valued at L161-9 included 2 oxen, 4 cows, 10 steers, 3 heifers, 3 horses, a mare, colt, sheep and a long list of household goods and furniture. The estate was owed L24-07-05 and owed debts which totaled L43-19-07. The net estate value was L630-06-05. Hampshire Co. Probate Court # 32:1

Father: William Clarke b: ABT 1609 in Dorsetshire, England

Mother: Sarah b: ABT 1611 in England

Marriage 1 Rebecca Cooper b: ABT 1657

Married: 12 JUL 1677 in Northampton, Hampshire, Mass.

Children

Sarah Clark b: 1678 Marriage 2 Mary Strong b: 26 OCT 1654 in Windsor, Hartford, Conn.

Married: 20 MAR 1679 in Northampton, Hampshire, Mass.

Children

John Clark b: 28 DEC 1679 Nathaniel Clark b: 13 MAY 1681 Ebenezer Clark b: 18 OCT 1682 Increase Clark b: 8 APR 1684 Mary Clark b: 27 OCT 1685 Rebecca Clark b: 22 NOV 1687 Experience Clark b: 30 OCT 1689 Abigail Clark b: MAR 1692 Noah Clark b: 28 MAR 1694 in Northampton, Hampshire, Mass. Thankful Clark b: 18 FEB 1696 Josiah Clark b: 11 JUN 1697