BIOGRAPHY - SAMUEL CLARK
Samuel Clark, who was a well known resident of Ford county, his home being in Brenton township, belonged to that class of representative American citizens who, though of foreign birth, are always loyal to the interests of their adopted land and in their home localities contribute in large measure to substantial development and improvement. Moreover, Mr. Clark was one who owed his success entirely to his well directed labors, for he started out in life empty-handed.
He was born near Londonderry, Ireland, May 20, 1825, and when a small boy crossed the Atlantic to Canada with his parents, John and Martha (Wells) Clark, both of whom died in Ohio. In their family were six sons and three daughters. The family remained in Canada for only about two years and then went to Washington county, Pennsylvania, whence they afterward removed to Guernsey county, Ohio. Samuel Clark was a youth in his teens at that time and he remained upon the home farm with his parents up to the time of his marriage, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He gained practical knowledge of the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops and was thus well qualified to engage in farming on his own account when he married and established a home of his own.
He continued a resident of Guernsey county, Ohio, until his removal to Chenoa, Livingston county, Illinois, where he resided for about a quarter of a century. On the expiration of that period he took up his abode upon a farm on section 22, Brenton township, which was his place of abode for seventeen years or until his death, which occurred on the 16th of January, 1905, when he had reached the ripe old age of eighty years. Throughout his entire life he gave his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits and owned a farm in Ohio and in Livingston county as well as his home property in Brenton township. In 1890 he purchased the place upon which his widow yet resides, securing one hundred and sixty acres on section 22 and also another tract of eighty acres. His care and diligence brought his fields under a high state of cultivation and he annually gathered good harvests. Year after year he prospered, so that he was enabled to leave his family in comfortable financial circumstances.
Mr. Clark was married in 1853 to Miss Jane Morrow, who was born December 12, 1828, in Guernsey county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Martha (Atchison) Morrow, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in Westmoreland county and the latter in Washington county. They entered land in Guernsey county, Ohio, and there developed a new farm. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Clark were born eight children: David, who is now operating the home farm; Martha, the wife of Spencer McCreight, of Aledo, Illinois; Malinda, the wife of W. J. Hester, of Chenoa, this state; John A., whose home is in Stanton, Nebraska; William M., a resident of Rantoul, Illinois; Anna Jane, at home; Mathew, also of Rantoul; and Harriett, the wife of Thomas Simpson, of Iowa.
In his political views Mr. Clark was a democrat but manifested only a citizen's interest in the political questions, never seeking nor desiring office. He held membership in the United Presbyterian church and his life was an honorable and upright one, gaining for him the respect and good will of those with whom he was associated. He reached the eightieth milestone on life's journey and his record was characterized by all that is commendable in man's relations with his fellowmen. He provided well for his family and lived a life of honesty as well as industry, so that he left to his children a good name. Mrs. Clark still survives her husband and is now living on the old home farm on section 22, Brenton township. She is widely known in this part of the county, where she has many friends.
Extracted 19 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 1, pages 375-376.
