John Clark (abt. 1689 - bef. 1745)

Born about 1689 in Elizabeth, Essex County, New Jersey

Ancestors

Husband of Phebe (Gage) Clark — married 1704 in New Jersey

Descendants

Died before 17 Jun 1745 before about age 56 in Elizabethtown, Essex County, Province of New Jersey

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Biography

John Clark, born about 1689, at Elizabethtown, Essex County, New Jersey ^[1] was probably a son of Richard Clarke Jr. and Hannah (Norris) Clarke. About 1704, he married his first wife, Phebe (née unknown). There is no documented evidence that her surname was Gage.

Children of John and Phebe:

1. Jotham Clark, b. abt. 1705, New Jersey; d. bef. 7 Apr 1772, when his will was proved;^[2] m. Sarah (née unknown).
2. Daniel Clark, b. abt. 1710, New Jersey; d. bef. 21 Apr 1756, New Jersey;^[3]m. Abigail Shipman.
3. Phebe Clark, m. Joseph Hetfield. Phebe could be the daughter of John and his second wife, Deborah. As she was married in 1745 when John wrote his will, it seems sensible that if she was approximately 20 years old when she married, she would have been born by 1724, when John was still married to Phebe; and it would seem she was named after her mother (realizing, of course, there was a weird tradition at the time of naming your first daughter born to a new wife after one's deceased wife). Phebe's husband Joseph was born about 1700, as he was witness to the will of Benjamin Parkhurst in 1721.^[4]

On 4 Feb 1724, John and Phebe deeded 18 acres of land in Elizabeth Township to John Hendricks. Sometime after this Phebe died and John married as his second wife a woman by the name of Deborah (née unknown).

Possible children of John and Deborah:

1. Sarah Clark

John made his will on 9 Mar 1744/45.^[5]

"1744-5, March 9. Clarke, John, of the Borough of Elizabeth, Essex Co., yeoman; will of. Children—Jotham, Daniel, Phebe (wife of Joseph Hetfield), and Sarah Clark. Real and personal estate. Executors—wife, Deborah, and son, Jotham. Witnesses—Benjamin Wade, Samuel Wade, Benjamin Bonnel. Proved June 17, 1745. Lib. D, p. 298."

John Clark died before 17 Jun 1745 at Elizabethtown, Essex, Province of New Jersey.

Sources

1. ↑ Database online: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=pubmembertrees&h=40159325392&indiv=try
2. ↑ Honeyman, A. Van Doren, ed. Documents Relating to the Colonial and Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey. First Series---Vol. XXXIV. Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Administrations, Etc., Vol. V, 1771-1780. Trenton, NJ: MacCrellish & Quigley Co. (1931). p. 94.

   1772, April 1. Clark Jotham, of Borough of Elizabeth, Essex Co.; will of. Executoris to sell the Pond Lot; also land I bought of Matthias Burnet; also 4 acres on the Ridge, which was bought of Moses Thompson; also 2 lots in the Elizabeth Town meadow. Wife, Sarah, use of 1/3 of my moveable estate. To Phebe, widow of my son, Jotham Clark, deceased, use of 1/3 of my plantation, and the use of one of my houses, which she is a widow. Daughter, Mary, £10, and use of 1/3 of my plantation, and use of a room in one of my houses, while she remains unmarried. Daughter, Rhoda, wife of Richard Townley, £10. Grandson, Jotham Winans, if he live to be 21, ten acres in the north side of the road, joining to Moses Thompson, and the land I bought of Matthias Burnet; but he is to work for his grandmoter, Sarah Clare, for 2 years and 6 months. The money that remains to be given to Deborah, the wife of James Carpenter; Mary, who is unmarried; Martha, the wife of Aaron Tatuot; Rhoda, the wife of Richard Townley; Rachel, the wife of Henry Brown, and the children that are now born of Phebe, the wife of Isaac Frazz, one part among them, and one part among the children of my daughter, Hannah, was was the wife of Henry Bounel, since deceased. Grandsons, David Clark, Jotham Clark and John Clark, the rest of my plantation, when they are 21. Executors—sons-in-law, James Carpenter and Richard Townley. Witnesses—Moses Thompson, Aaron Wade, Timothy Whitehead. Proved April 7, 1772.

3. ↑ Honeyman, A. Van Doren, ed. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. XXXII. Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Administrations, Etc, Vol. III—1751-1760. Somerville, NJ: The Unioniest-Gaztte Association (1924). p. 59.

   ___, ___, ____. Clark, Daniel, of the "Burrough" of Elisabeth, Somerset (?) Co.; will of, "signed with the consent of Abigail Clark, his wife." Children—John, Daniel, Stephanus, Jabesh, Sarah, Deborah and Keturah, all under age; an expected child. Home farm; saltmeadow, given by father, John Clark to testator and brother Jotham; town rights; personal estate. Executors—the wife, brother Jotham Clark and William Parrot. Witnesses—Nathaniel Rogers, Sarah Bebout, Timothy Allen. Proved April 21, 1756. Lib. F, p. 443.

   1756, Apr. 12. Inventory, £74.7.10, by Josiah Broadwell and Thomas Baker.

4. ↑ Hatfield, Abraham, comp. The Descendants of Matthias Hatfield. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (1954). p. 30.
5. ↑ Honeyman, A. Van Doren, ed. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. First Series---Vol. XXX. Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Administrations, Etc., Volume II—1730-1750. Somerville, NJ: The Unionist-Gazette Association (1913). p. 97.