Elijah Clark (1733 - 1799)

Born 10 Dec 1733 in Edgecombe, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Arrington) Clarke — married about 1765 in Edgecombe, Edgecombe, North Carolina [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 15 Dec 1799 at age 66 in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Katharine Jones [send private message] and Morris Simon [send private message]

• Note on the CLARK(E) surname: The use of the terminal "e" in this lineage varies from generation to generation and even among individuals in the same generation. It is often impossible in many cases to determine whether the preferred form resulted from family usage or from third-party references. General Elijah Clark himself used both forms, while his immediate family almost always used "Clark" without the "e"; other people often spelled it "Clarke." It is always prudent to use both alternatives when searching documents and other sources.
  

  Elijah Clark is Notable.

Biography

Colonel Elijah Clark served with Wilkes County Militia, Georgia Militia during the American Revolution.

Elijah Clark is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A022268.

Elijah Clark was born on 10 Dec 1733 in Edgecombe, North Carolina.^[1][2][3]

Elijah married Hannah Arrington in 1762.

Children of Elijah and Hannah

1. Nancy b 1761m Thompson
2. John b 28 Feb 1762
3. Mary b 1768 m Hobby
4. Thomas b 1768
5. Sarah b 1769 m Walton
6. Elizabeth b 1770 m Smith
7. Elijah b 1781 (twin)
8. Frances b Jun 1781 (twin) m Edwin Mounger
9. Susan b
10. Gibson b

Clarke served in the Georgia Militia during the American Revolutionary War. When the state troops disbanded after the surrender of Savannah, he became a lieutenant colonel in the Wilkes County Militia. He fought in the southern theater and served under Col. Andrew Pickens in the Battle of Kettle Creek.

After the war, Clarke was elected to the Georgia legislature. In 1794 he organized the Trans-Oconee Republic, several settlements in counties of Georgia in traditional Creek territory. From there he attacked Creek villages, but was restrained by Georgia Governor George Matthews.

Clarke and his actions served as one of the sources for the fictional character of Benjamin Martin in The Patriot, a film released in 2000. He is also a major character in the historical novel The Hornet's Nest by Jimmy Carter.

In 1790, Elijah was living in Washington, Georgia and was found on the Georgia Complied Census.^[1][4]

Elijah died at age 63 on 15 Dec 1799 in Wilkes, Georgia.^[2][5] He is buried at Elijah Clarke State Park, Lincolnton, Lincoln County, Georgia^[5]

Correspondence

There are seven documents archived at Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842 authored by Elijah Clarke, and numerous documents addressed to Brig. Gen. Clarke. They can be found at [Error 965: Link error 404 Not Found -- neptune3.galib.uga.edu/ssp/cgi-bin/tei-natamer-idx.pl?sessionid=7f000001&type=author&q1=Clarke%2C%20Elijah%2C%201733-1799 A GALILEO Digital Library of Georgia Database]. (~amb 21:23, 17 December 2018 (UTC))

author: Cleavland, Benjamin

date: October 19, 1788

extent: 4p

summary: Letter to Brigadier General Elijah Clarke in Wilkes County, Georgia, from Benjamin Cleavland (also Cleveland, Cleaveland) dated October 19, 1788.^[6]

author: Clarke, Elijah, 1733-1799

date: June 24, 1789

extent: 3p

summary: Letter dated June 24, 1789 from Elijah Clarke to Colonel Benjamin Cleavland (also Cleveland, Cleaveland) in Franklin County, Georgia.^[7]

Biographical Narrative

Early Years (1733-1773)

According to Douglas Tucker, a meticulous researcher, Elijah Clark was probably born somewhere between the Bertie and Edgecombe Precincts of colonial [North] Carolina. Contrary to most biographies, there is no record of his family living in either district when Elijah was born in 1733. His parents did establish a temporary homestead in the Edgecombe Precinct during his childhood, but moved to Anson County before 1750 when Elijah was still a teenager Elijah's parents, John Clark [Jr.] and his wife Mary Gibson were clearly living on the Broad River in [South] Carolina in 1751 and on the Pacolet River by 1755.

Other migrants from the Edgecombe Precinct to Anson County by 1760 included the Clark inlaw Gibson and (H)Arrington families. The "widow Harrington," probably Mary Whitmel Harrington, the grandmother of Elijah's future wife Hannah Arrington, was living next to John [Jr.] and Mary Clark on the Great Pee Dee River in 1751.

After Elijah married Hannah around 1762, they lived on family land on the Pee Dee River and nearby Rocky Run, where Elijah bought land from the Gibson and Lee estates in 1764. Seven years later, in 1771, Elijah and Hannah moved their growing family further south to the Pacolet River where Elijah's father had acquired 800 acres of swampy land at Grindle Shoals near the modern location of Spartanburg, South Carolina. Unable to cultivate the marshland, Elijah continued moving his family southward until they were on the northern boundary of Georgia in 1773 just before the Revolution.

Later Years (1774-1799):

"Patriot militia commander, adventurer. Probably of Scottish-Irish stock, he moved to Wilkes County, Georgia, by 1774. Although uneducated, he possessed the native intelligence, bravery, and strength to become a partisan leader in the civil-war situation of the Southern frontier. According to Heitman, he became a Colnel of Georgia militia, and was wounded at Alligator Creek in July, 1778, at Wofford's Iron Works, 8 Aug 80, and at Musgrove's Mill, 18 Aug 80. He also fought at Green Spring (SC) 1 Aug 80, Blackstocks, 20 Nov 80, Augusta 14 Sept 80, and 22 May-5 June 81. . . . His misguided attack on Augusta in Sep 80 contributed in a curious manner to Maj. Patrick Ferguson's defeat at King's Mountain.

In recognition of his war services Clarke was granted an estate by the county and state authorities of Georgia. He then embarked on a tangled course of dubious adventure. After alternately negotiating with the Indians and fighting them, in 1787 he defeated them in an action at Jack's Creek, Walton County, Georgia.^[3]

In 1793 he entered the French service as a Major-Genral with a salary of $10,000 per year and was preparing to support the schemes of French minister Genet against Spain when Genet was recalled.^[3]

The next year he led Georgia volunteers across the Oconee River into Creek territory and was establishing his "Trans-Oconee State"^[8] when President Washington had Governor George Mathews bring this free-booting to a halt by the use of Georgia troops. Blockaded along the Oconee, deserted by most of his followers, Clarke surrendered. He was later suspected of renewed designs on West Florida and was accused of involvement in the Yazoo Land Fraud, but died a popular hero in 1799.

Clarke County, Georgia was created by the state of Georgia, naming it for Elijah Clarke. Elijah Clarke State Park was constructed near Lincolnton with a Memorial Home built from descriptions of the Clark's dwelling. Elijah Clarke and members of his family were reinterred at a cemetery on part of the Community House grounds.^[5]

Fanny and Elijah Clark Jr., twins, were born at the time of Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown. Elijah, although proud of the twins, only remarked, "Ah-ha, that's what you get for following' me to South Carolina!" The twins had older siblings and Hannah had fought starvation and death for her children, little dreaming that she was a real heroine of American history. Elijah patrolled the border for 23 years to protect Georgia from the Indians and had fought battles in Georgia and South Carolina during the American Revolution, including three excursions into Florida.

The twins were sent to Augusta to the Richmond Academy (which Elijah had helped create) and the next summer (1796) when they came home, Fanny refused to return to school, stating her intentions to marry Edwin Mounger. Her parents gave their immediate approval since Edwin was a promising young man and the son of their old friend, Henry Mounger.

Elijah at one time in his life had attempted to establish a separate and independent government on lands allotted to the Indians for hunting grounds within the boundaries and jurisdictional rights of the State of Georgia. He had induced numbers of good citizens as well as exploiters, who hoped to gain more land and some profit, to join him. Governor Matthews of Georgia issued a proclamation against Clark, warning him and forbidding any citizen to join him and engage in such unlawful proceedings. The governor commanded all justices to be diligent in assisting to apprehend Clark and his adherents. Soon after, Clark appeared in Wilkes Co. and surrendered himself to authorities. He was tried and by unanimous consent by jury was acquitted. After this episode, Clark went back to his Republic with no feeling of guilt, and refused to give up his dream of an independent republic. Troops, state and federal, concentrated at Ft Fidius. Clark, seeing that they meant business, knew his dream was shattered so he marched out, with his followers, and the state troops took possession.

Elijah was presented gratuities from North Carolina and Georgia, and thousands of acres of land for his services. However, Wilkes County records show that most of his property was mortgaged at his death. He was too busy serving his country to look after his personal affairs and had used his property as security to finance his independent military defenses on the border of the state.

Edwin Mounger was one of the executors of Elijah's estate, and inherited a "track of land now in dispute between me and Ware on Fishing Creek, I give unto Edwin Mounger if recovered, together with 200 acres known ..on the river if the land should be recovered by Ware, the balance of the tract, he is to have which is 200 acres lying .. all to be made to the said Edwin Mounger under value of $150 be procured by sale of my back lands or otherwise and be given to my daughter, Fanny Mounger."

The State of Georgia created a new county, naming it for Elijah Clark; and after 125 years, Georgia realized Clark had saved the state and recognized him as their hero. The Elijah Clark State Park was constructed near Lincolnton with a Memorial Home built from descriptions of the Clark's dwelling. Elijah Clark and members of his family were reinterred at a cemetery on part of the Community House grounds.

Fanny Clark Mounger lived on for a time at the plantation in Lincoln County, but farming became burdernsome and she moved to Wilkes County to live with her children. She died at age 90 and is buried at Woodburn, Lincoln County, Georgia. her brother, John Clark, served as governor of Georgia.

Biographies of Elijah Clark vaguely suggest that he lived in Edgecombe County, North Carolina from the time he was born until he married. They are incorrect. He may have been born after his parents left Bertie Precinct North Carolina for Edgecombe Precinct North Carolina but I have been unable to find any data supporting a Clark family residence in Edgecombe County (in those days, Edgecombe included all land south of the Roanoke River and north of the Neuse River) as early as 1733. In any case, Elijah did live in Edgecombe County at some point during his childhood but probably left for Anson County with his parents before 1750 and while still a teenager. His father was trekking around the western frontier of Anson County by 1746 and he and wife Mary were clearly living along the Broad River in South Carolina in 1751 and along the Pacolet River by 1755, several years before Elijah married.

The Edgecombe County Arringtons (Harringtons) also had moved to Anson County, North Carolina before 1760. (Note that a "widow Harrington" lived adjacent to John Clark along the Great Pee Dee River in 1751. She was probably Mary Whitmel Harrington / Arrington, widow of Thomas Arrington Sr.)

Elijah and Hannah married about 1762 and probably took up housekeeping on Clark family property along the Pee Dee River about that time. They were certainly living on Rocky Run near the Pee Dee in 1764 when Elijah was listed as a buyer at estate sales of two planters (Walter Gibson and Robert Lee) who lived along the same Rocky Run where Elijah lived. The Gibson and Lee families had also migrated south from Edgecombe County.

About 1771 Elijah and Hannah moved their family southwest to the Pacolet River where they settled on part of an 800 acre land grant obtained by Elijah's father in 1755. It was located along a part of the River known as Grindle Shoals, north of present-day Spartanburg, SC. The Hays biography of Elijah says that he found the Pacolet property swampy and unsatisfactory for farming. Other accounts suggest that Elijah was always a better hunter than farmer. Whatever the case, in 1773 on the eve of the Revolutionary War, Elijah moved his family further south to the northern border area of Georgia.

There, Elijah and Hannah settled in St. Paul's Parish along Wahatchee Creek near the new Quaker settlement of New Purchase but which later became known as Wrightsborough. Their early neighbors included William and Elizabeth Candler who had arrived in Georgia from VA about six months before the Clarks. (Neither Elijah Clark nor William Candler were Quakers, but both came from families with Quaker ties and their wives had been raised as Quakers.) William Candler would later serve in the Georgia militia as second-in command under Gen. Elijah Clark during the Revolutionary War. Elijah's son, John Clark, who joined his father's militia band at 14, would later serve two terms (1819-1823) as Governor of Georgia. William Candler's grandson, Allan Candler, also would serve two terms (1898-1902) as Governor of Georgia. (If my research and instincts about Elijah's ancestry are correct, another related Clark served as Governor of North Carolina on the eve of the Civil War. Quite a record: blood related Clarks served as Governors for six terms in three different states-- KY, GA, NC --during the 19th century.

[For those wondering, the KY Governor was gr-grandson of Capt. Christopher, thru son Micajah and grandson Robert. LSS]

Clarke County, Georgia is named in his honor.

Elijah was born about 1742. He passed away in 1799.

He was a military officer in the Revolutionary war and a member of the Georgia House of Representatives 1781-1791. Clarke County in Georgia was named after him.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Document: Telamon Cuyler Collection, Manuscript #1170 [Hargrett Library, University of Georgia]; Call Number: Box 42, Folder 5; Page Number: 1; Family Number: 3
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} SAR Membership Number: 93271
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Miscellanies of Georgia, Historical, Biographical, Descriptive, etc: The Oconee War, Alexander McGilliray, Gen. Elijah Clark, Col. Benjamin Hawkins by Absalom Harris Chappell. Thomas Gilbert, Printer & Binder, Columbus, Georgia. 1874. pp33-58.
4. ↑ Title: Georgia, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Ancestry.com Operations Inc.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 September 2019), memorial page for Gen Elijah Clarke (1736–5 Dec 1799), Find A Grave Memorial no. 26994641, citing Elijah Clark State Park, Lincolnton, Lincoln County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by Find A Grave .
6. ↑ [Error 965: Link error 404 Not Found -- neptune3.galib.uga.edu/ssp/cgi-bin/tei-natamer-idx.pl?sessionid=7f000001&type=doc&tei2id=TCC022 Document: TCC022] Letter, 1788 Oct. 19, to Brigadier General Elijah Clarke, Wilkes County, Georgia / Benjamin Cleavland; Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842; Accessed amb 21:14, 17 December 2018 (UTC)
7. ↑ Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842 [Error 965: Link error 404 Not Found -- neptune3.galib.uga.edu/ssp/cgi-bin/tei-natamer-idx.pl?sessionid=7f000001&type=doc&tei2id=ECL001 Document: ECL001] (Letter) 1789 June 24, Hickory Grove [to] Col. Benjn Cleavland, Franklin County, [Georgia] from Elijah Clarke. Accessed amb 20:52, 17 December 2018 (UTC)
8. ↑ American State Papers, Indian Affairs. Vol 1, pp500-501.

See Also:

• Georgia Encyclopedia Elijah Clarke

• Ancestry Family Tree 64945803

• 2QB5-SHL Family Search Profile
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_Clarke

• "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5LH-M26Z : 1 March 2021), Elijah Clarke, 5 Jan 1785; citing Military Service, United States, Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 102229239.