My Genealogy Hound

William J. Clark, well known in agricultural circles, of Hempstead County, was born in Georgia, March 4, 1835, a son of John C. and Sirena (Straughn) Clark, natives of South Carolina and Georgia, respectively, the former born on August 25, 1810, and the latter in 1815. They were married in Georgia in 1829, and became the parents of ten children—two sons and eight daughters— only three of whom are now living: William J., John H., and Nancy J. The latter is now the wife of William H. King, a Presbyterian minister, and lives in Wood County, Tex. The parents moved from Georgia to Arkansas in 1847, locating in Phillips County, where they made their home until 1848, at that time coming to Hempstead County, and here the mother received her final summons in 1854. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The father is still living in this county at the ripe old age of eighty years. He is a member of the Baptist Church, having united with that denomination in 1833. The subject of this sketch has been a resident of this State since his twelfth year, at which time he came to Arkansas with his parents. He was united in marriage July 9, 1853, with Miss Amanda E. Moore, a native of Alabama, born on June 9, 1836, and this union was blessed in the birth of four children—three sons and one daughter—viz.: William T., Susannah (wife of John W. Boyett, a prosperous farmer of this county), Samuel B. and John J. Mrs. Clark died on November 26, 1861. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. On February 3, 1862, Miss Susan E. Haze, a native of Ouachita County, Ark., born May 2, 1847, became his wife, and they became the parents of eight children—six sons and two daughters—seven of whom—five sons and two daughters—are still living, viz.: Mary J., James C., Aaron P., Robert L., Warren G., Alexander M. and Sarah S. Mr. Clark lost his wife in 1880, she dying on February 25. She belonged to the Baptist Church. Mr. Clark served in the late war, enlisting in Company D, Nineteenth Arkansas Infantry, and served as commissary sergeant until 1865. He participated in many battles, among the more important of which may be mentioned Arkansas Post, Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, La. He surrendered at Marshall, Tex., in 1865, and immediately after returned to his home in Arkansas, and resumed farming operations, which he has since successfully conducted, his principal crops being cotton and corn. He owns a good, well improved farm, and is one of the substantial men of this locality. He is now serving as justice of the peace of his township, and has been filling that office since 1884. He is a member of the Baptist Church.