SEARCH FOR BESSIE CLARKE
CLARKE LEWIS EGGLESTON WAINWRIGHT
Posted By: Jeannie Winter (email)
Date: 1/16/2015 at 19:27:40
My mother's half-sister Bessie Clark or Clarke was born June 1888 most likely in Weldon, Decatur Co., Iowa the daughter of a Vincent Wainwright Clark and my Grandma Dora Viola Lewis (by her 1st marriage), Bessie lived in Osceola,m Clarke County, Iowa with my Grandma Dora during her 2nd marriage to Richard Lansing Eggleston, Osceola, Clarke County Night Marshall killed in the 1917 tragic fire. Following is what I do know of Bessie’s father and her grandparents:
Vincent Wainwright Clark (Grandma Dora (Lewis) Eggleston Morain’s first husband and Bessie’s father) was born in Decatur Co. IA (Source: 1885 Iowa State Census; Clarke Co. marriage record for Grandma Dora and Vincent) about 1863 the son of Charles M. Clark and Sarah Wainwright. Per the 1860 U.S. Fed. Census, Vincent’s father, Charles M. Clark, was living in Center Twp., Decatur Co. IA, born New York, age 22, occupation Clerk. Vincent's mother, Sarah Wainwright, was also born in New York.
Vincent’s father, Charles M. Clark, was a farmer in Decatur Co. IA in 1860. Three other children were born to Charles and wife Sarah before Vincent.
1860 Decatur Co IA Census, Page 131:
Clark, Charles M., age 33, Farmer, b. NY
Clark, Sarah, age 26, b. Clark
Children:
1. Alberto S., age 28, b. IL, Attended School. By 1880 census, Alberto is married and living in McPherson, McPherson Co., Kansas. Alberto is a printer. He and wife Sarah, age 20, are boarders living in the home of the editor. No children. Listed middle initial “L”. Unable to find further record of him.
2. Arnetta E., age 5, b. NY, Attended School
3. Vincent (born here c1863)
4. Sarah F., age 2, b. IA
Also living in Charles’ house is Catherine Wainwright Clark, age 60 - probably his mother.Per the 1870 U.S. Fed. Census, the Clark family is still living in Center Twp. (Post Office Leon, Decatur Co., IA) and Vincent is 7 years old.
By the 1880 U.S. Fed. Census, the Clark family had moved to Green Bay, Clarke Co., IA where he is farming and Vincent is 17 years old. The census again verifies him as the son of Charles M. Clark and Sarah, the parents both born in New York and Vincent born in Iowa. Also living in household is Vincent’s grandfather, Chancy Clark, age 86, born Vermont per 1880 Census for Green Bay, Clarke Co. IA. On 20 October 1881, the father Charles Clark was listed in a book in the Clarke County Courthouse that describes stray animals, who found them, the date, where it was found, and who approved a payment for the animals' keep or dispensation of the case.
Found By Date Where Approved By
C.M. Clark 20 Oct 1881 Green Bay Twp. T.W. Finch E. Denly
In 1885, Vincent Clark is age 22 years and is still living in Green Bay Twp., Clarke Co. IA.****** Note: Sometime between 1885 and January 1, 1887, when Vincent and Grandma Dora (Lewis) married, Vincent moved back to Decatur County, which borders Clarke Co. just to the South. Per the marriage record, Vincent was a Printer in Weldon, Decatur Co. when they married in Osceola, Clarke Co. on January 1, 1887. Vincent and Grandma Dora were apparently living in Decatur County (probably Weldon) after they married and their daughter, Bessie Clark, was born in June 1888. (Although Weldon is in Decatur County, it is so near the Clarke County border that many of its residents formerly lived in Clarke County or did much of their business in Osceola.). Vincent was abusive and Grandpa Richard Eggleston, the Clarke Co. Sheriff, went and brought Dora back home to Clarke Co. along with daughter Bessie.
Vincent Clark and Grandma Dora (Lewis) divorced and in 1894 she married my Grandpa Richard Eggleston in Osceola, Clarke Co., IA. Bessie is listed on the 1895 Iowa State Census as Bess D. Clark, age 7, birthplace Decatur Co. IA, residence Jackson, Clarke Co., IA. This would indicate that my grandparents Richard Eggleston, Grandma Dora and Bessie were living in Jackson, Clark Co., Iowa in 1895 when the census was taken. Bessie Clark is listed on the 1900 Iowa Census (Soundex Code E-242), age 12 years, living in Grandpa Richard Eggleston's household as his step-daughter in Osceola, Clarke County, IA and Bessie is also living in the household in the 1905 Iowa State Census, about age 17, but no longer living in the household on the 1910 census. Grandpa Richard Eggleston was killed on duty in the big Osceola, Clarke Co. fire and explosion in 1917. Both his estate papers and his obituary name the children by his marriage to Dora, but do not list Bessie as a heir. Bessie is also not listed as a surviving child in her mother Dora Clark Eggleston Morain's obituary in 1936 like her other four children. I believe Bessie may have deceased sometime between 1905 and 1917 or 1936. I've reached a brick wall as to what happened to my Aunt Bessie after 1905.
Any info on this Clark family, especially what happened to Vincent and Bessie Clark will be most appreciated. My email address is JWinter588@AOL.com. Thank you very much and happy hunting to everyone!
Sincerely,
Jeannie Winter
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