Nelson Clark and Catherine Sloat were married around 1851 in the Ontario province of Canada. They immigrated to the United States sometime after 1864. 

This Web site documents everything I know about their lives and their ancestry. If you have information to add or correct, contact me at [email protected].

Among their ancestors are:

• George Clark and Anna Smith
• John Sloat and Nancy Decker
• John Clark and Mary Robbins
• Daniel Robbins and Sarah Blatchley
• Joshua Robbins (the 1st)
• John Smith Sr and his son John Smith Jr

Nelson Clark. This image was provided to me by a family member.

Nelson Clark was born 8 July 1824 in Ontario province, Canada.¹  Family stories indicate that he was born in Gainsborough.  Nelson died 05 Feb 1902 in Ingham Co. Michigan.

Father: Nelson's father was George Clark of Pelham. 
Mother: Nelson's mother is Anna Smith.²  

Nelson had at least 2 brothers: John Clark born about 1821 and Richard Clark born about 1834. 

Nelson Clark. This image was provided to me by a descendant of Richard Clark and Deborah Ostrander. 

Around 1847, Nelson married Clarrissa Rogers, the daughter of John Rogers and Nancy Decker.³  Clarrissa was born 29 December 1821. By 1847, Nelson had moved on to lot 10, concession 7 in Pelham. This property was rented by Clarrissa's step-father, John Sloat. John Sloat's brother in law, George Campbell, owned the property. (George Campbell was married to Magdalena "Laney" Decker, the sister of Nancy Decker.) 

Around August 1849, Nelson and Clarrissa had a baby girl . She died before they were able to name her and she  is buried in the North Pelham Cemetery (Ontario Canada) as "Infant daughter of Nelson & Clarrissa Clark." In September 2011, when my friends (Dale and Roy Robbins) inspected and photographed the stone, it was broken across her age and the text was illegible. The legible text indicates that she was at least 8 days old.

Infant daughter of Nelson & Clarrissa Clark died  Sept 6, 1849 [illegible age]...& 8 ds (Photo taken 2 Sept 2011 by Dale Robbins and Roy Robbins)

On 15 December 1850, Clarrissa Clark died. She was 28 yrs, 11 months, and 16 days old. She is buried next to her infant daughter in North Pelham Cemetery.

In memory of Clarrissa wife of Nelson Clark who died Dec. 15 1850, AE 28 yrs, 11 m's & 16 days (Photo taken 2 Sept 2011 by Dale Robbins and Roy Robbins)

Around 1851, he married Catherine Sloat, likely in Pelham, Canada.⁴  Catherine is daughter of John Sloat and Nancy Decker. Clarrissa Rogers (Nelson's first wife) was Catherine's half-sister. 

Catherine was born 16 Jan 1834 in Ontario province, Canada, possibly in St. Catherine's.⁵  She died 24 Apr 1920 in Michigan.⁶

Catherine Clark. This image was provided to me by a family member.

1. WILSON R. CLARK was born 12 Feb 1852 in Ontario, and died 10 Feb 1902 in Aurelius, Ingham Co. Michigan; Bunker Cemetery.  He married ADELLA R. MOREY around 1880 in Ingham Co. Michigan.  She was born Aug 1863 in Ingham Co. Michigan and died there around 1941.

2.  JOHN C. CLARK was born 09 Mar 1853 in Canada, and died 07 Mar 1893 (likely in Lake Co., Michigan).  He married EMELINE NORTON 28 Feb 1881, in Dimondale, Eaton Co. Michigan.  She was born 1864 in Michigan and died 02 Feb 1918 in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Both John C. and Emeline are buried in Chase Cemetery, Chase twp. Lake Co.Michigan.

3. WALTER CLARK was born 15 May 1855 in Canada, and died  18 June 1931 in Mason, Ingham Co. Michigan; Maple Grove Cemetery. He married OLIVIA REYNOLDS. She was born May 1861 in Ohio.

4. CURTENCY JANE CLARK was born 04 Feb 1859 in Canada, and died 19 Feb 1890 in Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan; Bunker Cemetery. She married OLIVER WHEELER 30 Nov 1875 in Eaton, Eaton Co., Michigan, son of ABRAHAM WHEELER and SARAH SCOFIELD. He was born 1850 in New York, and died 15 Mar 1918 in Belding, Michigan.

5. REUBEN W. CLARK  was born 14 May 1862 in Canada, and died 31 Dec 1904 in Aurelius, Ingham Co. Michigan; Bunker Cemetery. He married EMMA ALICE GOON 1885 in Ingham Co. Michigan, daughter of ELIZABETH and ?. She was born Jun 1865 in Ohio, married a 2nd time to Frank Able 6 Mar 1910, and died 27 Nov 1956 in Ingham Co. Michigan.

6. WESLEY (CHARLES) CLARK was born 24 Mar 1866 in Michigan, and died 09 Apr 1929  in Ingham Co. Michigan; Bunker Cemetery. He married INEZ RUSCH  10 Sep 1891 in Ingham Co. Michigan. She was born Aug 1870 in Ohio.

Descendants of Nelson's brother Richard have  photos of Nelson, Nelson's wife, and their sons Wesley and Arthur. On the back of the photo of Wesley is a handwritten notation that says "Wesley Clark" in one hand and "Uncle Nelson's son"  in another. The "Uncle Nelson's son" text was supposedly written by Richard's daughter, Lizella Catherine Clark Woolley.

Photo of Wesley Clark, provided by a descendant of Richard Clark and his wife Deborah Ostrander.

7. ARTHUR W. CLARK was born 11 Jun 1869 in Michigan, and died around 1955 in Eaton Co. Michigan; Munger Cemetery. He married EUNICE BULLEN. She was born Jan 1872 in Michigan. She died 25 Dec 1910 in Ingham Co. Michigan. Arthur's second wife was LENA SMITH on 03 Jul 1904 in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. She was born in 1876 and died around 1940.

 Notes and timeline

The earliest record of Nelson is 1847 when he was assessed a tax in Pelham township, Welland Co., Ontario, Canada. He was #13 on the assessment list and appears to have been assessed for only one horse. No land was mentioned in his assessment. #14 in the list was John Sloat, who lived on Lot # P-10 concession #7. 

The following two years, 1848 and 1849, only Nelson was listed but he was assessed for the same lot that John Sloat was assessed for, Lot NW corner 10, concession #7.⁸ 

Pelham twp. Welland Co. Ontario tax assessment records:
1847
#13 Clark, Nelson; total assessment 8 
#14 Sloat, John; Lot# P-10, con# 7 total assessment 23

1848
#15 Clark, Nelson; Lot#SWP-10, con#7 total assessment 1
(no John Sloat listed)

1849
#6 Clarke, Nelson; Lot# N.W. Cor. 10, con#7 total assessment 4
(no John Sloat listed)

Further research into this property revealed that the property was owned by George Campbell between the years of 1836 and 1852.⁹ George Campbell was married to Laney (Magdalene) Decker, the sister of John Sloat's wife, Nancy Decker.¹⁰ 

Around 1847, Nelson married Clarrissa Rogers, daughter of John Rogers and Nancy Decker; and the step-daughter of John Sloat.  This finding confirms the information in the book Roots and Ramblings by John Luman Klink that Nelson Clark "1st married Catherine's sister. She died early."¹¹

Nelson Clark, John Sloat, and their families have not been located in the 1851 census of Canada. 

The lot is depicted on Tremaine's 1858 map of Brant County¹³:

Nelson and family appeared in the 1861 Brant Co. census¹⁴, as follows:
     Nelson Clarke, Blacksmith, born in  Canada West (this area included Ontario), religion We. Methodist, age 35 
     Catherine Clarke 27 
     Wilson age 10
     John age 8 
     Walter age 6  
     Curtense age 2

The spelling of the Clark surname is inconsistent--sometimes as CLARK and sometimes as CLARKE.

On 4 Feb 1863, Nelson sold the lot 4, Range 3 East property to Henry Baker¹⁵ and then bought it back on 04 July 1863.
Henry Baker owned the lot next to the Clarks, Range 4 East, lot 5.¹⁶

On 18 July 1864, Nelson made an assignment of mortgage to David Campbell.¹⁷

In 1865, Nelson and family immigrated to the United States and settled in Michigan.¹⁸

In 1870, Nelson and family appear in the 1870 U.S. census in Aurelius township, Ingham Co., Michigan.¹⁹

In 1876, Nelson purchased 82 acres in the west 1/2 of the northwest 1/4 of Section 8, Township 2, Range 2W from John? S. Hersha?. Ingham Co. Deeds Liber 65 , page 261.²⁰

In the 1880 census, Nelson's entry indicates that both of his parents were born in Pennsylvania. However, in the 1900 census, his entry indicates they were both born in Canada.²¹

1880 census:
Nelson CLARK Self M Male W 55 CAN Farmer PA PA
Catharine CLARK Wife M Female W 46 CAN Keeping House CAN CAN
Reuben CLARK Son S Male W 18 CAN At Home CAN CAN
Wesley CLARK Son S Male W 14 MI At Home CAN CAN
Arthur CLARK Son S Male W 11 MI At Home CAN CAN

1894 Michigan state census²²:
Nelson Clark  68 b. Canada, parents b. Canada, Farmer, can read and write, speaks English, has lived in the state 29 years, has lived in the U.S. 29 years
Catherine Clark 60, mother of 7 children, 6 living, b. Canada, parents b. Canada, housewife, can read and write, speaks English, has lived in the state 29 years, has lived in the U.S. 29 years
Arthur W. Clark, born Michigan, Farmer
Irene Wheeler, granddaughter
Flora Wheeler, granddaughter

Photograph of the Clark Family taken between 1893 and 1900. 
This copy of the photo was given to me by Rachel Clark of Mason, Michigan in 2010.

Two of the children, daughter Curtency and son John C.,  had died before the photo was taken and they were included by their photographs.  Back row from left to right:  Walter, Wilson, Curtency (in photo),  Reuben,
Wesley. Front row: Catharine, Arthur, Nelson, John C. (in photo).

Catherine Clark and Nelson Clark
It is possible that this photo was taken at the same time as the group photo. I received this image from a family member.

1900 census²³:
Nelson Clark 75 b. Canada English, married 49 years, parents b. Canada English, Immigrated 1865, Naturalized, owned home, no mortgage, occupation Farmer
Catherine Clark 66  b. Canada English, parents b. Canada English, 7 children born to her, 5 living in 1900
Flora (Wheeler) 10  b. Michigan, father b. New York, mother b. Canada English, at school
(Note: Catherine's children John C. Clark and Curtency Clark Wheeler had died before 1900. Flora was one of three of Curtency Clark Wheeler's daughters.)

Nelson Clark died on 5 Feb 1902 in Ingham Co. Michigan. His death certificate stated that he died of General debility due to age.²⁴

His obituary appeared in the Ingham County Democrat, 13 Feb 1902, page 8:21²⁵

Under a heading that says KLINK...the first line states: 
Mrs. Nelson Clark is very sick.

And then a few statements thereafter, Nelson's obituary states:

Nelson Clark died at his home Wednesday morning at six o'clock, aged 77 years. Mr. Clark was born in Canada, coming here about 45 years ago. He leaves a widow and four sons. Funeral services were held at the Robbins church Friday at 11 o'clock a.m. with interment in Bunker cemetery. Mr. Clark was a kind and loving neighbor and prominent church worker. We extend our sympathy to the mourning ones.

In a column on the same page, states: 
NORTH LESLIE
N.A. Fairchild, wife, and daughter Zaida attend the funeral of Mrs. Fairchild's uncle, Nelson Clark, near Aurelius last Friday.

Note: N.A. Fairchild is Norman Andrew Fairchild. His wife is Catherine "Kate" Rogers, the daughter of Catherine Clark's half-brother, John Rogers and Juliann Freeland.

It should also be noted that on 10 February 1902, Wilson Clark, the eldest child of Nelson and Catherine Clark also died. A family story said he had been logging and a tree fell on him. Some versions of the story had Wilson and Nelson injured in the same logging accident and both eventually dying of their injuries; however, Nelson's death certificate does not indicate that this accident occurred or played a role in Nelson's death. Wilson's certificate says that his cause of death was Lobar Pneumonia.²⁶

Nelson's will and estate were probated in Ingham County: nelsonclarkprobate.pdf²⁷

In the 1910 census, Catherine was living by herself next door to son Wilson's widow, Della, and children.²⁸
Catherine stated she had 7 children and only 3 were living in 1910.24
(In 1902 and 1904, sons Wilson and Reuben had died.)

In the 1920 census, Catherine Clark was living with son Charles Wesley and his family²⁹:

Charles W Clark 53 
Ines S Clark 50 
Howard Clark 21 
Fern Clark 18 
George Clark 12 
Lloyd Clark 10 
Katharine Clark 86

Catherine died 24 April 1920.³⁰

Her obituary was published in The State Journal Lansing, Michigan, page 10, April 27, 1920.³¹
Under the headline Death Calls Two Aged Women of Eaton Co.
Special to The State Journal:
Eaton Rapids, April 27--Mrs. Catherine Clark, aged 86 years, passed away at her home Saturday, of a complication of diseaseds. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at 3 o'clock, and interment was made in Bunker cemetery...

Her will and estate were probated in Ingham County: CathClarkProbate.pdf³²

Endnotes

1. Nelson Clark gravestone gives birthdate of 8 July 1824; Roots and ramblings of John Luman Klink. Klink, John Luman, 1897-, Eaton Rapids, Mich. : J. L. Klink, 1988. Library of the State of Michigan. CS71.K575 1988, gave birthplace as Gainsborough and birthdate as 27 June 1824.
2. Nelson Clark death certificate. Ingham County Michigan. 05 Feb 1902
3. Roots and ramblings of John Luman Klink
4. ibid.
5. ibid.
6. Catherine Clark death certificate. Ingham County Michigan Book 9, page 123, 24 April 1920.
7. Birthdates and names of the Clark children are from a letter written by Bertha Wheeler Blett on Sept 10, 1940. The letter was summarized in a note written by her daughter Erma Blett Cole. Death dates are from Ingham and Eaton Co death records:
   Wilson Clark. Eaton Co. Michigan death records Volume 3, page 136
   Arthur Clark. Eaton Co. Michigan death records Volume 8 page 480
   Reuben Clark. Ingham Co. Michigan death records Book 3 page 46
   Curtency Wheeler Ingham Co. Michigan death records. (Book and page unknown)
   Walter Clark. Ingham Co. Michigan death records. (Book and page unknown)
8. Census, 1836-1849, Pelham Township, assessment roll. Young, Brenda. St. Catharines, Ontario : Ontario Genealogical Society, 1985
9. Abstract index books of Pelham Township 1800-1957 FHL US/CAN Film 170938, Lot 10 concession 7. 1836 Samuel Street to George Campbell. 1852 George Campbell to Amanda Campbell.
10. LDS FamilySearch. Deborah E. Martin Box 617 , Raymond, Alberta Canada T0K 2S0, Submission Search: 1871934-1005106122107, CD-ROM: Pedigree Resource File - Compact Disc #131, CD-ROM Features: Pedigree View, Family View, Individual View, Reports, Downloadable GEDCOM files, Notes and Sources.
11. Roots and ramblings of John Luman Klink
12. Nelson Clark, Residence: Brantford Township: Brantford
    Lot: NEPT N ½ 4
    Concession: 3BT
    Date ID: 5=Sale involving the Canada Company
    Issue date: (about) 1856
    Transaction type: Sale
    Record Group 1, Series C-III-7
    Volume 3, page 54
    Ontario Archives number RG-1-88-0-6
    LDS microfilm #:1376446
13. Tremaine's 1858 Map of Brant County concession R3E—no lot number.
14. Ontario Canada 1861 census, Brant (town of Brantford and townships of Brantford and Burford) FHL US/CAN Census Area 349249, page 128.
15. Abstract index book Brant County, Brantford township Brantford Township, v. A ca. 1835-ca.1954  FHL US/CAN Film 170261, for concession R3E, lot 4.
16. ibid
17. ibid
18. 1900 U.S. census
19. 1870 U.S. census Year: 1870; Census Place: Aurelius, Ingham, Michigan; Roll: M593_675; Page: 24.
20. Ingham Co. Michigan Deeds Liber 65 , page 261.
21. 1880; Census Place: Alaiedon, Ingham, Michigan; Roll: T9_582; Family History Film: 1254582; Page: 248.1000; Enumeration District: 122
22. Census of Ingham County, Michigan, 1894 FHL US/CAN Film 915309
23. Year: 1900; Census Place: Aurelius, Ingham, Michigan; Roll: T623 716; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 31.
24. Nelson Clark death certificate. Ingham County Michigan. 05 Feb 1902
25. Ingham County Democrat newpaper. Thursday 13 Feb 1902 page 8 columns 1 and 3.
26. Wilson Clark. Eaton Co. Michigan death records Volume 3, page 136.
27. Ingham Co. Michigan probate records, file #5789, calendar 5, page 445, Nelson Clark.
28. 1910; Census Place: Aurelius, Ingham, Michigan; Roll: T624_651; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 52.
29. Year: 1920;Census Place: Aurelius, Ingham, Michigan; Roll: T625_771; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 80.
30. Catherine Clark death certificate. Ingham County Michigan Book 9, page 123, 24 April 1920.
31. The State Journal Lansing, Michigan, page 10, April 27, 1920.
32. Ingham Co. Michigan probate records, file #A698, calendar 13, page 350, Catherine Clark.