Samuel Clark (1770 - 1860)

Born 17 Jan 1770 in Lehigh River, Northampton County, Pennsylvania

Husband of Mary Ann (Custard) Clark — married 18 Apr 1792 in Walpack, Sussex Co., New Jersey, United States

Descendants

Died 29 Oct 1860 at age 90 in Clarksville, Mercer, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Clarksville, Pennsylvania was named for Samuel ClarK. ^[1]

The pioneer of the village was Samuel Clark, who settled on the site in 1804. His daughter Susannah was the first white child born here, in 1806. In 1808 Samuel Koonce established a family hegre which has contributed several well-known members to the business and public affairs of the county.

Two members of the Fruit family were the first to engage in merchandise business. In the vicinity were established the early homes of half a dozen other families that have been prominent. Alexander Simonton, George Reznor, David McKnight, David Hayes were the ancestors of the people bearing those names who are now prominent.

The village plat of Clarksville was made in 1819, by Samuel Clark. There were 49 lots in that plat, and the street names were Mill, Bridge, Orchard, Meadow and Second. Clarksville was given a post office in 1832. During the following ten years the entire valley was a scene of activity due to the construction work on the canal. This waterway was opened to traffic in 1844, and Clarksville shared generously in the prosperity that followed.

Several enterprising men, Gen. James Pierce among them, made this a center for their coal business. The constant going and coming of the canal packets, the large amount of freight that was loaded at the Clarksville docks, the establishment of stores, the founding of churches and other social bodies, the increase of a resident population — were features of Clarksville in its days of prosperity. It became an incorporated borough May 5, 1848, and the first burgess was Charles Koonce. The first schoolhouse was built in 1836, the first church in 1826, and after the incorporation of the borough various fraternal and other orders sprang up.

The town bore the name of Clarksville into the late 1950's and is now called Clark, Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The original community was moved to the present site following the construction of a Shenango River dam for flood control near Sharpsville. ^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Mercer_County/Clark_Borough.html
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark,_Pennsylvania

Acknowledgments

• This person was created on 13 September 2010 through the import of 124-DeCoursey.ged.