Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Joseph H. Clark
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
JOSEPH H. CLARK. Among the well-regulated
farms of Goshen Township, Clay
County, that of Mr. Clark's attracts the
attention of the passing traveler as the result
of persevering industry, good judgment and
economical living. In 1878 he purchased it of a
"squatter" who had become discouraged and retired
to parts unknown. There was upon it a little log
cabin 9x11 feet in dimensions, and taking possession
of this with his family, Mr. Clark occupied it
until he could build a small frame house. He then
homesteaded 160 acres and began the improvement
of the whole. Upon coming here he had only a
little money, simply enough to put up his house
and buy a team of horses and a plow. He began
breaking the prairie, but .is it was in the month of
June when settling here, he could not make very
much headway in the matter of crops that year.
Tiie following year, however, he was enabled to
do better and after a few years more of industry
and perseverance found himself the possessor of
a good farm, with a commodious frame dwelling, a
well-built barn with corn-cribs, granary, an orchard
of 400 apple trees and 100 peach trees, besides
the smaller fruits, and a growth of forest trees
sufficient to keep him in lumber and fuel. If he
desired, he might now retire from active labor as
he has sufficient of this world's goods to insure
him against want in his old age.
Westmoreland County, Pa., was the early home
of our subject and where his birth took place Dec.
7, 1839. He attended school for a few years and
assisted his parents in the lighter labors around the
homestead, continuing a resident of his native
county until 1848. Then Samuel Clark, the father,
with his wife Dorcas (Knight) Clark, and their
seven children, set, out on the long journey to
Grant County, Wis., Joseph H. being then a lad
nine years of age. He grew to manhood in the Badger
State, sojourning there until after the outbreak
of the Civil War. On the 11th of August, 1862,
he enlisted in Company D, 33d Wisconsin Infantry,
as a private and served eight months, being then
obliged to accept his honorable discharge on account
of illness. Later, however, he determined
to have a further hand in the fight, and in February,
1865, re-enlisted in Company C, 48th Wisconsin
Infantry, in which he served until the following
spring, being mustered out March 24, 1866. In
the meantime he had been promoted Corporal, and
although always ready for the fray did not have
the satisfaction of participating in any active engagement,
his regiment being assigned to duty
mostly in and around the Kansas frontier.
Upon leaving the army Mr. Clark returned to
the old home in Wisconsin and farmed there with
his father until his marriage, which occurred Nov.
7, 1867. The maiden of his choice was Miss Sarah
J., daughter of Samuel and Susannah Hotinger.
This lady was born in Shenandoah County. Va.,
Aug. 21, 1849, and when an infant was taken by
her parents, first to Clark County, Ohio, and then
to Clayton County, Iowa. In the latter place they
lived many years, but finally crossing the Mississippi,
sought the Southwest and settled in the Indian
Territory, where they now reside. The parents
of Mr. Clark spent their last days in Wisconsin, the
mother dying in October, 1886, aged about seventy-
seven years, and the father in September,
1889, aged eighty-seven.
There were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clark ten children,
seven of whom are living, the eldest of whom
a daughter, Vinnie, is the wife of Albert Brown, a
farmer of Garfield Township; Josephine, Rachel,
Anna, Hattie, Alary and Charlie remain under the
home roof; Idia, born May 14, 1869, died Aug. 12,
1871; an infant, unnamed, born Aug. 22, 1882, died
Sept. 4, 1882; Jennie, born Dec. 30, 1887, died
March 4, 1889.