Re: Looking For George Clark abt 1725
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In reply to:
Looking For George Clark abt 1725
E Day 1/07/07
Hello,
I have just been to Pennsylvania and found the marriage record of George Clark to Margaret Sinclair on Feb 13 or 14, 1775 in Lower Chanceford (society) in York County, PA.
My husband's 3rd great grandfather was Richard Clark, born probably in Dec 1775 in Cumberland County, PA.His father was George Clark and mother was Margaret.
For the past couple decades, family members have claimed that this Richard Clark's mother was Margaret Hanna.George Clark died at the end of the Revolutionary War, early in 1783, while his PA unit was down near Ashley Hall, South Carolina.George and Margaret had three boys, Richard, b. abt 1775, John Clark, b. 3 Aug 1779, and George Clark, born 15 Oct 1781.
George Clark, the Revolutionary soldier, served in various units for almost the entire war.His widow, Margaret, married again to a Mr. Armstrong.She wrote a letter in 1822 and again in 1823 to the Auditor General of the State of Pennsylvania, requesting the back pay due to her husband, George Clark, that had been promised to her.Two days ago, I was at the State Archives in Pennsylvania, and after 6 hours and the assistance of at least 4 archivists, we were able to locate those letters and I handled the originals.We also found a document that she was to be granted a pension on behalf of her deceased husband, George Clark, and this occured in 1834, so she was still alive then.Due to a phrase she wrote in the 1822 letter, it appears that she may have married a man by the name of Hanna, after George Clark died, and that was not her maiden name.But we have lots more research to do.
It does appear that the Chanceford Sinclairs had ties to Hannastown, that was founded in Westmoreland County, PA by the Cumberland County Hanna families.
Our comprehensive research efforts in Pennsylvania could not confirm that Margaret had been a Hanna.Nothing in the few surviving original types of documents could support that her maiden name was Hanna.We could also not match up George Clark with the Cumberland County Clark families.They appear to have lived in Carlisle, at times.
About 20 years ago, there were some hired professional genealogists who attempted to find the connection of George to the Cumberland County (or nearby parts of York county) Clark families and the same for Margaret with the area Hanna families.They came to the conclusion that Margaret and George may have come from an area outside of Cumberland County.My sister-in-law and I came to the same conclusion this past week.This was really discouraging, because there were Cumberland County Clarks and Hannas that seemed to be a sure "fit" for our George and Margaret.I would have liked nothing better than to link them into these families.
When we went to the York County Heritage Trust library, we were going through a card file and came across that marriage of a George Clark to a Margaret Sinclair.While this is a long shot, as to that being our George Clark and Margaret, it certainly is the best lead we can find for now.
What information do you have on this family?Do you think that they could be the same as our Clark family who turned up in Carlisle, PA?
You mentioned that the George Clark, who married Margaret Sinclair, was born in 1725?I had estimated his birthdate to be in the 1750's and possibly the 1740's, as the earliest.
Thanks for posting this message,
Laraine
[email protected]
More Replies:
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Re: Looking For George Clark abt 1725
adrienne flagg 5/11/07
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George Clark and Margaret St. Clair
Laraine Clark 5/11/07
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Re: George Clark and Margaret St. Clair
adrienne flagg 5/12/07
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Re: George Clark and Margaret St. Clair
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George Clark and Margaret St. Clair