William (Weaver) Clark (1805)

Born 1805 in Illinois, United States

Husband of Lavina (Weaver) Clements — married 26 Oct 1832 in Edgar County, Illinois

Descendants

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Biography

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Sources

• Genealogy.com Post from Maxine Bacon She received her information from Eleanor and Ole Bacon, which includes the presumption that "Clark" was an alias Polly used as her maiden name, but Weaver was her real last name.

• Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1934
  • Name: William Weaver
  • Event Type: Marriage
  • Event Date: 26 Oct 1832
  • Event Place: Edgar, Illinois, United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Spouse's Name: Lavina Clements
  • Spouse's Gender: Female

• US Census 1840
  • Name William Wever
  • Event Type Census
  • Event Date 1840
  • Event Place Champaign, Illinois, United States
  • Page 48
    • Males
      • Under 5: 1 {John Clark/Weaver, 1835-1840}
      • 30-40: 1 {William Clark/Weaver, 1800-1810}
      • 50-60: 1 {Lavina or William's father, probably 1780-1790}
    • Females
      • Under 5: 2 {Nancy and Elizabeth Clark/Weaver, 1835-1840}
      • 5-10: 1 {Polly Ann Clark/Weaver, 1830-1835}
      • 20-30: 1 {Lavina (Clements) Clark/Weaver, 1800-1810}
        • Information in {} is based on comparison to the 1850 census and probable relation to William based on age

• History of Champaign County, Illinois with Illustrations, 1878
  • Recount of the murder of David Hiltibrau by William Weaver.
  • States that after receiving a sentence to hang, Mr. Weaver escaped and was not recaptured.
  • States that Mr. Weaver "changed his name, reformed, and lived a decent life."
  • States Mr. Weaver's defense attorneys were Abraham Lincoln and Asahel Gridley
  • Seems to go with the story passed down to Ole Bacon about 'clark being an alias.'
  • Edgar County, Illinois is next door to Champaign County. Edgar County is also on the state line with Indiana. Seems likely Mr. Weaver and family were from this area between Indiana and Illinois before taking off for Wisconsin.
  • Mr. Weaver leaves Illinois for Wisconsin in 1845. First record of Mr. Weaver in Wisconin in 1849 working for Esau Johnson

• Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2
  • Notes William Weaver had a auger passed to him that he used to escape jail.

• Prairie Defender: The Murder Trials of Abraham Lincoln By George R. Dekle

• Lincoln's Ladder to the Presidency: The Eighth Judicial Circuit By Guy C. Fraker
  • "Some of Lincoln's most intersting Champaign County cases were criminal, including the 1842 case People v. Weaver, the first murder case tried in the county. Lincoln and Asahel Gridley were court appointed to represent William Weaver, who, in a drunken state, shot the victim with a rifle. The evidence against him was so overwhelming that he was convicted and stentnced to death by hanging. Fortunately for the 'reckless wretch,' the log jail was so poorly constructed that he escaped to Wisconsin, where he made a decent life of his second chance."

• Esau Johnson - Includes interview with Esau Johnson, initial settler of Monroe County, WI in 1842. Mentions hiring Sylvester Bacon and William Clark from Prairie du Chen to work for him until 1849.

• Town of Utica Chapter 36
  • "Among others who came in during 1849 was William Clark, brother-in-law of John Collins. He came from Indiana, leaving his family there till three or four years later. He entered no land, but passed the winter in the pine regions above, and summers was engaged in cutting cord wood and other kinds of manual labor. He was a man of coarse organization, and subject to intoxication. He died about 1867."

• PEOPLE v WILLIAM WEAVER: TRANSCRIPT OF THE CASE FILE OF A MURDER CASE LOST BY LINCOLN

• Affidavit from son, James Clark, confirming surname of Weaver
  • States he did not know his name was Weaver until settling his mother's estate in Champaign County, Ill in 1876
  • States his family moved to Wisconsin when he was 'too young to remember'
  • States he was told his name was Weaver, but was not told why his mother and father switched to Clark after leaving Champaign County.
  • Lists all places he lived since his birth
  • Identifies his siblings and parents.
    • Documents on fold3.com - subscription required to view documents

• US Census 1850
  • Name: William Clark
  • Event Type: Census
  • Event Year: 1850
  • Event Place: Prairie du Chien, Crawford, Wisconsin, United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Age: 45
  • Race: White
  • Birth Year (Estimated): 1805
  • Birthplace: Indiana
  • House Number: 173
    • William Clark M 45 Indiana
    • Polly Ann Clark F 16 Indiana
    • Nancy Clark F 14 Indiana
    • John Clark M 12 Indiana
    • Elisabeth Clark F 10 Indiana
    • Darrus Clark M 8 Indiana

• Wisconsin, State Census, 1855
  • Name: William Clark
  • Event Place: Utica Town, Crawford, Wisconsin
  • Number of White Males: 3 {William - 50, John - 17, Darrus - 13}
  • Number of White Females: 1 {Elizabeth - 15}
  • Next door to son-in-law Sylvestor Bacon and on the other side of Sylvestor is another son-in-law, John Collins

• US Census 1860
  • Name: Wm Clark
  • Event Type: Census
  • Event Year: 1860
  • Event Place: Utica, Crawford, Wisconsin, United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Age: 60
  • Race: White
  • Race (Original): [Blank]
  • Birth Year (Estimated): 1800
  • Birthplace: Indiana
  • Page: 124
  • Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
  • Affiliate Publication Number: M653
    • Silvestor Bacon M 47 New York
    • Polly Ann Bacon F 26 Indiana
    • Malvina Bacon F 7 Wisconsin
    • Joseph Bacon M 5 Wisconsin
    • Wm E Bacon M 4 Wisconsin
    • Newton Bacon M 2 Wisconsin
    • Wm Clark M 60 Indiana
    • John W Collins M 37 New York
    • Rebecca Collins F 27 Indiana
    • Mary Ann Collins F 10 Wisconsin
    • Wm A Collins M 9 Wisconsin
    • Phoebe Collins F 7 Wisconsin
    • John Collins M 5 Wisconsin
    • Emeline Collins F 3 Wisconsin
    • Irena Collins F 1 Wisconsin

• Wisconsin, Death Records, 1867-1907
  • Name: Polly Ann Bacon
  • Event Type: Death
  • Event Date: 1878
  • Event Place: Utica, Crawford, Wisconsin
  • Gender: Female
  • Age: 40
  • Birth Year (Estimated): 1838
  • Father's Name: Wm. Clark
  • Mother's Name: Malvina
  • Spouse's Name: Sylvester Bacon

• Wisconsin Deaths and Burials Polly Ann (Clark) Bacon

• History of Crawford and Richland counties, Wisconsin - Page 724
  • "J. S. Bigelow was born in Connecticut in 1826; lived on a farm till sixteen years of age, when he went to New Have, Conn., and engaged in the business of butchering, which business he has followed till now, a period of forty-two years. He remained in New Haven till 1851, then went to Berkshire Co., Mass., making that his home till the spring of 1854; from there he went to Troy, N. Y., remaining a few months, then going to Florida for the benefit of his health where he remained till April, 1856. In July of that year, coming to Crawford county and locating in Haney town. In 1862 he came to Seneca, and is owner of the Begelow House. He came to Crawford county with his uncle, George F. Bigelow, who had located in Haney town the previous year, and died on the farm where he first located. Mr. Bigelow's father was Levi L. Bigelow, now living in Connecticut. He is a brother of Hobert B. Bigelow, ex-governor of Connecticut. In 1860 he married Mary E. Clarke, born in Illinois, and daughter of William Clarke, an early settler of Utica town."