RHEA-L Archives

From: PHHGENE <>
Subject: CLARK-SUMMERS
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 12:24:25 EST

James CLARK b. 1704 Va. d. 1778 Va.

Spouse Notes:
the name of Clark means a learned person- that is, one who could read and
write, which was a rare accomplishment in the olden times. As a surname, Clark
and Clarke appears frequently, from LeClere; and medieval bearers of the name
were very proud of it. The name took several compounds which are: Beauclark -
the good Clark; Mauclerk - the bad Clark; Kenclerk- the knowing Clark; and
Petyclerk - the little Clark. the name of Clark, in its various forms, is one
of great antiquity, having probably been used in Great Britain as early as the
eleventh century. Since the name implied literacy, its use as a name was
eagerly coveted; hence it frequent use.

Many people added "le clerk's to their names. The "let' was finally dropped,
and only Clerk was left or, as it was pronounced, Clark. The final "e" is an
addition in later times.
In the fifty years following the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth and the
English in Virginia, many persons of the name of Clark left England for the
New World. Some of them, like Richard Clarke, who was a passenger on the
Mayflower, left no children, but it was the good fortune of others to found
families who have been active
in the early New England settlements and the Virginia pioneers who so bravely
established homes in the wilderness.
There is a very strong tradition which says that our paternal ancestor who
came to this country, emigrated from England to Virginia, and that his name
was John. He came from the County of Kent, England and settled at Jamestown
between 1630 and 1635. tradition is that he settled on the James River and
became a planter; that either on the vessel coming over, or soon thereafter,
he met, and fell in love with a Scotch girl, Hannah Wiatt, who became his
wife. John died in Jamestown c. 1645.
The pioneer ancestor of the Monroe County, (West) Virginia line was James
Clark of Augusta County, who according to tradition, was the son of John
Clark, third in descent from John Clark the immigrant F-100. James CLARK

James Clark settled in Augusta County, Virginia in 1740. He was one of William
Beverley's land agehis name frequently appears in the records of the county.
He owned a large plantation (800) acres some nine miles southwest of staunton,
near the old Glebe Cemetery, and in th area of the old North Mountain Meeting
House. The land is called "James Clark's Old Plantation" in the Augusta County
Courthouse records. The old home was demolished c. 1928.
Records show that James was a member of Captain John Willison's Virginia
Militia of 1742; and that he also served his country in the French and Indian
War in 1758. (Hening, Volume 7, Augusta County Section).
James married Elizabeth Summers, who died in 1781. James died in 1778; his
will dated 20 Aug, 1774; proved 17 Mar 1778 is recorded in Augusta County Will
Book 6, Page 4, at the Courthouse in Staunton, Virginia.

All the children are listed in Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in
Virginia 1745-1800, Vol. III, p.150 Will Book No. VI (p. 4), by Lyman
Chalkley Vol. III, Genealogical Publication, Baltimore, Md. James Clark's
Will.

James Clark purchased from William Beverley, Esq. on 14 May 1746, 380 acres of
land "... on the head branch of Middle River in Beverley Manor ". He later
transferred, by deed in Augusta County, Virginia, this tract of land to three
of his sons as follows:
20 Aug 1765 to John Clark eighty Acres . . ." Deed Book 12, p. 108.
20 Aug 1766 to Samuel Clark eighty-four Acres . . ." Deed Book 13, pp. 45 and
46.
20 Aug 1766 to Robert Clark Two hundred and sixteen Acres Deed Book 13, pp. 47
and 48.
". . . of land lying in the County Augusta on the head branch of Middle River
of Shanandore (Shenandoah) in Beverley Mannor being a part of a larger tract
of three hundred and eighty Acres first made over to the said James Clark by
William beverley, Esq. by Deeds of Lease and Relase dated
the fourteenth and fifteenth days of May one thousand Seven hundred and forty
six . . . "

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• CLARK-SUMMERS by PHHGENE <>