My Genealogy Hound

HORACE CLARK, one of the town fathers of Greenwich, Mass., a village resident actively engaged in general farming and cattle dealing, was born in Wells, Me., January 29, 1820, son of Moses and Abigail (Hobbs) Clark, both natives of Wells. Mr. Clark’s great-grandfather, Jonathan Clark, who was born in the north of Ireland, was one of the first settlers of Wells, a sturdy pioneer who died on the land which he cleared. His son Nathan, who also was a farmer, was a well-read man for his day, and held a leading position among the citizens of Wells, both on account of his intelligence and his success in business matters. In politics a Whig, he was elected to all the important offices of the town, serving as Town Clerk for many years and as Selectman for a number of terms. He attended the Baptist church, though not a member, and lived an exemplary life. He died in his native town when seventy-nine years of age.

Moses Clark, son of Nathan and the father of Horace Clark, was born in 1798. He followed the profession of teaching from early manhood up to the time of his death, spending the greater part of his life in his native town. He lived but forty-six years, being killed in a steamboat explosion on the Ohio River in 1844. His wife, who was born in 1797, died in 1857. In politics Moses Clark was a Democrat. He and his wife attended the Baptist church. They had a family of seven children, all of whom reached maturity, but four are now dead; namely, James, Sylvia, Charles, and Erastus. James was killed by the Indians while on his way home from California. Erastus was Captain of Company C, Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment, and served during the whole of the late war. The living children of Moses Clark are: Horace, above named; Jane, wife of Darius Barry, of Lynn, Mass.; and Nathan, who resides in Lynn, and is prominent in the Democratic politics of that city.

Horace Clark grew to manhood on the home farm, receiving the rudiments of his education in the schools of his native town. But he was not satisfied with the knowledge thus acquired, and, going to work in a store in Boston at the age of sixteen, saved his earnings in order to complete his education. He worked two years and his father allowed him fifty dollars of the money he saved, taking which he went to Hanover, and there prepared himself for college. He attended the college one year, eking out his tuition fee by doing various things and teaching during the vacations of 1839; but in 1841, owing to ill health, he gave up his studies, and the following year enlisted in the United States Army, and served in the Mexican War. Mr. Clark was not at the time aware that he was enlisting, thinking, when he signed his papers, that he was securing a position as surveyor for the government; but, finding himself entrapped, he made the best of the situation, and served five years with credit. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal, and was at the Carlile Barracks thirteen months, being then assigned to Company C, attached to the Second Regiment of Dragoons. Subsequently he was made First Sergeant of Company C. At the end of his term of enlistment he went to Lynn to learn the morocco dresser’s trade, which he followed for some time, acting as foreman in a morocco factory for over three years. He then established a factory of his own, and for twenty-eight years was successfully engaged in the morocco business in Lynn, part of the time associated with his brother under the firm name of H. & N. Clark, part of the time alone. Mr. Clark eventually disposed of his manufacturing interests, and in September, 1878, moved to Greenwich, purchasing the estate on which he now resides. This farm, which covers two hundred acres, is one of the best in the town. He carries on general farming, and makes a specialty of fattening veal for the Boston market, keeping from ten to twelve milch cows to aid in feeding the calves which he buys. The dwelling-house which Mr. Clark occupies is one of the oldest in the town, having been erected in 1766, and is widely known as the old Hines Tavern. It is in a fine state of preservation, and is a monument to the good workmanship of the builders of the last century. On this farm, too, is a grand old elm tree, supposed to be the oldest tree in the county.

Mr. Clark’s first wife, Sarah L. Newcomb, to whom he was united in 1848, died in 1855; and his second wife, Rachel Stimson, whom he married two years later, died in 1858. In 1888 he married his third wife, Naomi E. Dutton, a native of Sackville, N.B. Mr. Clark has two children living. His son Charles K. died at the age of forty-two; William H. resides in Lynn; and Lillian B. is the wife of Frank Galloup, also a resident of that city.

In politics Mr. Clark is independent. He has held nearly all the public offices of the town of Greenwich, serving as Selectman, Overseer of the Poor, and in other capacities; and in educational matters he is a moving spirit, his great desire now being to see a high school established in Greenwich. On religious matters he holds liberal views. He is a man who believes in doing everything well, and his farm to-day is one of the best-kept farms in Greenwich. His portrait* is given on a neighboring page.

*Editor's note: Portrait was included in the original printed book.