Samuel Paul Clark
Samuel Paul Clark was born April 7. 1827, in what is now Oliver Township, then a part of Wayne Township, on the farm now owned by the Rev. Thomas Mercer. His great-grandfather was born in Wales and emigrated to Ireland. His grandfather Clark was married in Ireland to Sarah Lama, and emigrated to Virginia about 1785 with his wife and two children, John and Mary. There were afterwards born to them in this country, Fanny, Sarah, James, Samuel, lather of the subject of our sketch. Jane. Andrew, and Edward. They located in Adams County in 1806, on the Steele farm in Tiffin Township. All of these children lived to maturity. Andrew, the youngest, died at the age of fifty-one.
Samuel Clark, father of our subject, was born in Rockbridge County. Virginian 1792. He learned the trade of tanning with his brother Jhoni who had a tanyard at Cherry Fork, one mile south of Harshaville. He married Nancy Brown, December 20, 1821, and settled six miles north of West Union, on the West Union and Unity road, where he continued the business of tanning and farming until his death, March 22, 1869. He and his wife were devoted members of the Associate Reform Church at Cherry Fork, and he and Archa Leach were instrumental in organizing the United Presbyterian Church at Unity, of which he was a ruling elder from the time of organization until his death. His oldest son. James, remained at the old homestead, and continued the business of tanning in connection with farming. He married Margaret Holmes, who has been dead about ten years. He is now in his seventy-eighth year. Sarah, the second child, died in infancy. Samuel Paul, the third child, and our subject, is now in his seventy-fourth year.
He married Sarah Clark in 1851. To them was born one son, Marion M. His wife died in 1854, and he married Margaret Gibbony. To them were born four children. His son Marion married Mary Crawford, and resides on Wheat Ridge; Ora A., his second child, is now the wife of Richard Fristoe, a prosperous farmer and stock dealer of Meigs Township. They reside in the old Fristoe homestead at the bridge crossing Brush Creek. Mary Nancy was born July 15, 1860, and died December 16, 1895, unmarried. Carey V. was born September 7, 1865, and married Nora E. Hilling, and resides in the old homestead in Oliver Township.
The following are brothers and sisters of our subject: Mary, the fourth child, born April 16, 1830, was married to Cyrus Black, who died in 1864. She was again married to Rankin Leach and resides at Cherry Fork. Margaret, the fifth child, was born May 3, 1833, and died in 1891, unmarried. John was born November 18, 1835, and married Nancy Coleman. His daughter, Martha L., was born September 4, 1838, and was married to George A. McSurely in 1869. They reside at Oxford, Ohio. Nancy A., twin sister of the daughter last mentioned, was married to J. W. McClung in 1859. He is an attorney at West Union, where they now reside. Andrew R. was born October 21, 1841. He married Celia Arbuthnot, daughter of the Rev. James Arbuthnot. He removed to Nebraska, where his wife died, and he married a Miss Foster. They reside at Pawnee City, Nebraska. He was a soldier in the War of the Rebellion.
Mr. Clark and his family are all members of the Presbyterian Church. He is a ruling elder in the Wheat Ridge Chapel. He has always been a Democrat in his political views. He was a Commissioner of Adams County from 1875 to 1878. He began life in very narrow circumstances, but by industry coupled with a firm determination to succeed, he has obtained a position in which he can spend the remainder of his days comfortably. He is loved, respected, and honored by all who know him.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900