My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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H. W. Clark, a leading farmer and stock raiser of Franklin County, Mo., was born in Tompkins County, N. Y., November 9, 1854, and is the son of E. A. and Sarah (Pencost) Clark, both natives of Cayuga County, N. Y. (For further particulars of parents see sketch of F. M. Clark). Our subject came with his parents to Missouri in the spring of 1861, when he was but seven years of age, they locating at once in Franklin County, about four miles from Washington. He secured a fair education at the public schools, and attended for awhile the Washington High School. He remained with his mother (his father having died when H. W. was but fifteen years of age) until about twenty years of age, and then began life for himself as a school teacher, following that occupation for three years in the country schools. He next spent about six months in Southwestern Missouri, and then returned to Franklin County, where he married, February 25, 1876, Miss Bertha Vitt, only daughter of J. T. Vitt, of Union. The result of this marriage was the birth of four children, all living. After his union with Miss Vitt, Mr. Clark purchased a farm of 131 acres one mile west of Union, and there engaged in farming and stock raising, and has continued the same up to the present. On May 2, 1887, he began the dairy business, and since that time has run a daily milk wagon in Union, and is meeting with success. He has always contributed his mite to the advancement of all worthy enterprises, and has always taken an interest in schools and churches. He is now a school commissioner of his district, having been elected to that office in 1887.

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This family biography is one of 305 biographies included in The History of Franklin County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Franklin County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Franklin County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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