Clark, Uriah

CLARK

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 11/5/2008 at 13:53:27

Uriah Clark

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.241, Valley Twp.)
Uriah Clark, farming, P. O. Oakland, was born in Pennsylvania in 1835, son of Charles and Sarah (McCreary) Clark, both born in Pennsylvania and are now living in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Father was a farmer, but now has retired. Mr. Clark moved with his parents to Illinois in 1850, and settled in Mercer County. He was educated in Pennsylvania and Illinois. Began for himself by farming in Illinois, and continued till the war broke out, when he enlisted in the army, in 1862, and served three years, going in with the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry, under Col. Howe, of Chicago. He was at the siege of Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Black River and at Jackson, Miss.; stormed the works and went right over the breastworks. Mr. Clark came home with a bullet-hole through his coat, but not a scratch on his body. Was discharged at Vicksburg in 1865. he was with Sherman on his march to the sea, but was taken sick and sent back to Vicksburg. He was married, June 25, 1857, to Miss Sarah E. Noble, daughter of Joseph and Ellen Noble; she was born in Illinois; she has two brothers and five sisters in Iowa. Mr. Clark has two brothers and three sisters living, and three sisters and three brothers dead. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have seven children living and one dead - Mary Adda, married E. M. Burch December 8, 1876, born October 28, 1858; Josie Ellie, born March 16, 1861, died June 20, 1881; Charles E., at home, born April 2, 1863; Minnie Kate, at home, born March 23, 1866; Hattie B., at home, born January 9, 1868; Cora M., at home, born October 13, 1870; Fannie G., at home, born July 2, 1873; Bertha M., at home, born November 15, 1876. Mr. Clark is a Republican; he also belongs to the Baptist Church. After coming from the army, he moved to Iowa, starting from Illinois in October, 1865. When first coming here, he settled two miles south of Oakland, where he had a farm of eighty acres, living on that till he came to his present farm, in November, 1873, buying 160 acres first, paying $25 per acre, it being partly improved. He has since added another eighty acres to it. His farm isn ow all improved, having a good orchard of about three acres and five acres in forest trees, etc. When first starting to farming in Illinois, it was with Mr. R. M. White, they two renting a farm together. When coming out of the army, it took almost all he had to buy his outfit to move to Iowa, so he ahs made his farm since coming here. His farming is general. When first coming to his present place, there was no schoolhouse here, and not enough scholars for a school, but with his children they had scholars enough to start a school. So Mr. Clark, Mr. McGee and Mr. Pullen met at Mr. Clark's house, and Mr. Clark was elected sub-director. The house was built and school started. Those three were the only voters in the district at that time.