Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

The first in this country was Jonas
Clark, born 1619-20, who was in Cam-
bridge, Massachusetts, as early as 1642
in early life he was a shipmaster. His
residence was on the southerly side of
South street, near Holyoke street, in Cam-
bridge, where he served as selectman,
and died January 14, 1700, at the age of
eighty years. He was ordained ruling
elder of the Cambridge church, Novem-
ber 15, 1682, and continued in that posi-
tion until his death. He married, July 30,
1650, Elizabeth Clark, who died March
21, 1673, aged forty-one years.
Their son, Thomas Clark, was born
March 2, 1653, in Cambridge, graduated
from Harvard College in 1670, was settled
as pastor at Chelmsford, Massachu-
setts, in 1677, and continued in that posi-
tion until his death, December 7, 1704,
in his fifty-second year. Little concern-
ing his ministry can be discovered, but it
is known that through his sound sense
and positive stand the attempt to establish
the witchcraft mania in Chelmsford
was thwarted. His first wife, Mary
(Bulkeley) Clark, of Concord, born 1647,
the mother of his children, died Decem-
ber 2, 1700. She was a daughter of Rev.
Peter Bulkeley, first minister at Concord,
by his second wife, Grace, a daughter of
Sir Richard Chetwode.
Their son, Jonas Clark, was born December
2, 1684, in Chelmsford, where he
was a colonel of militia, a magistrate, kept
an inn and maintained a ferry, died April
8,1770. He was a highly esteemed citizen,
and his inn was a popular resort among
the leading people. His wife, Elizabeth,
born 1701-03, died April 27, 1767.
Their son, Thomas Clark, was born
August 24, 1713, in Chelmsford, lived in
Tewksbury, where he made his home. He
married Mary Farwell, born May 8, 1716,
in Dunstable, Massachusetts, daughter of
Oliver and Mary (Cummings) Farwell.
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Their son, Deacon Thomas Clark, was
born December 2, 1743, in Tewksbury,
where he made his home. He married,
July 25, 1765, in Chelmsford, Lydia
Fletcher, who was born January 29, 1747,
in that town, daughter of Andrew and
Lydia (Howard) Fletcher, died January
12, 1826, in Tewksbury.
Their son, Deacon Jesse Clark, was
born October 21, 1783, in Tewksbury, and
died there December 20, 1866. He lived
on the paternal homestead in Tewksbury,
where he was an extensive farmer. He
married, in 1808, Lydia Tyler, who was
born June 25, 1787, in Dracut, Massachu-
setts, and died September 15, 1816, in
Tewksbury, daughter of Jacob and Ruth
(Marsh) Tyler, of Methuen, Massachu-
setts.
Their eldest son, John Clark, was born
September 28, 181 1, in Tewksbury, where
he was an industrious farmer, a man who
led a quiet life, was an active member of
the Congregational church, served the
town as selectman and in various other
offices, and died December 13, 1890. He
married, November 28, 1839, Elizabeth
Remington Trull, who was born August
21, 1815, in Tewksbury, daughter of Jesse
and Olive (Thorndyke) Trull.
Rev. George Larkin Clark, son of John
and Elizabeth R. (Trull)- Clark, was born
August 16, 1849, in Tewksbury, on the
homestead which has been in the possession
of the family for one hundred and
thirty-five years. His youthful days were
spent upon the farm, in attendance at the
public school, and in such duties as
usually fall to the lot of farmers' sons. He
subsequently attended the Lowell High
School, and in 1868 entered Amherst Col-
lege, from which he was graduated in
1872. Following this he pursued the
study of theology for two years at New
Haven, and in 1876 was graduated from
Union Theological Seminary of New