John Clark (sometimes Clarke) was born about 1651, based on his being about age 30 in a 1681 deposition. [Records of New Plymouth Colony 6:75] I have not found his birth since his name is quite common, so unclear if he was born in England or New England. The first record I am confident refers to him is the 1683 birth of his eldest child in Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts. He is not the John Clarke, son of 1623 Anne passenger Thomas Clarke. [Johnson] John is my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side of the family.
John was a mariner who is called a fisherman in the 1705 deed mentioned below. He is also called a weaver, perhaps because his inventory included a loom and tackling. [Perley]
He had a brother William, shown by this deed: “I John Clarke of Rochester, fisherman, formerly of Beverly, in consideration of £80 paid by William Clark of said Beverly do grant…to said William Clark my brother…7 acres, upland and meadow in Beverly afores’d.” Dated 23 November 1705. John signed with his mark. Witnesses: John Pratt, Samuel Balch. Acknowledged 24 November 1705; recorded 24 November 1705. [Essex County Deeds 17:104] William married Elizabeth Stone of Salem and raised a family in Beverly.
By about 1682 John Clark married Sarah Smith. [Torrey, Coddington] Published works identify her as the Sarah Smith born Salem 20 October 1660 [Salem Vital Records/Births p 305], the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Goodale) Smith. Her grandfather Robert Goodale was a large landholder in Salem. John and Sarah moved their young family to the new settlement of Sippican/Rochester in Plymouth Colony. I have not found the original source for identifying Sarah as the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Goodale) Smith.
Sarah and John had seven children:
- Sarah Clarke born Beverly 21 August 1683 [Beverly Vital Records p 74]; baptized 18 September 1686 [Davis]; called eldest daughter in father’s January 1726/27 will; married John Dexter about 1702 at Rochester; died 21 January 1755 at Rochester [Rochester VR 2:376]
- John Clark born 7 October 1685 [Beverly VR p 60]; called eldest son in father’s will; married in Sandwich 2 November 1709 Mary Tobey [Rochester VR 2:85]
- Katherine Clark baptized Rochester 3 July 1690 [Coddington]; not mentioned in her father’s will so likely predeceased him
- Joseph Clark born Rochester ca 1695; called second son in his father’s will; married at Rochester on 29 November 1720 Thankful Stevens (also seen as Stephen), daughter of Andrew [Rochester VR 2:85]
- Mary Clark baptized Rochester 2 July 1693 [Coddington]; called second daughter Mary Stevens in her father’s will; married Timothy Stevens (also seen as Stephens), son of Andrew, at Rochester 21 March 1716/17 [Rochester VR 2:81]
- Cornelius Clark baptized Rochester 28 August 1698 [Coddington]; called third son in father’s will; married at Plymouth Susannah Dunham on 2 December 1731 [Rochester VR 2:78]; his will was proved 3 September 1781 in Plymouth
- Elisabeth Clark baptized Rochester 1 November 1702 [Coddington], called third daughter Elizabeth Clarke in her father’s will; I found no marriage
I descend from Sarah whom I wrote about here.
I am not clear on when the family moved from Beverly to Rochester as there are conflicting records as to which town some of the children were born. The Beverly Vital Records claim some of the children were born there that seem more likely they were born in Rochester. Some of the births are written in a different, likely later, hand than that of Sarah.
In the Beverly Proprietors Book p 2-3 the list of proprietors of common lands taken 27 March 1699 includes John Clark, but that does not necessarily mean he was still living there as we see from a later deed by his son John that John Senior still owned Beverly land at the time of his death.
John Clark appears in two court records, once because his fellow canoe passenger was drowned:
At 28 October 1681 Plymouth Colony Court included the deposition of John Clarke, aged about 30 yeers, and alsoe of Robert Hilliard, aged about 30 yeers, both of them witnesseth and saith, that whereas they, with two more, viz Mr Gorge May and Timothy Venor, being bound from Matapoisett to Assonett, where William Makepeace dwelt, as wee were going over, the canooe prouving very Leakey, and the wind riseing caused a great sea, in soe much that the canooe began to fill, soe that William Makepeace jumpt out of the canooe, with an intent to swim ashore; and wee with Gods mercye, hanged on both ends of the canooe, and escaped, and Gott to the shore, where wee gott some refreshment att Hugh Coles house; and after wee were a little refreshed, wee went to looke along the shore to see whether wee could find our hatts or any other of our things, but wee, seeing William Makepeace floteing dead on the flates, thought it a point of humanity for to gett the said Makepeace to the shore, whereunto wee did him, and above high water marke, and soe left him; and further saith not.
The above written John Clarke and Robert Hillyard made oath to the above written testimony, the day and yeer above written [19 August 1681, Swansey], before mee
James Browne, Assistant
A jury, impanelled for the viewing of the corpse of William Makepeace, found “wee, the said jurying, haveing dilligently serched him, can not find either wound or bruise about him; but, according to the best of our understanding, wee find the cause of his death was by drowning. [Records of Old Plymouth Colony 6:75] It seems likely this refers to this John Clark since he lived in Rochester, parts of which, particularly the ocean-bordering section where you would expect a fisherman to live, became Mattapoisett.
No date, but apparently 1715, John Clarke of Rochester complained to ye Court that Suit has commenced against him to this Court by Benjamin Dexter of Rochester aforesaid and yt ye sd Dexter had Discontinued his Suit, the defendant therefore Prays Costs against ye sd Dexter which ye Court Allows at £1 14s 6d. [Plymouth Superior Court Records, Court of Common Pleas, volume 1, p 67]
John Clark died at Rochester between 13 January 1726/7 (date of will) and 9 March 1726/7 (will proven). His probate records show he was a large landowner who left significant bequests.
John Clark of Rochester wrote his will on 13 January 1726[/7]. [Probate Records 1724-1731 vol 5-5T image 184] He writes that he is “well stricken in years & under infirmity of body.” He left the following bequests:
- I give & Bequeath to my eldest son John Clark that part of my Land lying in Rochester; mentions near William White’s and Ebenezer Holmes’ land.
- I give & Bequeath to my second son Joseph Clark that part of my lands lying in sd Rochester where Joseph’s dwelling house stands; mentions land near that of Samuel Arnold.
- I give & Bequeath to my third son Cornelius Clark land lying in said Rochester and also twenty acres adjoining the lot; land bounded by land given to John and Joseph.
- Also I give & Bequeath to my three sons above so named all my Lands in sd Rochester lying to ye northward of that Land have already given to my son Cornelius Clark already as abovesd to be equally divided between them. John Clark to have ye western part & Joseph Clark ye Easterly part & Cornelius Clark ye middle part and furthermore I give & Bequeath to my son John Clark my quarter part of ye twenty fourth Gore Lott and all my other Lands & cedar swamps: not above exprest.
- I give to my three sons above named to be equally divided amongst them: and all ye parcells & parts of Lands & swamps.
- I give to my dear & loving wife Sarah Clark for ye tender love I have to Her ye one halfe of the dwelling House I now live in namely ye Eastern End during her natural life, and all my moveable estate both within doors & without it to be at her own disposing for ever, not extending her of her thirds: and further my will is that my three sons above named shall find my sd wife suitable firewood so long as she remains a widdow equally between them: and also suitable tendance both in sickness & healthy in equall proportion: and my will is that it is to be understood that my wife Sarah Clarke is to have ye improvement of part of ye Land above given to to my sd son Cornelius Clarke during her natural life: viz…containing about one acre be it more or less lying easterly of my now dwelling house together with that part of my improved Land & meadow ground I have improved to ye Eastward of sd orchard so across sd Lott Eastward so far as ye choice land goes and also my will is that my son Cornelius Clarke shall keep said orchard & Lands with sufficient fence & tend my said wifes stock she finding forever.
- I give to my eldest daughter Sarah Dexter ten pounds to be aid to her or her heirs by my son John Clarke his Heirs &c out of his part of Land.
- I give to my second daughter Mary Stevens twenty pounds money to be paid her or her heirs &c: by my son Joseph Clarke or his Heirs &c out of his Part of Land.
- I give to my third daughter Elizabeth Clarke twenty five pounds money to be paid her or her heirs by my son Cornelius Clarke or his Heirs &c out of his Part of Land &c: also to have a fine roome to herselfe after my sd wifes decease during her single life in my said house.
He also wrote “my will is that my just debts and funeral charges shall be equally paid by my three sons namely John Clark, Joseph Clark & Cornelius Clark.”
He named his son John Clarke and “trusty friend” Roger Haskell of Rochester as executors.
John’s will was witnessed by Samuel Arnold, Isaac Holmes and Samuel Sprague all of whom made oath to the will on 9 March 1726/27.
On 9 March 1726/27 Roger Haskell declared his refusal of executorship.
Inventory of John Clarke of Rochester’s estate was taken 17 March 1726/27 by Samuel Sprague, John White and Edward Winslow. [Plymouth County Probate Records 1724-1731, vol. 5-5T, image 189]
Ye Reall estate wee vallued at five hundred & fifty pounds 550 0 0
And to ye Personall Estate as followeth.
Ye stock thirty six pounds 36 0 0
Beds & bedding fifteen pounds 15 0 0
Grain four pounds & three shillings 4 3 0
One loome & tackling three pounds 3 0 0
Apparell seven pounds five shillings 7 5 0
Old Barrells & 2 hogs heads & one barrel of cyder & 1/2 2 pound 5 2 5 0
Laths & leather one pound one shilling 1 1 0
Scythes & Tackling six shillings 0 6 0
3 chest 4 chairs one table with ye linen in ye chests 2 13 0
2 spinning wheels 1 saddle & pillion 1 7 0
Meat & ye cask ye meat is in 2 12 0
Pewter & wooden dishes & hoops 1 6 0
Ironware of all sorts 2 18 0
3 bottles one bagg 1 book 1 old sword 1 linnen yarn neck cloth 1 5 0
One table cloth two old iron boxes & 2 old hoops 0 10 0
Move to two small swine 1 0 0
Samuel Sprague, John White and Caleb Blackwell made oath to the inventory on 23 March 1726/7. [Plymouth County Probate Records 1724-1731, vol. 5-5T, image 190]
His son John, also a mariner, sold some of his father’s Beverly lands in 1728. “…I John Clark of New Rochester in the County of Plymouth…Marriner (being Executr to the Last Will…of my father John Clark late of said Rochester Yeoman Deceased) For…£15…paid by Robert Cleeves of Beverly, Black Smith…Do Sell…Robert Cleeves one comon Right of Lands in…Beverly…in that part…that is called Burnt Hills & Bever Pond Rocks the said Comon Right of Land in said comon Pasture is Sett or Stated to Samuell Clarke in the Right of John Clarke as appears by the Proprietors Book of Records in said Beverly and the said John Clark in whose Right the said Comon Right of Land is Sett or Stated…was my Father who is Deceased as aforesaid and Did never Sell nor any ways Convey the said Comon Right when He sold his House and Land in said Beverly…and therefore I being his Eldest Son & Executor to his Last Will…have Good…Right to the said Granted Premises & Lawful Authority to…Sell the same. 25 December 1728. [Signed] John Clark. Witnesses: Abraham Goodel (this witness may be cousin Abraham Goodale of Salem), Thomas Whitredg. Acknowledged 25 Dec 1729; recorded 25 Dec 1729. [Essex County Deeds 50:265]
Sarah outlived her husband but I have not found her death record. I have seen her death year as 1731 and 1738 but without sources.
Sources:
John Insley Coddington, The American Genealogist, “The Clark Family of Beverly and Rochester, Mass.,” 43:19-26 (1967]
Walter Goodwin Davis, The Ancestry of Lydia Harmon 1755-1836 wife of Joseph Waterhouse of Standish Maine, 1924, p 33
Sidney Perley, The History of Salem Massachusetts, 1924, 3:41-42
William W Johnson, Clarke-Clark Genealogy, Records of the Descendants of Thomas Clarke, Plymouth 1623-1697, 1884
Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700, 1:323
Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer, eds., Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, in New England, 12 vols. (New York: AMS Press, 1968)
Jack Mack Holbrook, compiler, Massachusetts Vital Records Beverly 1653-1892 (available on ancestry.com)
