Josiah Clark (abt. 1726 - 1830)

Born about 1726 in Somersworth, Strafford, New Hampshire

Descendants

Died 22 Dec 1830 at about age 104 in Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States

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Biography

Josiah Clark was born about 1726 Somersworth, Strafford, New Hampshire. ^{[citation needed]} The DAR lists his baptism as 2-17-1739 Massachusetts.

Josiah passed away 22 Dec 1830 in Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine.^[1]

He is usually identified as a son of Josiah Clark and Patience Blackstone by process of elimination comparing him to other men of the same name in the same area.

He was not son of Ensign Thomas Clark and Priscilla Paddock. Their son Josiah died in 1755, age 15.

"Josiah Clark and his wife, Sarah Nute, both of Dover, New Hampshire, moved to Harpswell, Maine, in the early days, as he is reported as a member of Captain Adam Hunter's company, raised for protection against the Indians during the French or sixth Indian War. 17-54 1760."^[2]

Private Josiah Clark served with 2nd Regiment, Cumberland County Militia, Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.

Josiah Clark is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A022533.

Josiah Clark is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 133883
Rank: Private / Patriotic Service

He served between 1754 and 1760 in the Harpswell Company under Capt. Adam Hunter. During the American Revolution he served two months, six days as a Private from 7 July through 25 September 1779 on Penobscot Expedition under Capt. Nehemiah Curtis, Col. Jonathan Mitchell's Regiment.

He and his wife came from Dover, New Hampshire and were early settlers at Harpswell, Cumberland County, Maine, as evidenced by his service in the French and Indian War (Sixth Indian War) (Danforth 1914:29). He served between 1754 and 1760 in the Harpswell Company under Capt. Adam Hunter. During the American Revolution he served two months, six days as a Private from 7 July through 25 September 1779 on Penobscot Expedition under Capt. Nehemiah Curtis, Col. Jonathan Mitchell's Regiment.

His date of death is unknown. He appears on the 1790 census at Harpswell, but the only Clarks on the 1800 and 1810 censuses there were his sons James and Samuel. No Clarks there in 1820, and only Samuel there in 1830 (age 50-60).

Identification of Parents

• A DAR application says that he was son of Ensign Thomas Clarke and Priscilla Paddock, christened 10 February 1739/40 at Harwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. However, that Josiah died at the age of 15, on 28 July 1755, Brewster, Massachusetts.

• This Josiah Clark has been identified on the LDS Computer File Index with the Josiah born 1730, Dover Neck or Somersworth, New Hampshire, to Josiah Clark and Patience Blackstone. That Josiah is shown on the CFI, but not on their FGS, which shows ten children but no son Josiah. They were married at Dover Neck and moved about 1740 to Newcastle, Maine. Their descendants lived in the Nobleboro and Damariscotta area of Maine.

• He might have been the Josiah Clark, baptized July 1716 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, son of John Clark and Agnes. That Josiah married Mary Moses on 14 January 1748. If this was he, then his married to Sarah Nute, which is sometimes given as 1760, is probably closer to that date.

• He might have been the Josiah Clark, born about 1718 to Thomas Clark and Elizabeth Coffin, of Nantucket.

• He might have been the Josiah christened 16 July 1724 at Berwick, York, Maine, son of William Clarke and Joyce Potts. On the other hand, this Josiah did not name any of his eleven children either William or Joyce.

• He might have been the Josiah born 1731, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, married 9 May 1728, Greenland, Jane Berry.

• He cannot have been the Josiah born about 1739 to William Clark and Experience Doty. That Josiah died young.

• He is not likely to have been the Josiah born 1744, Sandwich, Massachusetts, to Israel Clark (son of Josiah) and Deborah Pope. That Josiah married Hannah Harlow and had children Josiah (1767), Deborah, and Polly.

• He cannot have been the Josiah born about 1739 to Thomas Clark and Mary Church, as this is too late.

• He cannot have been the Josiah born about 1739 to Josiah Clark and Thankful Sheldon, as this is too late. That Josiah married Mary Baker in 1747.

• He cannot have been the Josiah born about 1739 to Samuel Clark and Margaret, as this is too late.

• He cannot have been the Josiah born 26 October 1741, Wells, Maine, to Eleazar Clark and Elizabeth Tompson, as this is too late. That Josiah married Prudence Boothby in 1775.

Research Notes

Sources not found in either FamilySearch or Ancestry.

Sources

1. ↑ DAR Patriot ancestor record A022533
2. ↑ Danforth 1914:29.

• Danforth, Mrs. Margaret Clark. "Descendants of Josiah Clark of Dover, N. H." in Sprague's Journal of Maine History, Vol, 2, No. 1 (May 1914), pp. 29-31.

Text from Clark-39579

• Massachusetts. 1896-1908. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War : A Compilation from the Archives. Boston: Wright and Potter Print. Co. State Printers Volume 3, Page 552.
• Heirlooms Reunited: Clark Family from Harpswell, Maine in Manuscript Genealogy of William Willson of Harpswell, Maine, and St. George, Maine [1]