ALTLNPII Alternate Lineage Capt. Christopher Part II: William and Edward CLARK by Linda Sparks Starr SEP 1996 In his article "John Clark, Navigator of the Ship 'Bona Nova' to Jamestown and of the 'Mayflower' to Plymouth Rock" Dr. Lorand Johnson says the "Mister William Clarke" who was admitted as a "free brother" of the VA Co. and the Edward who was assigned one share in the company by Sir Thomas Gates were sons of the navigator. I believe he also says all the following references in Nell Nugent's _Cavaliers & Pioneers_ are to William CLARK son of the navigator. However none of the references say "Mister Wil- liam Clark" -- a title, once obtained, was not dropped by the holder. I deliberately omitted everything BUT the briefest land description and date, then added additional information from other sources, ("Abstracts of VA Land Patents" prepared by W. G. Stanard; originally published in one of the three VA Qtrlies; reprinted in _VA Land Records_, from the three VA Qtrlies, Bal timore Pub. Co. 1982) to give us an "idea" of where the land was located. We can "fill in" specifics later when we determine who deserves more study. All of these entries are for WILLIAM Clark; I'm unconvinced there was only one. 1 JUL 1635 250 acres in Warrasquioake Co., south side Nan semond River adj. Geo. Fawdon. [This became Isle of Wight Co. in 1637 per _The Helper_.] 18 NOV 1635 100 acres in Elizabeth City ... lying on the New Pocoson River and Clark's Creek. [This county is now the city of Hampton, VA (per ibid). These two tracts are across the James River from each other.] 29 SEP 1636 450 acres Henrico County on the Appomattox River and Swift's Creek. [This patent #403.] 1637 100 acres in Charles River County. [This became York Co. according to Stanard] Land patent #404 proves ONE William Clark married before 23 SEP 1636 the widow of Edward GARNER (Stanard) or MAY 1638 and GAR- DINER as Dr. Johnson says; he adds "whose sister Catheryn had married Edward JOHNSON, brother of the Alderman Robert JOHNSON" (page 215, _Caskieben, Crimond, Cayesmill_.) This William Clark received 1100 acres in Henrico Co. "due by right of his wife, Dorothy ... widow of Edward". Dr. Johnson continues that this Wil- liam died before JUL 1639, for Dorothy CLARKE, widow of William, surrendered land sold by Wm to Seth Ward on this date. He con tinues she later "surrendered" land to William Worsham on "Old Towne Creek". One researcher adds that the Richard WILSON, brother of Robert who in his will named "cousin" Christopher CLARK, [see altlnage.asc] is the same Richard Wilson who also owned land on Old Towne Creek. They add, years later the Quaker merchant James JOHNSTON owned property on Old Towne Creek. Where does Dr. Johnson get the information for all these later transactions? Admittedly I haven't checked ALL possibilities, but _The Helper_ says there are no James City Co. records prior to 1865; it doesn't give this information for Elizabeth City Co (a.k.a. Hampton) or York Co. With the exceptions of a few frag ments, Henrico and Charles City County records are not extant un til 1677 or later. Patent records, which is what Nell Nugent was transcribing only covers "new" land granted, escheated lands and re-surveys when owners wanted an "inclusive" survey of all their holdings. It does not cover buying and selling between in dividuals. I have several of Benjamin Weisiger's transcriptions of records for _Henrico Co. Deeds..., Henrico Co. Wills..., Charles City Co. Court Orders_; I looked in the indexes for specific names (WALKER, JOHNSON) and Old Town "something". Old Towne was the name of an early plantation, some say an Indian village, located on the Appomattox River; a 1696 patent in Nugent vol. III says land called "The Old Town" was located in Charles City Co., granted to Anne BUTLER mother of John Bevill. [Note: "Butler" ap pears where a middle name is normally seen in a VA Co. reference to _a_ George Clark, identified as a son of the navigator by Dr. Johnson.] Another early surname connected with Old Towne "something" was Thomas BATTE / BOTTE. Although Seth Ward and Wm Worsham entries are abundant, none appeared under the index entry for Old Town "something". Most of the WALKER entries were people "transported" to VA; none of the JOHNSON entries appear to be relevant to our study of the navigator or alderman. Edward Clark(s) Bernard Schaaf and Dr. Johnson give the following statistics (without documentation) for an Edward Clark they label as "ancient planter": b.1580s Tripole or Thriplow, England d. after Spring 1666 in Thriplow, England. Dr. Johnson adds "Thriplow, [was] near Foulemere, Cambridgeshire, England". They both iden tify this Edward as the one who received one share of VA Co. stock from Sir Thomas Gates, but add "upon the death of his father John Clarke". Schaaf adds the "poor widow and her children" from the VA Co. records. This was covered in altlnage.asc. I feel strongly that other Virginia records prove there were at least two Edwards in early Virginia. The above Thriplow records undoubtedly belong with this extract from _VA Gleanings_ by Lothrop Withington, Gen. Pub. Co. 1980, page 81: Thomas CLARK of York Co. VA left a will dated 16 APR 1666, probated 10 MAY 1670 in which he states: "all lands as heir to EDWARD Clarke of Triplow, near Toulemre, Chambridgeshire, my late father dec'd, in hands of William Deering of Thriploe ... elected Guardian as of all other lands, particularly one House, orchard etc. in posses sion of Richard FARROWE in Thriploe, conveyed to me by deed of gift Mr. Peter TEMPLE 12 DEC 1665, I do give to friend Peter Temple; to sister SUSANNA CLARK ... to sister MARY CLARK ...piece of land called New Ditch." According to Dr. Johnson THIS Thomas d.1670 York Co. VA was ap pointed guardian for his siblings c1666, suggesting that date for the father's death. I will agree the Thomas d. 1670 is clearly the son of _an_ Edward who owned land in Thriploe, England. I BELIEVE THIS Edward is most likely the one who married Mary SELL 10 NOV 1631 in Triplow, Chambridgeshire; they are said to have had three children -- from the above will?-- one of whom is the Thomas who died in York Co. VA c1670. In my OPINION, this Edward is not the one born in 1580s, although he could well be the son of that Edward. Or is "1580s" a mis-type somewhere down the line? I feel researchers were trying to link this particular line to John the navigator whose birthyear is pinpointed as 1575; the navigator clearly wasn't fathering children in 1580s. I don't BELIEVE the above Edward was ever in VA; but he COULD BE the Edward Clark who purchased one share of VA Co. stock from Sir Thomas Gates 11 MAY 1620. That one may be, and probably is, the one chosen to serve on the general committee 28 JUN 1620; he was discharged from this commitment 2 MAY 1621. But whether this service was in London or Virginia is not stated. My OPINION WAS that the Co. stockholders met in England, not VA. But Middleton [fully cited below] partly disagrees. Page 32: "Sandys hit on the device of convening an assembly in America. The scheme may also have been devised partly to accommodate those adventurers who had gone to claim their land and were in consequence unable to attend the quarterly meetings in London. The new body was to be composed of the governor, his council, and two burgesses from every hundred or parish elected by the inhabitants. It was to meet once a year and have full power to enact measures on all mat- ters for the colony's good government. Natually all acts would have to conform where practical to English law and would also be subject to the veto of both the governor and the company in London." Is this the beginning of the House of Burgesses? Mid dleton says the first assembly met in VA late in July 1619 at Jamestown. There should be a list somewhere of the VA delgates. If Edward's name doesn't appear on it, can we ASSUME he served in England? The "real" Ancient Planter I THINK this is the "real" ancient planter, but I'm not sure all of the data given for him is to the SAME Edward Clark. Dr. Johnson and Bernard Schaaf link the Edward Clark and wife Mar garet, whose son Nathaniel was christened 8 JAN 1621 at Black frairs, St. Ann, London, to the ancient planter reference. Some researchers believe they are the same Edward Clark and Margaret GRAVES who were married at St. Nicholas Acons, London 14 JAN 1618. It is also said they were living at Jordan's Journey on the James River in FEB 1623/4. A dau, Bettris, was born to them in VA between 1624 and 1630. [_The Original Lists of Persons of Quality_ by John Camden Hotton, 1962 reprint by GenPubCo, page 171 confirms only "Edward Clarke, ux Clarke and Infans Clarke" were living at Jordan's Journey 16 FEB 1623. They were not on the Jordan's Journey list taken 21 JAN 1624, per page 209-210.] I BELIEVE researchers then err when they say: "Sometime before 1630 Edward divorced Margaret and returned to England; he married and had children .. the Thomas of York Co. being one..." They base this on two records -- the above 1631 marriage for_an_ Ed ward Clark and Mary SELL in Thriplow and the reference to a Mar garet Clark still in VA in 1631. I present the following quote as my case against a divorce: "Exceptions were allowed for monarchs and great lords, but for ordinary English men and women there was virtually no possibility of divorce in the seventeenth century." [from page 77 _Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America_, by David Hackett Fischer, Oxford Univ Pr:NY 1989. This was taken from George Elliott Howard, _A Hist of Matrimonial In stitutions_ (2 vols, Chicago, 1964) I, 364-462.] Additionally, I THINK we have proof that Edward "the ancient planter" died before 22 SEP 1636. That's the date of the patent Nathaniel Clark received "due him by right of descent from his father Edward Clarke to whom it was due as an ancient planter in the time of Sir Thomas Dale." This last is significant. Sir Thomas Dale was Governor of the VA Colony 1614-1616, but served as Deputy Governor in 1611. The introduction to Nugent's vol. I provides these specifics: "... the ancient adventurers and Planters which were transported thither with Intent to Inhabit at their own costs and charges before the coming away of Sir Thomas Dale Knight [in 1616], and have so continued during the space of three years, shall have ... one hundred acres of land for their personal adventure and as much for every single share ... al lotted and set out to be held by them their Heirs and assignes forever." Thus we know Edward Clark, the "ancient planter" arrived in VA no later than 1616 and remained for at least three years. He paid his own way so was more wealthy than Thomas Moorman, grocer, who came as an indentured servant. What's more, I think we have proof he was NOT the Edward who purchased one share of VA Co. stock in 1621 -- Nathaniel received only 100 acres of land. The author of the introduction provides one more detail: he uses Nathaniel's patent as an example (page xxxv) that Edward Clark was one of 18 "ancient planters" whose exact year of coming can not be determined. A special THANKS goes to Jim Marable who answered my query with lengthy quotes from vol. 1, Nugent. VA Company was always struggling to stay afloat. Changes were con- tinually made, some of which impacted the average immigrant we are studying. Learning more about these changes may help us lo cate records on these people. Thus, I add the following: page 31, _Colonial America: A Hist, 1607-1760_ by Richard Middleton, Blackwell Publ:Cambridge MA, reprint 1994. "...in 1614 Dale al lotted to all those who had settled in the colony prior to 1612 three acres of land to farm for their own use, exempt from all payments except one month's service to the colony and twelve bushels of corn in rent. This step did nothing ...to resolve the even greater difficulty that was looming in 1616 ... when all stockholders were to receive a dividend of one hundred acres of cleared land. The company had no means of honoring these terms; it could offer the adventurers no more than fifty acres of land, and that only if they subscribed another œ12.10s in stock. The problem of profitability had not been solved ..." This may ex plain the list of subscribers compiled between March 1615 and June 1623 covered in altlnage.asc. Page 32 Middleton gives 1616 as the date the headright system -- 50 acres to each person for each person he "transported" to VA -- was established as well as the division of the colony into four boroughs -- Charles City, Jamestown, Henrico and Kiccowtan (became Elizabeth City.) I guess "counties" came later. Nathaniel CLARK I THINK this Nathaniel's christening in England has to be ques tioned. For one thing, he would only be 15 in 1636 when he received the patent. This was well covered in a previous dicus sion about Capt. Christopher (tidbits.asc). As I remember it, he could "own" the land, be taxed for it, but could not "sell" it until he was 21. Going on -- do we have anything which says the wife/mother of THIS Edward and Nathaniel is _a_ Margaret? Or that the Margaret Clark living with Joseph Jolly in 1631 was married to an Edward Clark? [Can anyone cite this? When I had Hot- ton, I was looking for JORDANs, not CLARKs.] Let's go back to the various William CLARKs. Nathaniel Clark's 100 acres was located in Charles River Co. [which is actually York Co. according to Stanard p.583] and adjacent William CLARKE; Nathaniel received this SEP 1636; however, the first "Charles River Co." patent for William Clark is dated 1637. I SUSPECT the 1635 Eliz. City patent which is on New Pocoson River and Clark's Creek is nearby. We do have to be careful though; the name "Poquoson" is an Indian word meaning marsh or lower ground and appears in many patent records. [page 611 Stanard] William's MAY 1638 patent, also in Charles River County, [thus York] was for an additional 200 acres on Charles River "east upon the New Poquoson River, 100 acres of which he had been granted 21 AUG 1637 ..." Jim Marable also supplied the tidbit that Nathaniel's land was bordered on the other side by Thomas Harwood. I THINK this William and Nathaniel are related: specifically, I would position THIS William Clark as most likely brother of the ancient planter, Edward Clark, thus Uncle to Nathnaiel. But we have to be careful here. He could be Nathaniel's older brother who allows Nathaniel to receive their father's land -- highly un likely, but possible. WARNING: it's SPECULATION they are even related. Just how, and if either is related to John Clark "the navigator" is not guaranteed. Possible Connections I stress the POSSIBLE here. All comes from Stanard, cited ear lier. He not only transcribed the early patent records, but wrote comments about the men named in them. I have no knowledge on how reliable these comments are considered; but, I found these intriguing enough to append to this file. It helps to remember that New Kent was created in 1654 from the "north-westerly" most portion [my wording] of York County and part of James City Co. page 571: John WATSON 150 acres at New Poquoson adj. land Chris topher Stokes and Joseph JOLLY 11 JUL 1635 Will of Christopher STOKES (the son) dated 8 JUN 1649, probated in York Co. JUL 1646 styles himself "of the New Pow quoson in the Co. of Charles River" ... gives his wife ABEATRIS ... [Could this be the "Bettris" born to Edward and Margaret Clark "of Jordan's Journey" according to Dr. Johnson? We need to locate this reference.] 23 SEP 1636 Joseph JOLLY patented 350 acres Charles River Co. on the New Poquoson ... 50 acres for himself, wife Margery ... transporting others including Nathaniel CLARKE ... [Before anyone jumps to conclusions here -- this only means that _a_ Nathaniel arrived in VA sometime before Sept. 1636. However, a "look" at Joseph JOLLY might be in order.] Does anyone besides me wonder about the similarity between the following George KEITH and the George Keith connected with the WALKER family, wife of Edward JOHNSON? Could the two George Keiths have gotten mixed up? page 583: Mr. George KETH, (sic) Clarke and pastor of Kiskeake, 850 acres Charles River Co. [York] ... northeast on branch of Cheesman's Creek and southwest on a running brook ... 26 FEB 1634 for transporting himself, wife Martha, son John plus 14 others. Stanard's note: Rev. George KEITH, who Smith styles "a Scotchman who professed scholarship" was for a time a minister at Bermuda; but came to VA in 1617 in the ship 'George'. In the census of 1644-5 his 'muster' includes himself, aged 40 years; James Whiting aged 16 and John Keth, aged 11, all of whom came on the George. In 1626 Mr. George Keith owned 100 acres ... Eliz. City Co. [This is corroborated page 273 Hotton.] I BELIEVE Thomas Moorman who signed the 1677 grievance list lived on or near Whiting Swamp. Samuel SNEADE 200 acres in County of James at the head of KETHE's Creek ... due he and wife Alice, son William and one servant. 4 AUG 1635. [Any connection to your SNEADs, Dick?] page 667: Christopher STOKES is PROBABLY of Stanshawes, Glouces tershire, England -- it's his son, Christopher, who left a wife BEATRIS. The only son of Christopher Sr. to leave children is son, William. The name "Micajah" appears in this line in a 1766 will along with "Agnes, Lucy and Nathaniel" among others. [Capt. Xpher and Penelope named chn Micajah and Agnes.] One last thing which I can't get out of my system; if it sounds familiar, it is/was included in an earlier paper on Edward JOHNSON. The above Rev. George Keith was the pastor at Kiskeake. This, or Chiskiake, was the name of an Indian tribe located on the York River; the church was located in Bruton Parish (formed from parts of James City and Charles River [York] Counties, not far from the city of Williamsburg per Meade's _Old Churches, Min isters and Families in VA_, vol. 1. Goodwin in _The Colonial Church in VA_ says the old parish was called Hampton or Chiskiack from 1639/40 to 1690 when it was renamed Yorkhampton and now Yorktown. Mr. George Keith was pastor in 1634. The pastor in the mid- 1650s was Mr. Edward JOHNSON per _VA Colonial Abstracts, Series 2, vol. 5: York Co. Wills...1657-1659_ by Rev. Lindsay O. Duvall. Mr. Edward JOHNSON baptized a negro child SEP 1655; he also received tobacco in the parish levy that year. Additionally a path to "Mr. Johnson's Quarter" is mentioned in a 1655 land description which also included: "lying in Hampton Parish...upon Cheescake Path." Meade says this is the vulgar term for the church named Kiskiacke / Chiskiake. The minister died before 16 NOV 1657 when court records show his wife, Mary, left York County "to parts unknown" (my quote); Mr. Robert Baldrey was named guardian of EDWARD JOHNSON, minor son and heir of Edward Johnson dec'd. Thomas Rightmyer, working on a biographical directory of early clergy adds: This Edward (Sr.) was born c1621 if ordained at the usual age of 24. As yet, no one has determined WHICH, if any, of these references refer to this minister: the one who matriculated pensioner Easter 1639 at Magdalene College, Cambridge; the Deacon 16 JUN 1644; or the Priest 9 APR 1645 by Bishop of Lincoln. The last entry for the estate of Edward Johnson / mention of guar- dian over the minor Edward is SEP 1658. [note--my source stopped in 1659] Other JOHNSONs in the area include: George -- juror 8 OCT 1658 in James City and John -- chosen Constable 24 JUN 1659 "for New Poquosen Parish". I don't know if any of the above ap plies to our study or not; I just think we cannot ignore this minor Edward JOHNSON who COULD BE "in the right place / right time" to sign the 1677 grievance list, thus be the father of Penelope. One last word. My capitalized words are for emphasis to WARN you I'm offering my opinions, not facts. Neither this file, or lineage part I, is meant to be anything more than the starting point for more definitive research into some of these early CLARKs. We need more documentation; also more "history" to better understand the period might be helpful. The big question is -- Where do we go from here? Personally, I'm turning to Thomas Moor- man, the grocer of Warwickshire, while the rest of you ponder "the hard stuff".