Clark, John

Published: 04 December 2014, Updated: 06 Nov 2018
Page contributors: Bill Clark, Kenneth Clark, Timothy Clark, Dr. Andrew Millard, Diane Nibeck-Smith, Teresa Rust

John Clark, #6 on the “Scots at Lynn 1653. Iron Works Inventory”

IMPORTANT UPDATE! (July 2018)
According to, Christopher Gerrard, Pam Graves, Andrew Millard, Richard Annis, and Anwen Caffell, in, Lost Lives, New Voices: Unlocking the Stories of the Scottish Soldiers at the Battle of Dunbar 1650, (England: Oxbow Books, 2018), on page 246, John is categorized as:

Definite [that he is a Dunbar prisoner transported on the Unity]

Clark/Clarke, John. Residences: Lynn MA. Appears: 1653. B.c.1622. D.1685. A founder of SCS. [Exiles; Banks; DR; SPOWS; Ch.7 & 8; App.B]

For explanations of the category, abbreviations and references see List of Dunbar prisoners from Lost Lives, New Voices.

Find his descendants and researchers here.

PLEASE NOTE: There are several Clarke lines in Massachusetts mid-17th-century, and there are quite a few records of Clarke men and their families including another John Clarke, so it is important to try and untangle them. 🙂 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that each descendant of John Clarke, the SPOW read through this book carefully: History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire by Charles Henry Bell, I believe it sheds some light on John Clark and where he went after Lynn and information about military service and land ownership etc. It is a FREE eBook at Google Books.

First Generation in the New World

1. JOHN¹ CLARKE, was born likely in Scotland about 1625 and died some time after 1678 in possibly Exeter, New Hampshire. He married, at Wenham, Essex, Massachusetts by 1661, SARAH VERIN, the daughter of, JANE (CASH) VERIN PERRY, and step daughter of, MR. FRANCIS PERRY.

Biographical Notes:

In the History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire
By Charles Henry Bell:
On 29 Aug 1661, a John Clark is in New Hampshire, and on 3 Mar 1674 a John Clark is granted 12 acres. On 31 Jan 1681 John Clark is granted 50 acres. In 1698 a Jonathan Clark is granted 20 acres. Three children are listed as the children of John Clark: Solomon, Ichabod, and Mary. It appears that the SPOW John Clarke did not stay in Lynn long after his indenture ended.

Children of John and Sarah (Verin) Clarke:
2. i. JONATHAN² CLARK, was born 1661/2; m. MARY MAGOON, (a SPOW daughter.)
2. ii. ELISHA² CLARK, b. 12 April 1665; m. SARAH TAYLOR (a SPOW daughter.)
2. iii. MARTHA CLARK, b. 28 March 1667
2. iv. SARAH CLARK, b. 14 Feb 1668/9; m., IGRAHAM “CLEMENT” MOODY, (a SPOW son.)
2. v. SOLOMON CLARK, (John¹), was born in New Hampshire on 19 Feb 1672, possibly in Rockingham County.HN VR, [History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire By Charles Henry Bell]
2. vi. ICHABOD CLARK, (John¹), was born possibly in Rockingham County, New Hampshire on 25 Dec 1674, [History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire By Charles Henry Bell]
2. vii. MARY CLARK, (John¹), was born in New Hampshire (possibly Rockingham County) on 18 June 1678, NH VR, and[History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire By Charles Henry Bell]

Second Generation

2. i. JONATHAN² CLARK*, was born 1661/2*. He married at Dover, New Hampshire on 06 Sep. 1686, MARY MAGOON, (a SPOW daughter). [Page 138 “Jonathan Clark” was granted 20 acres in 1698, History of the Town of Exeter, New Hampshire By Charles Henry Bell]

Children of Jonathan and Mary (Magoon) Clark:
3. i. MARY CLARK, (Jonathan², John¹)
3. ii. JONATHAN CLARK, (Jonathan², John¹), b. at Dover in 1687; m. at Stratham, Rockingham, NH, about 1710, ZIPPORAH (_____).
3. iii. JOSIAH CLARK, (Jonathan², John¹), b. at Greenland, Rockingham, NH c1689.
3. iv. SOLOMON CLARK, (Jonathan², John¹), born at Exeter about 1692 and died ABOUT 1736.

2. ii. ELISHA² CLARK, (John), was born at Wenham, Essex County, Massachusetts on 12 April 1665. [Wenham VR] He married at Kittery, York, Maine by 1691, SARAH TAYLOR (a SPOW daughter.)

Children of Elisha and Sarah (Taylor) Clark:
3. JOSIAH CLARK, b. at Dover Point, Strafford, NH on 20 Feb 1703/04; m., PATIENCE BLACKSTONE.

2. iii. MARTHA CLARK, (John), was born at Wenham, Essex County, Massachusetts on 28 Mar 1667. [Wenham VR].

2. iv. SARAH CLARK, was born at Wenham, Essex County, Massachusetts on 14 Feb 1668/9. [Wenham VR] She married, CLEMENT MOODY, (a SPOW son).

Children of Clement and Sarah (Clark) Moody:
3. i. CLEMENT MOODY,
3. ii. JOHN MOODY,
3. iii. JONATHAN MOODY,
3. iv. PHILIP MOODY,
3. v. ELIZABETH MOODY,
3. vi. JOSIAH MOODY,
3. vii. DAVID MOODY,

2. v. SOLOMON CLARK, b. 19 Feb 1672.

2. vi. ICHABOD CLARK, b. 25 Dec 1674.

2. vii. MARY CLARK, b. 18 June 1678.

Sources and Notes:

Mary Clark born in New Hampshire on 18 Jun 1678 to John Clark:
New Hampshire: Births, Deaths and Marriages, 1654-1969. (From microfilmed records. Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014.) https://www.americanancestors.org/DB516/i/13797/17396/246059821

GDMNH has a John Clark of Wenham and it states:
John aged 58 in 1678,; Removed to the Squamscot Patent near Hampton (Old Norfolk Co., later NH) bounds by 1670 (bought from John Gilman in 1696).
His children (that are known, 3 in Wenham)were:

1. Jonathan..about 1661
2. Elisha: 12 April 1665
3. Martha 28 mar 1667
4. Sarah, Feb.14,1668/9
5. Solomon, 19 Feb.1672
6. Ichabod, 25 Dec.1674
7. Mary 18 June 1678

No date of death for John, nor is wife mentioned.
Genealogy and Family History of John Clarke of Wenham, MA and Exeter, NH, Marlene A. Hinkley, Bath ME, 1968:
“John Clarke carpenter in Salem, MA, from Scotland, (about 36 in 1659, QCR of Salem), about 50 in 1678, about 60 in 1680, first appeared in records of Wenham, MA by birth of son, in 1665, presumably had earlier child, especially Jonathan. Appears in Exeter, NH, August 29, 1661. Removed to Squamset Patent (Stratham) near Hampton, NH, bounds by 1670. Received a grant of land in Hampton with others Mar 30 1670. Bought from John Ollman in 1696. Benjamin Clark, b. Rochester, NH 1797, told his grandson C.W. Tibbetts: “my great grandfather was Solomon, whose father came from Scotland,” George Sawin Stewart called John Clarke of Wenham and Exeter a Scotchman.”
John Clark appears first as one of the Scots inventoried as part of the Ironworks assets.

From: Bill Clark – “There are two Ipswich Quarterly Reports that link John Clark to both a Sarah (likely step-daughter of Francis Perry whom John Clark lived with at the Iron Works), and a Susanna. Also, I can not find a source to support John Clark dying in “Hampton, York County, Maine (Piscataqua Region) in 1680”. According [to] the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire (and other sources), John Clark likely moved to Exeter, NH after Wenham, MA where he probably died*.”

“Another family connection is that is appears likely that John’s daughter Sarah husband Clement Moody, was the son of Ingraham Moody, #25. This would mean that two of John Clark’s children married other children of other POWs.”~ Bill

On Feb. 11, 2017, Bill Clark – wrote,
“Hello – I just stumbled on what Kenneth already noted above: SPOW John Clark’s son Elisha married Sarah Taylor (daughter of another SPOW). This means that three of John Clark’s children married three children of other SPOW. Seems like our SPOW’s liked to keep the “clan” together in the first generation in the new world!

You could update the “Children of John and Sarah (_____) Clarke” family above with:
2. i. JONATHAN² CLARK, b. c1661; m. MARY MAGOON, (a SPOW daughter.)
2. ii. ELISHA² CLARK, b. 12 April 1665; m. SARAH TAYLOR (a SPOW daughter.)
2. iii. MARTHA CLARK, b. 28 March 1667
2. iv. SARAH CLARK, b. 14 Feb 1668/9; m., IGRAHAM “CLEMENT” MOODY, (a SPOW son.)
2. v. SOLOMON CLARK, b. 19 Feb 1672
2. vi. ICHABOD CLARK, b. 25 Dec 1674
2. vii. MARY CLARK, b. 18 June 1678
Timothy Clark will be our DNA donater.
Here is his line from John Clark the prisoner to himself.
He is my 2nd cousin. We share great grandparents.
~ Diane Nibeck-Smith

1. John Clark, b. August 10, 1628 Scotland Dunbar POW
2. Elisha Clark, b. April 12, 1665 m. Sarah Taylor (daughter of John/James Taylor-Dunbar POW)
3 Josiah Clark, b. February 20, 1703/04 Dover Point, Strafford, New Hampshire, m. Patience Blackstone
4 Elisha Clark, b. 1732 Kittery, Maine m. Patience Weston
5. Elisha Clark, b August 26, 1765, Bristol, Maine, m. Abigail West
6. Isaac Hall Clark, b. October 26, 1797, Dermariscotta. Maine m. Lydia Scammon
7. John Tylor Clark b. April 29, 1841, Franklin, Hancock County, Maine, m. (Nellie) Helen Rebecca Woodworth
8. Claude Leslie Clark b. November 7, 1869, Franklin, Hancock County, Maine, m. Effie Vivian Jewett
9. Clyde Rexford Clark b. September 29, 1895, Franklin, Hancock County, Maine, m.Harriett Harriman
10. Leslie A. Clark, b. April 29, 1925, Hancock County, Maine, m. Sylvia C. Nickerson
11. Timothy Clark,
Bill Clark shared: “According to my genealogy research, John Clark had a son and a daughter that married children of other Scottish POW:
JONATHAN CLARK was born in 1661. He married Mary MAGOON, daughter of Henry MAGOON and Elizabeth LISSON on 06 Sep 1686 in Dover, Strafford, New Hampshire. She was born on 09 Aug 1666 in Exeter, Rockingham, New Hampshire.
SARAH CLARK was born on 14 Dec 1668 in Wenham, Essex, Massachusetts. She died in 1711 in Exeter, Rockingham, New Hampshire. She married Ingram “Clement” MOODY, son of Ingraham MOODY about 1701 in USA. He was born in 1661 in Essex, Massachusetts.”

DEATH RECORD: Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2016). Page 456 Lynn Deaths. “John, Dec. 18, 1685.“

MARRIAGE RECORD: Jonathan Clarke married to Mary Magoon, 6th Sep 1686 in New Hampshire by Justice Wadleigh. From Early Records of New Hampshire Families, page 117. SEE: The New England Historical & Genealogical Register and Antiquarian Journal, Volume 7 by S.G. Drake, 1853 – New England at Google Books (Free eBook)

Timeline:
1657: Donation to SCS 6 Jan
1661: Administrator of Anderson estate: “Samuel Harte trained John Clarke as a blacksmith.” “Anderson died at Saugus in 1661 and the administrators of his estate were two other Scots, blacksmith John Clarke and Allester Grime, both Dunbar captives.“
From: Social and Economic Networks in Early Massachusetts: Atlantic Connections By Marsha L. Hamilton, page 44 and 112.
1677:
Rowley, Massachusetts

FROM: Massachusetts: Miscellaneous Censuses Substitutes, 1630–1788, 1840, 1890 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013. From records supplied by Ancestry.com): John CLARKE, Original Volume S1a, Original Line No. 691896, 1673, Massachusetts, United States, Freeman 7 May – Massachusetts Bay Colony Record

FROM: Massachusetts: Miscellaneous Censuses Substitutes, 1630–1788, 1840, 1890 (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013. From records supplied by Ancestry.com): John CLARKE, Original Page 48, Original Volume S1a, Original Line No. 691975, 1677 Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Record

GENI; Mini Biography, [Made a don. to SCS 6 Jan 1657.]