Submitted by Liz Cameron
Richard Lee Clark was born about 1797 in Hanover, Virginia.
The first known public record for Richard was his enlistment in the army in the War of 1812. According to the "Records of Enlisted Men in the U. S. Army," he was enlisted by Lieutenant Bird on 12 Jan 1813 at Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina. He joined Capt. Mitchell's Company in the 10th Regiment of the U.S. Regulars with Colonel Wilburn commanding.
In his five years of service, Richard served as a drummer. He saw a vast amount of territory. Immediately after enlisting, his company was on the move. They went to Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia, then on to Washington
and north to Plattsburg. They went into Canada, back to Buffalo, then to Chippeway in Upper Canada. From there they marched south to St. Louis, Missouri and Fort Des Moines. Richard helped to erect a fort at Rock Island. He continued further south to New Orleans, Louisiana. (He recorded this military history at the age of 73 in his application for pension.) He was present in Captain George Vashon's Company, with
William Davenport in Company 8 of the U.S. Infantry, and in Captain James McKeown''s Company. He ended military service on 12 Jan 1818 at Lexington, Kentucky, when he was honorably discharged. At that time he was described as 22 years old, five feet two inches tall with a fair complexion, dark eyes and dark hair.
Mr. Clark received bounty land warrant #14891 for 160 acres in Section 28 in township 5 North, Range 1 East in what is now Fulton County, Illinois for his war service on 2 Mar 1818. (The disposition of that land is not
known at this time.)
Richard married Elizabeth 'Betsy' Jones, daughter of William and Polly Jones.Richard Clark and Betsey Jones who married 2 March 1825 in Sumner County, Tennessee, but there is nothing to prove at this time they are the same couple that lived in Wayne County.
Richard's first official appearance in Wayne County was in 1839. According to the United States Public Land Sales, Richard purchased 40 acres on 25 Dec 1839 in Wayne, Illinois. He paid $1.25 an acre for a total of $50 for the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 3 in township 1 (Indian Prairie) "for purposes of cultivation.".
Richard and Betsey had at least 9 children, 8 of whom were named in the 1850 and 1860 censuses: S.F. born about 1831, Thomas born about 1834, Catherine born about 1837, Mary born about 1838, Martha born about 1840, Samantha born about 1846, and Richard H. born about 1848. All were born in Illinois.
William C. Clark, a long time resident of Indian PrairieTownship gave his parents' names as Richard Clark and Betsey Jones on the marriage license for his third marriage. (He would fit into the 1840 census that lists a young man between the ages of 10 to 15. Two other girls who have not been identified are also listed on that census ages 10 to 15.).
On 23 Aug 1851 in Wayne County, Richard sold William Irwin the 40 acres he had purchased in 1839. That same day he purchased from William Irwin 3 different tracts, all located in Township 1 in Range 5 East in Wayne County in the Keeneville area. They were the southwest one fourth of the northwest quarter of Section 8 and the northeast and the southeast one fourth of the northeast quarter in Section 7.
In a public land sale in 1854 Richard took advantage of "An act to graduate and reduce the price of the public lands to actual settlers and cultivators" when he purchased the adjacent southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 8 in township 1 on 27 Nov 1854 in Wayne, Illinois. This time he only paid 12 1/2 cents an acre for total of $5 for 40 acres!
Richard seems to have spent most of his adult life in Wayne County farming. In the 1860's Richard's farm was valued at $1420 which sounds fairly prosperous.
Sometime between that prosperous notation and 1870 he sold or lost his property. He went from being fairly prosperous to living in a household of apparent strangers in 1870. Could the death of his wife, Elizabeth, about 1866 and perhaps the Civil War have taken its toll on Richard? He does not appear that successful here after.
Richard's wife, Elizabeth died sometime before 1870. There is no record of her death, but Richard married Catharine McLaine on 19 Nov 1867. The Wayne County Press reported: "On Tuesday morning, November 19th, at the residence of Mr. Sam'l Howard, 2 miles south of Fairfield, by Rev. James Johnson, aged 58, Mr. Richard L. Clark, aged 73, of Johnsonville, Miss Catharine McLean, age 62, of this vicinity."
A few years later, Richard married Rebecca Moore on 15 Apr 1869 in Putnam, Illinois. A year later he appeared on the census of 1870 in Johnsonville, living in the household of James and Kate Jones without Rebecca. No occupation was given for him. (There appears to be no relationship between Richard and this Jones family. Although his first wife's maiden name was Jones, her family came from North Carolina while this family came from Ohio.).
Richard and Rebecca divorced in October of 1871 in neighboring Clay County. According to Richard in the divorce proceedings, Rebecca abandoned him. She had not lived with him for two years and she did not appear for the divorce proceedings.
Richard first filed for a pension on 12 Jul 1871 in Clay County, Illinois. He was granted a pension of $8 a month which made him very desirable where the women were concerned, and he married several more women in rapid succession. (This is documented in his widow's request for pension because his widow, Maria spent several years proving she was entitled to the pension.)
Richard married Malinda Cliff. Although Richard Clark's widow, Maria, claimed Malinda died 30 September 1878 that date would have been after the date Maria and Richard married. (Malinda may be the woman Richard is buried next to whose death date on her stone was 30 September 1873).
Richard married Maria Powles in 1874 according to a sworn statement by Wlm. M. Johnson, M.D. The doctor also swore that Maria had died but he could not remember the date.
For the last time, Richard married Maria Sheborne on 14 Jan 1877 at Johnsonville, Wayne Co., Illinois. The Wayne County Press of 18 January 1877 reported "MARRIED, with one foot in the grave, on Sunday, Jan. 14th, Richard Clark, of Indian Prairie, aged 84 years to Mrs. Maria Shehorn of Arrington, aged 41. This is the eighth time Mr. Clark has promised to love, honor and cherish various maidens and widows. This is the second license issued by Mr. Morris." He and Maria appeared on the census of 26 Jun 1880 in Arrington, Wayne, Illinois. Richard's age was given as 86 and Maria's as 46.
Richard Lee Clark died on 9 Mar 1883 at Johnsonville, Wayne, Illinois. He was buried in the Johnsonville Cemetery.
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