*** Local War Heroes Honored ***

William Muir Clark
January 14, 1898 - November 20, 1917

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In 1910 at about the age of 11 or 12 years old William Muir Clark moved with his family to the US from his homeland of Scotland. At about the age of 16 William quit school to join the Black Watch. While in the US, William lived in Ellwood City, Lawrence County, PA. At the age of 16, William quit school, headed to Pittsburgh, PA and from there to New York where he would cross the Atlantic to Liverpool and enlisted with Black watch. Jumping 3 years ahead, William had become Second Lieutenant with Black Watch and at the young age of 19 laid dying from a shot in his head by a sniper in the battlefields of France, writes a letter to his mother telling her that he loves her and he was glad to have 'done his bit'. These words were his last words and also his epitath on his headstone; SECOND LIEUTENANT W. M. CLARK THE BLACK WATCH 20th NOVEMBER 1917 AGE 19 THANK GOD I HAVE DONE MY BIT ANYHOW Local Boy In English Army William Clark Enlists in Royal Black Watch-Goes to the Front. The News Bureau, Ellwood City News Co. ELLWOOD CITY, Pa., June 5.- Ellwood City now has a representative in the English forces which are now at war. A letter received in the borough yesterday morning by Clifford Nutall from William Clarke, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarke of Crescent avenue, who left his home in this city about two weeks ago, states that the former Ellwood City boy has enlisted with the armies of Great Britain and is now on his way to the front. Clarke, who is but eighteen years of age, has taken an unusual interest in the movements of tho Europeon armies since the beginning of the war and for some time prior to his leaving this city had often said that he wished to take part in the battles. The boy had been employed at the Randolph grocery store, and an leaving his position said that he was going at once to England to enlist. He sailed from New York on the steamer Cymric, landing in Liverpool. From that city he proceeded at once to Dundee, Scotland where be joined a regiment known as the Royal Black Watch. His letter written last week stated that the troop of which he is a member, was scheduled to leave Dundee for France on its way to the front on May 20. The headquarters of the Royal Black Watch are in Dundee and Nutall has addressed a reply to Clark's letter to that city giving tidings of Ellwood City and peaceful Lawrence county which contrast with the warfare in which the Ellwood boy now has a part. New Castle News - New Castle, Lawrence County, PA June 5, 1915 Page 9 (Ellwood City News section) Ellwood Boy Is Killed In France ELLWOOD CITY, Dec. 7 - Word has been received by friends here of the death of William Clarke, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Clarke, formerly of this place, now of Clifton, Ariz. The young man left his home in Ellwood City three years ago and enlisted in the Scotch Highlanders. He had been in active service for some time and had recently been promoted to second lieutenat. He was a member of the Ellwood City high school when he left his home here, and was 1? [16 or 18] years of age. He was killed in Flanders on November 20. An older brother, William visited friends here a short time ago and was then on his way to New York to enlist. He is now in the service. The Clarke family left here a little more than a year ago. Mr. Clarke was connected with the Clydesdale Stone company here and is a brother of John Clarke who is connected with that company now and is a resident of near Koppel. The Clarke family resided in the Lawrence building for several years. The letter received by friends here was brief and was written by the young man's mother. New Castle News - New Castle, Lawrence County, PA December 7, 1917 Page 22 (Ellwood City News section) William Muir Clark was born on January 14, 1898 in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland to James B. and Martha W. Clark. William's Mother: Martha White Muir Born May 23, 1867 in West Linton, Peebleshire, Scotland Died October 5, 1951 in Los Angeles County, California William's Father: James Brown Clark Born April 8, 1867 in West Linton, Peebleshire, Inverness, Scotland Died January 8, 1934 in Los Angeles County, United States James Brown Clark's Declaration of Intention to become a U.S. citizen Declaration of Intention United States Of America Southern District of California County of Los Angeles I, James Brown Clark, aged 55 years, occupation, bookkeeper, do declare on oath that my personal description is: color, white - complexion, fair - height 6 feet, 0 inches - weight 140 pounds - color of hair, fair - color of eyes, blue, other visible distinctive marks, none. I was born in West Linton, Scotland on the 8th day of April 1867. I now reside at 5648 Bettinger St., Hawthorne, California. I emigrated to the United States of America from Liverpool, England on the vessel Lusitania, my last foreign residence was Peebles, Scotland. I am married: the name of my wife is Martha ?; she was born at West Linton, Scotland, and now resides with me. It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty and particularly to George V, King of Great Britain and Ireland, of whom I am now a subject. I arrived at the Port of New York in the State of New York on or about the 31st May 1910. I am not an anarchist; I am not a polygamist, nor a believer in the practice of polygamy; and it is my intention in good faith to become a citizen of the United States of America and to permanently reside therein; So Help Me God. Signed: James Brown Clark Subscribed and sworn to before me in the office of the Clerk of said Court at Los Angeles Cal, this 24th day of May 1922. Chas N. Williams Clerk of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Califormia Signed by Deputy Clerk   At age 19, William became a Second Lieutenant, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). He was killed in action on Nov. 20, 1917 at Manancourt, Departement de la Somme, Picardie, France. Burial: Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery Equancourt Departement de la Somme Picardie, France Plot: II. C. 4. Source: Find A Grave Memorial# 56580995 Scottish News - Remembrance Day Revealed: Poignant last letter from Black Watch soldier killed in France in 1917 By Jenny Morrison November 11, 2012   S. S. California sailing from Glasgow 12th November 1910   The following was the same for each family member   Ship California   Last Permanent Residence: Peebles, Scotland   Ethnicity/ Nationality: Scottish (Scotish)   Port of Departure: Glasgow, Scotland   Port of Arrival: New York, New York   Arrival Date: 21 Nov 1910   Final Destination: Ellwood City, Pa Name Birth Date Birth Location Birth Location Other Age Gender   Martha Clark   (Married - Housewife)   abt 1867   Scotland   west lintom   43   Female   George Clark   abt 1896   Scotland   uddingston   14   Male   William Clark   abt 1899   Scotland   cambuslang   11   Male   Agnes Clark   abt 1900   Scotland   cambuslang   10   Female   Martha Clark   abt 1902   Scotland   inverness   8   Female   Grace Clark   abt 1903   Scotland   inverness   7   Female   James Clark   abt 1906   Scotland   dolphinton   4   Male Click here to view the above part of the ships manifest Source Citation Year: 1910; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 1595; Line: 8; Page Number: 194 Source Information Ancestry.com - New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957. Microfilm Publication T715, 8892 rolls. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service; National Archives at Washington, D.C.

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