JOHN CLARKE1** and his brother, GEORGE, came from Great Munden, Co. Herts, England, (1) where the latter had land that he retained throughout his life and devised in his will. The date of their emigration has not been
***************************************SEE BELOW************************************

**There have been many differences of opinion as to the complete identity, various accomplishments and places of residence of JOHN CLARKE.  Many authorities have been quoted to support differing views but a careful comparison of these, together with certain records not frequently mentioned, will show an agreement that tends to dispel this long-standing confusion.

Savage recognized that JOHN  CLARKE, of Newtowne, and JOHN  CLARKE, of Hartford, were one and the same, that possibly he also went to Milford later and that his daughter, ELIZABETH2, married WILLIAM1 PRATT, hut assumed that the JOHN CLARKE who was prominent in Saybrook affairs was a different individual. (9)

Hinman, who specialized on Connecticut families, agreed that JOHN  CLARKE was first of Newtowne, then for a time of  Hartford, adding however, that he was the first of that name at Saybrook, being very prominent and useful there, but did not mention his being at Milfurd. (3)

The authorities shown by reference numbers (3),  (5),  (9),  (10),  (13) and (15) all agree that JOHN  CLARKE  was of Newtowne and Hartford. A number of families, including those of  STEPHEN1 POST and WILLIAM1 PRATT, who were neighbors and friends in Newtowne and Hartford, did remove to Saybrook. Further, the latter man, with his father-in-law, JOHN1 CLARKE,  was, on January at, 1648, a member of a committee of five to divide the "lands that lye remote in Saybrook. (13)

The will of JOHN1 CLARKE who died in Milford, in 1672/3, shows conclusively that he was earlier of Saybrook where the bulk of his property still remained, that he was the father of  ELIZABETH2  who married WILLIAM1 PRATT, and that he was the husband, at his death, of  MARY (WARD) FLETCHER CLARKE.  This document is filled with interesting details.  He gives largely of his, lands at Saybrook to his son,   JOHN CLARKE, JR.,  of that place, also gives him the silver cup at Milford, and the silver spoon marked  I. C."  Further bequests are made to his "son WILLIAM PRATT, daughter ELIZABETH  PRATT, daughter SARAH HUNTINGTON and her daughter SARAH;  to his wife, her daughter ABIGAIL FLETCHER, and to his brothers SAMUEL CROLEY and SAMUEL EELS."  One clause (1)  says: "It is my will that all my household goods, brass-pewter, iron pots, brass mortar, spitt, cobb-irons and whatever else may be found or remain of what I brought from Say-Brook, bedding or anything else, shall return to Say-Brook, to be divided among my children."

Documentary evidence (27)  is found proving that GEORGE CLARKE,  of Milford,  had a brother DANIEL  who, of course,  was brother also to JOHN1.

Probably much of the confusion relative to the identity of JOHN1 CLARKE and his civil and military services has been due to the fact that, among the many men named CLARKE  who were resident in Connecticut, there were three who stood Out pre-eminently in public life,-HENRY, DANIEL and JOHN1,  all three having been named as patentees in the charter of 1662.  Frequently the recorded activities of one or another of these men omitted their first names and they were referred to as "MR. CLARKE."  Needless to say, only the services definitely assigned to one specified as JOHN CLARKE have been herein considered. A careful comparison of these records (24) and also of those showing residence at Newtowne,  Hartford,  Saybrook and Milford,  displays no overlapping such as would undoubtedly occur if more than one man was concerned,  each serving occasionally duting a given petiod.

The Society of Colonial Dames has accepted and published data showing that those of the name of JOHN CLARKE at these four towns were,  in reality,  one man and that his services were as here given. (15)  Further, the Society of Colonial Wars  likewise authotizes records that settle disputed points regarding his, identity and services. (25)   In view of all these facts, the conclusions drawn seem justifiable.
*****************************************END********************************************

found, but JOHN1 was in Newtowne, Massachusetts, early in 1632, for in August of that year he was required to fence a share of the common lands in proportion to his holdings, evidently not large as his assessment was only three rods. (5) On November 6, following, he became a freeman. (2), (6), (9)  He was granted two acres in the west end of town in August, 1634, and was listed as owning one house (7)  there on January 4, of the next year, besides other small tracts subsequently. (8)

The town contracted with him March 1, 1635/6, to make a sufficiently large weir [trap] before April 12, following, to catch alewives [fish] in the Menotomies River, and to sell and deliver them to the inhabitants of that town and no other, except for bait, at the price of three shillings six pence per thousand, while the run was heavy, or two pence per score, undelivered, and three pence per score, delivered, at other times, agreeing that he should have his money within fourteen days after he did the fishing. (5), (7)  The alewives were much used for fertilizer, being placed in a hill when planting corn, but were thoroughly good for food and must have been of considerable value to the town, for various other items are found on the town records showing arrangements for making "a rate for the division of the alewives," making a cartway to the weir and, later, offering payment of sixteen pence per thousand to one who would load them at the weir and deliver them to the inhabitants. (7)

JOHN1 CLARKE owned, in 1635, a two-acre lot and house located at what is now the easterly corner of Brattle and Mason streets; he subsequently sold this property to EDWARD WINSHIP (5), (8)  before removing to Hartford, Connecticut. The exact date of his departure to the new home is not known but the inference is drawn that he did not go with the Reverend MR. HOOKER'S company in June, 1636, from the fact that he was made hog reeve of Newtowne, Massachusetts, on December 5, of that year, (7)  yet he must have removed early (10) in 1637 for he was one of the quota from Hartford, Connecticut, who went to fight the Pequots that spring, afterwards receiving a lot in Soldier's Field there in recognition of his services. (3), (10), (11)

He was considered an original proprietor of Hartford and received lots at the first division of land there in 1639, also being one of the committee to apportion it. (3), (10)  On January 3, 1639/40, he had a twenty-two- acre right in the undivided lands at that place, (10)  and his house lot lay along what is now Trumbull Street. (2), (11a), (21)  He served on a jury (3), (12)  at Hartford, Sept. 2, 1641, and in 1642;  he was a party to two law suits (12) on March 5, 1645, and acted as surveyor and in various other capacities at different times. (2)

His home was for several years in the western part of the village and during his residence he owned at least twelve pieces of property of varying sizes, and held proprietorship in the undivided lands throughout his life. (2), (11a), (21)  His name is on the Founder's Monument at Hartford. (18)  He moved again, probably about 1644, to Saybrook, Connecticut, for in that year he is said to have represented that town at the General Court (3), (13)  and, in 1647, he was on a committee to build a fort there. (2), (3)  On January 24, 1648, he and his son-in-law, WILLIAM1 PRATT, were two of a committee of five to make a division of the "lands that lye remote" in Saybrook. (13)  In March, 1651/2, he evidently boarded certain men working for the town and rendered a bill therefor which the General Court considered too high and ordered that the treasurer should not pay him over six shillings per week per man. (12)

In what is probably the earliest remaining record of a municipal character of Saybrook, namely, the report of a town meeting held on January 7, 1655/6, the townsmen present included (19)  JOHN1 CLARKE, ROBERT2 BULL, ROBERT1 CHAPMAN and STEPHEN1 POST.

JOHN1 CLARKE served as Deputy from Saybrook in twenty-seven sessions (15), (24) of the court in 1649, 1651/9 1661-3. Other services rendered by him there, were the laying out of lands (12) to the soldiers in May, 1651, a trip in company with the governor to Stratford to try GOODY BASSET for her life on a charge of witchcraft (3), (12)  in 1651 and the impressment of men and "necessaries" for service in an expedition against NINIGRET, chief of the Narragansetts, (12) in 1654. In May, 1656, he was appointed one of the magistrates for Saybrook.(12) He was on a committee in 1661 to collect and sell certain horses belonging to the "country" and to distribute the money resulting from this sale according to the instructions of the Court. (12)  He was one of the petitioners to King Charles for a Royal Charter for Connecticut and one of the patentees named in that document (14)  dated April 23, 1662. In 1644 he was a commissioner for Saybrook (13), (15) and had been, for some years, a large land holder there.

About this date he moved once more, this time to Milford, Connecticut, where his brother GEORGE lived. He was a commissioner from that place in 1665/7 and 1669/73 and a deputy (15), (16), (24)  in 1665/8.

JOHN1 CLARKE was married twice. His first wife, MARY (---), may possibly have been a sister of SAMUEL CROLEY or COLEY, whom her husband mentions in his will as "brother." The date of her death has not been found. After his removal to Milford, JOHN1 married, secondly, MARY (WARD) FLETCHER, (9)  the widow of JOHN FLETCHER, (1), (2) of that place. JOHN1 is said (26)  to have died on February 5, 1673. His will (1), (20) was signed January 19, 1673, probably at Milford.

One of the witnesses, SAMUEL EELS, of that place, signed the inventory of the Milford property which amounted (1), (2)  to £207-28-6d. The Saybrook property was valued at £227-8s-00, the combined inventory showing a total valuation of £434-10s-6d; the document was dated February 28, 1672/3.

The children of JOHN' and MARY (COLEY?) CLARKE, born in unknown order were: (1), (2), (4), (9), (13)

1. ELIZABETH2, d. after 1660, m. first, abt. (23) 1640, WILLIAM1 PRATT, and is said to have m. 2nd, between December, 1680 and 1682, WILLIAM PARKER of Saybrook, who d. there December 28, 1686.

II. JOHN2, was killed by a cart which overturned upon him September 21, 1677; m. October 16, 1650, REBECCA called both PARKER (3), (9)  and PORTER (13)  perhaps a daughter of JOHN1 PORTER of Windsor. She m. 2nd, (~) SPENCER. His son JOHN3 CLARKE m. (4) December 17, 1684, REBECCA2 BEAMON, daughter of WILLIAM1 and LYDIA (DANFORTH) BEAMON; and his son SAMUEL3 CLARKE, m. (4) December 14, 1699, MARY4 KIRTLAND (NATHANIEL3, NATHANIEL2, PHILIP1), b. February 1, 1679.

III. SARAH2, d. (13), (17)  Milford in 1721, aged 88 years; m. October, 1653, SIMON2 HUNTINGTON (WILLIAM1).

IV. JOSEPH2, d. at sea before August 27, 1663, leaving a wife but no children. His will was dated (22)  August 27, 1658.
 

REFERENCES

(1).    Pratt Family, F. W. chapman, 1864, pp. 340-2.
(2).    New Haven, Conn., Probate Records;   Clark Genealogy, J. Gay, 1882, pp. 5-12.
(3).    Early Puritan Settlers of Connecticut, R. R. Hinman, 1852, pp.609-10.
(4).    John Clarke of Hartford and Saybrook, Conn., H. M. Kycs, 1922, pp.1-2;  Central New York Genealogies, W.R.  Cutter, 1912, III, 1174;    Rand Family, F. 0. Rand, 1898, p.14;    Lynn, Mass.,Vital Recorda, 1, 228.
(5).    History of Cambridge, Mass., L. R. Paige, 1877, pp. 10, II, 32, 38, 510.
(6).    New England Register, III, 91
(7).    Town Records of Cambridge, Mass., pub. 1901, pp. 9, 18, 20, 24.
(8).    Register Booke of the Lands and Houses in Newtowne, Mass., pub. 1896, pp.17, 56.
(9).    Savage, I,  394.
(10).  Colonial History of Hartford, Conn.,  W. D. Love, 1914,  pp.2, 33, 125-6, 147.
(11).  Hartford in the Olden Time,  ed. by W. M. B. Hartley, 1853, pp. 33, 116-7.
(11a).  Ibid., p.30,  and the map between pp.46 and 47
(12).  Colonial Records of connecticut, I, pp. 66, 137,  218,  220-1,  230,  261,  264,  280,  367.
(13).  History of Middlesex County, Conn., 1884, pp. 449-50,  537,  539.
(14).  Colonial Records of Connecticut, II,  3, 13, 17, 32, 523-4.
(15).  Rhode Island Society of Colonial Dames, Record Book, III,  178.
(16).  Hall Family,  S. F. H. Coe, 1902, pp.174-6.
(17).  Colonial Families of the United States,  G. N. Mackenzie, 1914, IV,  94; 1917, VI, 157-8;  Huntington Family in America, 1915, pp.419-20
(18).  Olmstead Family in America, H. K. Olmstead, 1912, p. 11.
(19).  History of Norwich, Conn.,   F.M. caulkins, 1874,  p.53.
(20).  New Haven, Conn., Probate Records, I, Pt. 2,  p. 43.
(21).  Historical Notices of Hartford, Conn.,  W. S. Porter, 1842, No.1,  pp. 19,  23.
(22).  Digest of Early Connecticut Probates,  C. W. Manwaring, 1904, I, pp. 187-8.
(23).  Pratt Family,  F.W. Chapman, 1864,  pp. 53, 340-2
(24).  Colonial Records of Conn. I,  pp. 66, 76, 185, 218, 224, 236, 240, 246, 261, 264, 274, 280-282, 288, 293, 306,
          308, 315, 318, 323, 334, 340, 364, 372, 379, 384.
(25).  General Register of the Society of Colonial Wars, 1894,  pp. 192-4; 1895, p. 211; 1896, p. 108; 1897-8, p. 442;
          1899-1902, p. 597.
(26).  Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Maryland, 1905,  p. 94.
(27).  History of Ancient Windsor,  H. R. Stiles, 1892, II,  pp. 155-6

NOTICE....When it comes to the transcribing of references we all must be aware of typos. If you locate anything
listed that does not appear as correct, please contact Harold Oliver, the Director of this Society with your proofs.
We, as do you, wish our postings to be as accurate as possible and we will call attention and correct anything that
may be out of order.

We always try to follow the original written material as much as possible however, important facts are discovered
yearly and we will call attention to them so our readers may determine their validity.
 

The material above appeared in DAWES-GATES ANCESTRAL LINES Vol. 2 Gates and Allied Families
Compiled by Mary Walton Ferris......Pages 201-205, Privately Printed 1931

Copyright 2001 America's First Families
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form including computer and electronic
services of any type without permission in writing from an officer of America's First Families, except by a reviewer
who may quote brief passages in a review.