James H Clark and Urcelia Katherine (Kate) Williams Clark

James H Clark and Urcelia Katherine Williams Clark were my maternal great-grandparents.  James was born in Lincoln County, Missouri on 9 July 1840 to William Clark and Eleanor Ervin.  He was the oldest of three children.  His siblings were Nancy Jane (who married Daniel Boone Martin in 1863) and David Clark (who died at the age of 14 in a hunting accident).  His mother died in 1853 when James was 12 years old.  He and his sister, Nancy Jane were listed in his grandfather Ervin's probate record as grandchildren.

James's name appears on the U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records for the Fifth Subdistrict in Lincoln County, Missouri in 1863.  However, his obituary stated that he joined Price's Army when the Civil War broke out. 

Troy Free Press Troy, Missouri, Mar. 27, 1903; vol. XXV, No. 14, pg. 4

Sterling Price was a former governor of Missouri and influential figure.  Although he publicly supported the Union and opposed succession by Missouri, he conspired to arm the Missouri Militia and moved to the Confederate-side of the war.  Read more about Sterling Price HERE.

After the Civil War, James returned to Lincoln County, Missouri and the family farm. He married Urcelia Katherine Williams on 11 Nov 1869.  The couple had eight children together. (See names below photograph.). He was a member of the Moscow Mills (Missouri) Masonic Lodge.

Back row L-R: Eleanor "Ellen" Clark, William Deaver Clark, Myrtle "Mytie" Clark.

2nd row L-R: Nathaniel Dryden "Nat" Clark, James "Jimmy" Clark.

Middle row L-R: James H Clark, Margaret Douglas "Maggie" Clark, Urcelia Katherine "Kate" Williams Clark.

Front row: Richard Norton "Dick" Clark

(not pictured is David Ervin who died at aged 4 months)

Kate Clark was born 2 Apr 1848 in Tennessee to Alfred M. Williams and Frances E. Atkinson (Achison).  Kate was a twin, her brother Joseph and their parents were listed in the 1850 federal census in Fayette County, Tennessee.  Alfred's occupation was listed as an overseer.

Kate was one of 8 children who eventually grew up in Lincoln County, Missouri - Joseph and Kate, Mary Elizabeth, another set of twins: Alfred (Allen) and Frances (Fannie), Douglas, Daniel and George.  Here are some pictures of two of Granny Clark's siblings (Kate Williams)

                             

Mary Elizabeth (Lizzy) Williams Abbot and her husband, Frank.  They lived in Oklahoma and Illinois

Mary Elizabeth (Lizzy), Joseph - twin to Granny, Katherine Urcelia (Kate)

After marrying, James and Kate Clark moved in with James' father, William Clark, on the family farm just south of Troy on what is now South Main Street/Sand Run Road.  The family burial ground, The Clark Cemetery, was on the back (or north) side of their property.  

Below was taken from the "1878 Historical Atlas of Lincoln County, Missouri."  It shows the J H Clark property in the northwest corner of the page.     

Incidentally, the Reuben Clark family lived next door.  (See the family enumerated immediately before William's household.)  Reuben and Vina had previously been owned by William and his father, David Clark.  After the Emancipation Proclamation, some freed African-Americans continued working for their former owners.  It appears Reuben did this.  Here is the will listing Reuben, Vina and their children as property of David and William Clark in 1847.

          

James continued to farm on the family homestead until his death on 24 March 1903.  He was buried in the family cemetery on South Main Street/Sand Run Road, Troy, Missouri.

Kate, or "Granny Clark" as she later became known, was living in a home she owned in Troy as enumerated on the 1910 federal census.  On 14 Nov 1915 Kate married Thomas Hartley, a widowed farmer from rural Hawk Point, Missouri.  The 1920 census lists them living in the town of Hawk Point.  Their marriage ended in divorce after Kate's oldest daughter, Ellen, was apparently not happy upon learning about the union during a visit home.  You can read more about this humorous, yet sad story, HERE.  Kate is listed as a member of the Gilbert Groshong household on the 1930 federal census, aged 82.  This would be the home of her daughter, Maggie. Kate passed away there on 17 January 1939 and was buried next to her first husband, James, in the Clark family Cemetery.

James and Kate had eight children together.

Eleanor (Ellen) Lee was born on 15 Oct 1870 in Lincoln County, Missouri. 

Prior to her marriage, she taught school in Lincoln County, Missouri at the Carter School.    

Ellen traveled to Racine Minnesota to work as a housekeeper for a Mr. Lewis Robinson.  Mr. Robinson was a widower who had several young children. Ellen ended up marrying Mr. Robinson on 25 August 1897 and was listed as his wife on the 1900 Federal Census.   There were four daughters listed: Bernice, age 12; Winona, age 10; Ruth age 3; and Kate R., age 1.  Lewis' mother, Emily, was also listed as a resident of the home.  Ellen made a few trips back to visit her Missouri family and reunions were held to mark the occasions.  Here are several family photos taken that included Ellen:

  

In the photo above, Ellen is shown on the far right.  Myrtle is pictured first, on the left, next is Maggie and Nat is the only gentleman.

 

                                              

In the photo above, Ellen is sitting on the grass on the left.

Together, Eleanor (Ellen) and Lewis Robinson had the following children: 

  - Bernice

  - Winona

  - Ruth

  - Kathrine

  - Lewis

  - Marion Lavern

  - Ralph

  - James H 

  - Nat D 

William Deaver was born 22 September 1872 on the home place in South Troy, Missouri.  

"Bill Deaver" married Elizabeth Leora Martin, daughter of Daniel Boone Martin and Nancy Jane (Clark) Martin in 1899.  "Odie, as she was called, was born in Troy, Missouri on 10 Feb 1868.  As the couple were first cousins, they had to travel to Arkansas to wed.  The marriage announcement in the local newspaper mentions the couple told their families they were going to a show in St. Louis and would return the next day.  Instead of going to a show, they traveled on to Jonesborough, Arkansas, married, then return the follow day.  The article even goes on to say neither family was happy about this union!  

The couple had no children but were quite happy.  Deaver was a farmer and 'Odie' took care of the household duties.  She also enjoyed writing short stories and poems.  At least one of her poems was used as lyrics in a song that was published in sheet music form.  I am in possession of many of these stories and poems.  As time allows, I plan to share some of them, in her handwriting, here on the blog.  

Bill Deaver and Odie's home in Warren County, Missouri

Odie and Kate Clark

Bill Deaver and Odie started married life living on Deaver's family farm.  Between the 1910 and 1920 federal census, they moved to Warren County where he owned a farm in the Elkhorn Township.  Odie's younger brother, Linden Boone Martin lived with them for most of their lives.  

Odie passed away 4 July 1940 in Warren County, Missouri.  She was 72.  Deaver passed away on 15 March 1954 also in Warren County at the age of 82.  Both Odie and Deaver were buried in the Clark Cemetery on the old Clark homestead south of Troy on South Main Street/Sand Run Road.

As a side note: Linden Boone Martin never married but was a close family member of not only Odie and Deaver but of my grandmother, Maggie Clark Groshong, as well.  She often referred to him as 'Cousin Linden.'  He never married but lived most of his adult life with his sister and brother-in-law.  He served in the Army as part of the U.S. Auxiliary Remount Depot #323 QMC during World War I.  This unit was part of the Army Veterinary Service stationed at Camp Funston, Kansas.  Horses and mules were still being used in WWI to transport supplies to troops.  Several of these Remount Depots were responsible for breeding, acquiring, training and caring for the horses and mules that would be sent to Europe to serve as beasts of burden hauling supplies for the war effort.  Linden is listed as a Private First Class as part of the Wagon Company at Camp Funston, Kansas (see link below).  

https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkrenzelok/genealogy/veterinary%20corp%20in%20ww1/auxiliaryremountdepot%20no323%20.html

Ruth Robinson and Linden Martin

He died 15 September 1956 at the Veterans Hospital in St. Louis of bladder cancer and pulmonary tuberculosis.  His occupation was listed as a switchman for the railroad on his death certificate.  He is buried near Odie, Deaver and his parents in the Clark Cemetery.

Myrtle DeGrace was born 18 May 1874 in Troy, Missouri.  She first married Daniel Lane Davis of Moscow Mills, MO on 22 February 1893 at her family home in Troy.  Daniel fathered their child, James, before he died, leaving Myrtle with an infant son, James.  Daniel was buried in the Clark Cemetery in Troy, MO. 

Myrtle then married James William East on 23 October 1898 at Slavens Chapel near Troy.  Will was born in Hannibal, MO on 8 September 1875.  The couple had six children:

  - William Harrison (Harry)

  - Arthur Ervin 

  - Genevieve (Sis)

  - Lillian (Peggy)

  - Katherine L (Kay)

  - Alva Myrtle (Joey)

Jim Davis, Myrtle's oldest son from her previous marriage, also lived with the family.

In 1910, Will East is listed on the federal census as owning (mortgage-free) a farm in Clark Township of Lincoln County, MO.  At that time the following people were listed as living in the household:

  - James W., head, age 44

  - Myrtle, wife, age 35

  - William H, son, age 10

  - Irvin, son, age 9    

  - Jenive, daughter, age 6

  - Lillin, daughter, age 3

  - Katey, daughter, age 1 6/12 

  - Davis, Jim, step son, age 14

  - Williams, Frances, grandmother, 82

In the 1920 census, the family was buying a farm (owning with a mortgage) in the Hawk Point Township of Lincoln County, MO.  The following people are listed as living in the household:

  - James W., head, age 44

  - Myrtle, wife, age 45

  - James E., son, age 23

  - Harry, son, age 20

  - Irvin, son, age 18

  - Jeneve, daughter, age 16

  - Lillian, daughter, age 13

  - Katie, daughter, age 11

  - Myrtle, daughter, age 5

  - Clark, Richard N, brother-in-law, age 31

By 1930, the census record for this family indicates they were living at 5027 Genevieve in St. Louis, Missouri.  Those living there were: 

  - James W., head, age 54, no occupation listed

  - Myrtle, wife, age 55, no occupation listed

  - Genevieve, daughter, age 24, packer at a tack company

  - Kathryn, daughter, age 21, folder at a box factory

  - Myrtle, daughter, age 16, stenographer in a collectors office

Although Will does not give his occupation for the census 

In 1940 and 1950, Will and Myrtle East were living with their daughter, Lillian, or Peggy as she was called, and her husband, Daniel Mueller in the same neighborhood although they moved to Thrush Avenue. This is in a section of North St. Louis called Walnut Park East very near Calvary and Bellefontaine Cemeteries. It does not appear Peggy and Daniel had any children.  Daniel listed his occupation as electrical engineer for a radio station.  Will listed his occupation as a salesman and owning his own store. His death certificate listed his occupation as a hardware merchant.

Will East passed away 1 June 1955 at DePaul Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.  Myrtle passed away a year later on 12 Dec 1956 at their home on Thrush.  Both she and Will were buried in the Clark Cemetery in Troy.

 

Maggie, Bill Deaver, Myrtle, Kate Clark

As another side note:  My mother had always told me she had heard the name Zenda somewhere in our family and had thought it was pretty.  As there were lots of girls named Linda, Brenda and Cindy, she like the name Zenda.  I had looked for many years in our family genealogy for anyone with that name.  Finally, after almost 40 years of searching (in fact at 9:30 pm on July 23, 2024!) I found her!  Myrtle's oldest son, Jim Davis - son of her first husband, Daniel Lane Davis, had a daughter in 1927 in Decatur, Illinois named ZENDA LEE DAVIS!!  Mystery FINALLY solved!  Incidentally, Jim Davis was also buried in the Clark Cemetery in Troy.

David Ervin was born April 1877 in Troy, Missouri and lived only about four months.  He died 10 August 1877.  He is buried in the Clark Cemetery.

Margaret Douglas, my grandmother, was born 16 September 1879 in Troy, Missouri.  She married Gilbert B Groshong, son of Charles Albert Kee Groshong and Louisa Adrian Cottle Groshong, on 26 July 1905 in Troy.  Gilbert was born in Moscow Mills, Missouri 20 July 1878.  

Gilbert and Maggie Groshong on their wedding day.

Maggie, as she was called, was a very 'take charge' type of person.  I had the privilege of sharing about her life during one of the Lincoln County Historical Society's Cemetery Walks.  That narrative is posted below.  

She and Gilbert had 4 children.  They all stayed in the Troy community and raised their own families.

  - Sallie Mae  (read more about her HERE)

  - Kee Hamilton

  - Eleanor LaVern

  - Ethel Elizabeth

Gilbert and Maggie bought a farm in the Sugar Grove Community in South Troy.  My mother always spoke of her father as a gentle, kind and capable man who was well respected by his family and neighbors.  

Gilbert with his two brothers, Charlie and Jesse and brother-in-law Ed Wiliegman. An older brother, Forest, died in infancy.

Gilbert died of colon cancer on 10 August 1934 at the age of 56.  He was a loyal and faithful member of the Methodist Church of Troy and was buried in the Troy City Cemetery.

This is the narrative I presented during one of the Lincoln County Historical Society's Cemetery Walks about my grandmother, Maggie Clark Groshong:

Maggie passed away 23 April 1976 in Troy, Missouri at the age of 96.  She was buried with Gilbert in the Troy City Cemetery.  

James Harrison was born 18 August 1882 in Troy, Missouri.  Jim moved to the state of California for work.  

In 1908, Jimmy married Ida Edith Leuba in her mother's home in St. Helena, California.  The newspaper article listed him as living in Oakville, California.  Edith’s parents were Swiss immigrants.

In the 1910 federal census, Jim was the head of a household in Napa County, California that included his wife, mother-in-law and two brothers-in-law.  He and another brother-in-law were recorded as laborers in a vineyard.  The other brother-in-law was working in a saloon. 

In 1920, Jim, Edith and her mother were living at 735 Ripley Ave in Richmond, California, a little north east of San Francisco.  He owned this home, free of a mortgage. Jim listed his occupation as 'stillman' in an oil refinery.  We understand that he worked at Standard Oil for many years and purchased stock in that company.

Through the 1930s and 40s, Jim and Edith continued to live in their home on Ripley Avenue in Richmond and he continued to work as a stillman at an oil refinery.  He had retired by the 1950 census but the couple still lived in their home on Ripley.

 

Inexplicably on 2 December 1956, the couple took their lives in an apparent double suicide.  Here are newspaper articles about the tragic event:

                   

from the Richmond, California newspaper, The Independent. page 1 

                 4 December 1956.

This article was published 6 December 1956 in the same paper, page 13

This is Jimmy's obituary from the same newspaper.

According to his obituary, he was a member of the St. Helena Masonic Lodge as well as the St. Helena Odd Fellows Lodge.  The couple was buried in the St. Helena Public cemetery, St. Helena, California. 

Several nieces and nephews when to California to settle the estate including, Eleanor and Edwin Wieman and Woodrow Sheets. 

Granny Clark with Jimmy and Edith Clark

Nathaniel Dryden was born 27 Jan 1886 in Troy, Lincoln County, Missouri.  As a young adult, Nat did not remain of the family farm instead moving to St. Louis to look for work.  In the 1910 federal census, he is listed as living as a border on Folsom Avenue, just west of the current location of SSM St. Louis University Hospital.  His occupation was listed as 'jeweler at a retail store.' 

               

Nat married Ethel Bennett of Troy, daughter of Richard T. Bennett and Rebecca W. Dyer Bennett by 18 Jan 1911.  Their marriage license was listed in that day's St. Louis Post Dispatch on page 14.

By 1912, Nat was working as a patrolman out of the Magnolia Avenue station.  This article briefly mentions him as an undercover cop during an alcohol raid:

My cousin remembers a story about Uncle Nat being shot in the line of duty.  Doctors were not able to remove the bullet from his chest and he was not allowed to return to regular patrol duty but instead offered a desk job.  He declined and began looking for other work. 

Nat is listed as being a mechanic in an auto garage in the 1920 census and renting a place at 4335 Sacramento Ave in St. Louis.  This was near the corner of Natural Bridge and Newstead Ave in North St. Louis. Ethel and her brother, George Bennett (aged 24) were also living there.  George was listed as begin an insurance agent.

My cousin says he thought George Bennett had already obtained his druggist's license sometime in the early 1920s and Nat then earned his.  In August of 1927, Nat and his brother-in-law George Bennett purchased a drug store together.  The store was in South St. Louis, at 6022 South Grand Blvd.   

This is a picture of the building today.

In the 1930 federal census, Nat and Ethel were renting a place at 5059 Gravois Ave. in South St. Louis.  Nat listed his occupation as a merchant/owner of a drugstore.  By 1940, the couple had moved to 3704a Spring, St. Louis, in what is now considered the Affton/Lemay area.  Nat owned several drugstores at this point but reported that after working 52 weeks in 1939, he earned $0.  Their maid, Elda Tamm, a white divorced woman also lived in their apartment.  

One of my older cousins who remembered Uncle Nat said Aunt Ethel enjoyed going to the racetrack every day.   She was a very good gambler and knew her horses.  She very rarely ever lost money.  He remembered Uncle Nat saying that he went to work at the drug store and Ethel went to the track.  The drugstore must have been pretty lucrative because when my parents were ready to build their last home in the late 1950s, they borrowed the money from Uncle Nat.  My mother said he brought it to her one day (in cash) in a brown paper bag.  She was so nervous to have that much money sitting on the kitchen table and could hardly wait until my dad came home from work to take it to the bank.

By 1950, the couple had moved yet again, this time to the upstairs apartment at 3464 Grace Ave., in the Tower Grove South neighborhood.  This building is still there and looks like this today.  Nat was listed as “Retired” but that word was scratched through.

From stories I've heard from my family, it appeared that Nat and Ethel lived a very different lifestyle from the rest of the Clark family.  They enjoyed the city life, traveling and horse races.  

Clark Brothers: William Deaver, Nathaniel Dryden and Richard Norton 

When his sister, Maggie, and her daughter, Ethel, were ready to move off the family farm into Troy, Uncle Nat bought the farm from Maggie.  He found a newly-immigrated Latvian couple, Ansis and Elza Berzen, to live on and work the small farm.  This they did for many years until Aunt Ethel died and her estate was settled.  

Nat D. Clark passed away at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis on 20 September 1956 at the age of 70.  He had lung cancer.  He was buried in the Troy City Cemetery, Troy, Missouri.

After Nat's death, Ethel came monthly to stay with their niece Ethel Groshong Sheets and her family.  Ethel's husband worked in St. Louis and would stop by on Friday evening to pick her up then drop her back off early Monday morning.  She did this almost until her death.  

Ethel Bennett Clark passed away on 19 July 1966 at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.  She had cervical cancer as well as a pulmonary embolism.  She was 80 years old.  Ethel was buried next to Nat in the Troy City Cemetery.  

Richard Norton was born 10 September 1888 in Troy, Missouri. 

On 5 June 1917, Dick registered for the military.  At that time, he was 28 and was working as a street car conductor in St. Louis.  He listed his address as 4475 Gibson which is just south of Interstate 64 and east of Forest Park.

He enlisted in the Army on 26 July 1918 and served in the 70th Infantry at Fort Funston until 6 Feb 1919.  More can be read about this unit HERE.

Here is his Veteran's Record

This was the same Camp to which his cousin, Linden B Martin, was assigned.  I haven't discovered exactly what Dick's job was but, as this was a Remount Camp, it might have had something to do with horses or mules.  Once he returned home to farm, he had both. 

 

After he returned from his service, he bought a little farm in the Hawk Point, Missouri area, off of what is now Fred Norton Road.  It is now a subdivision known as Clark's Point.  The Charles Conley family lived next door and Dick met and fell in love with their daughter, Iona.  She was 19 years his junior but they had a long and happy marriage. Iona was the daughter of Charles and Luda Slavens Conley.  She had a brother, Lloyd who was 3 years younger.  Iona was born 10 May 1907.

Uncle Dick was known for his sense of humor and his curly front lock of hair. 

Dick, Eleanor (Robinson) Deaver

Myrtie, Dick and Maggie

Dick and Iona worked their farm together for years.  He was a member of the I.O.O.F. (Odd Fellows) for 55 years.  On 1 October 1973 Dick passed away at the age of 85.  Iona continued living on their farm until her death on the 6th of March 2000.  Both Dick and Iona were buried in the Hawk Point City Cemetery.  

Of all James and Kate Clark's children, the only ones who had children of their own were were their daughters, Ellen (Eleanor), Myrtie (Myrtle) and Maggie (Margaret).  The Clark family name on this family tree died out after this generation.