Elizabeth Jane Haggerty: 1861-1931

Born on a farm in the year in which the Civil War began, Elizabeth Jane Haggerty started working for wages as a domestic by age eighteen.  She was listed as such on the 1880 census in Armstrong County, PA.  Coming from a family rich in land and children but poor in money she was obligated to help out by working for wages.  Her father's untimely death in 1881 stressed the family resources even more.  Four of the children were minors of age.  Of the other three Mary and Elizabeth were single while Catherine was already married.  The only male in the family was Jerry Jr., and he was only ten.  With no one to work the farm the land had to be sold at auction to pay the debts.

After her marriage in 1886 to William Henry Clark, an oil-field worker, life became one of packing and moving and bearing children.  While all the stops along the way are not recorded, it is clear that they lived in Lima, Allen county, Ohio in the years 1889 to 1891 and in Pulaski County, Indiana in 1894 to 1904.  It was Gas City, Grant County, Indiana in 1906 and thence to Kane, McKean County, Pennsylvania until 1913 when the family finally settled in Hornell, Steuben County, New York.

According to her son-in-law Horace Potter, Elizabeth was "a lovely person."  Rosa adds a curious aspect of her mother in a 1958 letter to her brother Roland saying, "Perhaps you remember a cartoon character that used to be popular in my mother's day called Mr. Bowser.  He was quite a caricature and always the big shot.  Ma  used to enjoy poking fun at people who reminded her of Mr. Bowser."

Obituary:   DEATH CLAIMS MRS. E. H. CLARK

HORNELL, Feb. 10--Mrs Elizabeth Haggerty Clark, 70, of 47 Hillside Place, a resident of this city for the past 18 years, died today in the St. James Mercy Hospital.  Her death was unexpected, although she had not been in the best of health for some time.  She was the widow of the late William H. Clark and came to this city from Kane, Pa.  she was a member of St. Ann's Church.
 Besides many friends she leaves to mourn her loss seven children, Miss Esther Clark, Mrs. H.W. Potter, Mrs. N.K. Peck and Paul Clark, all of this city; Mrs. Pa Puch of Niagara Falls; Mrs. R.H. Furey of Seattle, Wash., and Roland Clark of Dayton, O.; eight grandchildren; a brother, Jeremiah Haggerty of St. Mary's, Pa., and four sisters, Miss Rebecca Haggerty of New York City, Mrs. Catherine Graham of Brooklyn, Mrs. Horace Fortney of Niagara Falls and Mrs. Frank Ritter of Kane, Pa.
 Funeral services will be held from the home of Mrs. Potter, 17 Allen Street, Thursday morning at 8:30 o'clock and a half hour later from St. Ann's Church.  Interment will be made in St. Ann's Cemetery.