Nicholas Clarke (abt. 1613 - 1680)

Born about 1613 in England

Descendants

Died 2 Jul 1680 at about age 67 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut

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Nicholas Clarke migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 1, p. 373) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Born by about 1613 based on Cambridge land grants.Housewright who came 1632 on the "Lyon." First settled in Cambridge; moved to Hartford in 1635. Died in Hartford 2 July 1680 [from probate inventory]. ^[1] Married by about 1640 _____ _____; not seen in any record and not mentioned in husband's will. ^[1]

"Various secondary sources suggest that Nicholas Clark was brother of John Clark of Cambridge, Hartford and points beyond, and of William Clark of Hartford. Nicholas Clark did come to New England on the same ship with John Clark, and held land in Cambridge near John Clark. On 4 September 1643 Nicholas and William Clark were co-defendants in a suit brought by Matthew Allyn. No evidence other than this is seen for these possible relationships."^[1]

Timeline

1632 - September 16, from Nazing, Essex, England, arrived Boston, on the "Lion" Voyage of the LION, 1632, London to Boston [five other Adventurers who settled Hartford with Nicholas Clarke were on the same voyage]^[1]

1632 - settled in Cambridge^[1] (called Newtown at that time)

1635 - October, with 25 Adventurers settled Hartford ahead of main group^[2]

1635 - built 1st house in Hartford, for John Talcott, another Adventurer [from journal of Lt. John Tallcot, "states in his memorandum-book that his father's house was the first built in Hartford"], "and was done by Nicholas Clarke, the first winter any Englishman rought or built in Hartford, which was the year 1635."^[3]

1635 - Clarke was an original proprietor, his homelot in 1639 was bounded on the NE by the road to Soldiers Field, and on the SW by the road to the neck.

1634-38 - served in Pequot War

1641 - September, was juror at Hartford

1642 - October, was juror at Hartford

1649 - Deputy, at Hartford

Death

1680 - July 2, died at Hartford, Connecticut Colony^[1]

Children

1. Thomas, Hartford, freeman 1658, d. 1695. Inventory 456.15.9 lbs.
2. a daughter, married Alexander Douglass of Hartford
3. a daughter, married Leister of New London.^[1]

Will

Date of Will: 28 Jan 1679

Will proven: 2 Dec 1680

Hartford, Connecticut^[4]

Will Text: Died 2nd July, 1680. Invt. œ243-02-00. Taken by Nicholas Olmsted and John Gilbert. Will dated 28 January, 1679-80.I Nicholas Clark of Hartford do make this my last Will & Testament: I give unto my son Thomas Clark my now dwelling House, Barn, and home lott upon which they stand, with the orchard, grass and plowing Land east of the sayd buildings, within the sayd Lott, and Lott within the Long meadow, and two Lotts (one of Two Acres Being upland, and the other being six or seaven of upland) lying on the west side of the brickell swamp, My Lott of Three Acres on the east side of the great River near Mr. Crows habitation, and my lott near John Bidwell (being about eight Acres) on the same east side of the great River, northward of the former, and halfe my fourth Lott being situate near podunk, by estimation being four Acres, to him and his heirs for ever. And by this my Last will and testament I do disalow, disclaime, and declare that my sayd son Thomas nor his heirs for ever shall at any time or times hereafter make any Alienation, change, alteration, deed or deeds, orders of sale, or mortgage of the premises. And I give unto my son Thomas my Cattle, swine, utensells, tooles, apparell, pewter, brass, linnin, and all moveables, within doors and without, with my Just Debts, to him and his heirs for ever. Also, I give and bequeath unto Daniel Clark, son to my son Thomas Clark, that dwelling House that my son Thomas now liveth in, with the Lott that it standeth on, and the lott and orchyard that is next adjoyning to it north, to him and his heirs for ever, and one Lott of four Acres or thereabouts on the east side of the great River, being situate on Nicholas Disbrough south and on Mr Richard Lords North. I give and bequeath unto my son-in-law Alexander Duglass one halfe of my fourth Lott, being situate neer podunk, which lott is by estimation about fouer Acres, to him and his heirs forever, disallowing and forbiding either my grand son Daniel Clark or my son-in-law Duglass, him or them or any of their heires shall not make any Allination, change, Alteration, deed or deeds of sale, or mortgages, upon the premises. And whereas I have given my grandson Daniel the foresayd Legacy, that is, in Case he shall attayne the age of Twenty and foure years, and my son Thomas to improve all the sayd Legacys until then, keeping the House in good repayre, extraordinary Casualtyes excepted. And in case my grandchild Daniel shall not attayne the age of twenty foure yeares, then I give that sayde Legacy to Joseph Clark, my grandchild; and in case he shall not attayne to ye age of twenty four yeares, then do I bequeath it to ye next son Thomas, my grandchild; and if he attaineth not to the fore sayd age, then to the surviving son, to be held upon this tennure aforesayd, as intailed Land, to him, them, and their heires forever. I do allso give and bequeath five pounds, to be payd to my son-in-law Lester of New London out of my Estate by my son, Executor, within one Twelve moneths after my decease. And whatsoever is in this my will and testament omitted or not mentioned, be it in lands, debts, Cattle, swine, or whatsoever estate belongs unto me within the Township of Hartford or Colony of Connecticut, I give to My son Thomas, those legacys aforesayd only excepted, and I make my son Thomas Clark soal Executor of this my last will and testament, and desire my Loveing ffriends Maij. John Talcott and Corp. Thomas Butler to be overseers to my will, and to assist and advise my son Thomas in the fulfilling of the same, and advise him to take their advise in the management thereof.Nicholas X Clark, Ls.Witness: John Talcott, sen., Thomas Butler.Court Record, Page 33--2 December, 1680: Will proven.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995). Volume: Vol. 1-3, Page(s): 373
2. ↑ "The Colonial History of Hartford: Gathered from the Original Records", database, Google Books: 2008. Extracted from William DeLoss Love, Ph.D. The Colonial History of Hartford: Gathered from the Original Records. Hartford, Connecticut, Publisher: William DeLoss Love, 1914. page 7-13.
3. ↑ The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, database, Internet Archive, entry for John Clarke, extracted from J. Hammond Trumbull Editor, The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884 (Boston, Massachusetts: E. L. Osgood 1886) page 235.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Hartford District, 1635-1700. Vol. I. n.p., 1906. Page 48-9

• The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884, database, Internet Archive, entry for John Clarke, extracted from J. Hammond Trumbull Editor, The Memorial History of Hartford County, Connecticut, 1633-1884 (Boston, Massachusetts: E. L. Osgood 1886) page 235.

• The Founders of Hartford, database, entry for John Clarke, Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford (accessed Jun. 2, 2021).

• The Colonial History of Hartford: Gathered from the Original Records, database, Google Books: 2008. Extracted from William DeLoss Love, Ph.D. The Colonial History of Hartford: Gathered from the Original Records. Hartford, Connecticut, Publisher: William DeLoss Love, 1914. page 7-13.

• Source: The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013), Ancestry.com, Record for Nicholas Clark

Acknowledgements

For the work on the Founders of Hartford - including the Monument image, and the map image, both with linked names of the Founders of Hartford, thank the following persons: Michael Lechner, Jillaine Smith, Daniel Thompson, Sheri Havens, Becky (Nally) Syphers.