The Clark Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on Clark. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

Two books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deal in part with the Clark family. They are: Naomi Larson-Sieling's History of A Clark Family (1975); and, Carol Updegraff's The Descendants of Henry Harvey Clark (1877-1958) and Maud Cornita Bitner 1879-1951 Centre and Clinton Counties Pennsylvania (1997).

There are 42 different first-name entries for Clark in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' CLARK neighbors in 1890:

In BELLEFONTE Borough:

Almeta--113 N. Allegheny Margaret--110 W. Linn Patrick, 73, laborer--68 S. Water Thomas H., 27, laborer--321 E. Howard Martha John A. 8 Winfield 6 George 4 Helen Margaret V. William, 34, laborer--234 E. Howard Catherine William 8 Isabella Mary E. Robert 1

In COLLEGE Township:

James O., farmer--Houserville Annie M. Edgar C. 2 Moses, 63, agent--Lemont Mary E. Maggie

In HALF-MOON Township:

George, 58, farmer--Buffalo Run Annie G. Mary Bertha Blanche Jennie George 16 Grace

In HUSTON Township:

Bertha--Julian

In LIBERTY Township:

David W., blacksmith--Blanchard Laura A. Olive B. John H. 4 James, farmer--Blanchard Martha J. George L. 15 Henry 13 Nora M. Violet R. James W., 32, foundryman--Blanchard Orpha F. Thompson D. 6 Byron R. 3 Mary Lemuel, 43, laborer--Blanchard Nancy R. Charles N. 20 Mary A. William M., 54, farmer--Blanchard Mary F. Annie F. Herbert T. 22 Edith Charles H. 13 John M. 9

In MARION Township:

John, 38--Bellefonte Elizabeth Maggie William 11 Delta B. Minnie M.

In MILHEIM Borough:

Clara J.

In PATTON Township:

Elmer J., 31, farmer--Buffalo Run Mary E. Ethel J.

In PHILIPSBURG Borough:

Cass, 35, hostler--Presquile St. Mary E.--Presquile St. Thomas E., 47, coal and iron police--Presquile St. Maggie

In RUSH Township:

William, 55, laborer--Philipsburg Maria John 36 Albert 19 James 16 Amy O. Annie Emily

In SNOW SHOE Township:

William, 54, miner--Snow Shoe Mary Thomas 24 John 18 Margaret Patrick 15 Bridget William, 56, miner--Clarence

In SPRING Township:

Mollie B.--Axeman Walter 9--Pleasant Gap