My Genealogy Hound

Hon. Edwin G. Clark, one of the leading citizens of Clarkston, Oakland County, Michigan, who has been prominently identified with the agricultural, educational and political development of this section for many years, belongs to a family which has been distinguished for generations. The date of the birth of Mr. Clark, April 8, 1815, carries the mind over a vast gulf of history, for since that time have come the wonders of scientific discovery that have changed the face of Nature, have transformed modes of living and have brought all corners of the world together. It may be recalled that fur years after the birth of our venerable subject, the first steamship crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

To sturdy forebears, originating in England and later nurtured among the hills of New England, Mr. Clark probably owes a vitality that at the age of 88 years enables him to take part in and enjoy family and social life. His paternal grandfather was Jeremiah Clark, who was born in New Hampshire, a mere lad at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, but old enough to shoulder his musket and take part in the battle of Lexington. Later in life he removed to Onondaga County, New York, and settled down to farming. There he held many of the local offices and appears to have been well qualified. His last years were spent with his sons in Michigan, where he died in 1845, aged 84 years. He reared one of the patriarchal families not unusual in those days, consisting of seven sons and seven daughters, bearing these names, some of them among the most familiar ones of Oakland County: Mrs. Julia Cobb; Mrs. Amasa Green; Mrs. Lydia Brown; Jeremiah, Jr.; Mrs. Lucy Johnson; Mrs. Susan Blair; Mrs. Amy Poole; Hiram; Henry; Amos; Mrs. Sarah Walter; Nelson W.; Sidney and Ebenezer.

Our subject was 16 years of age when he accompanied his parents, Jeremiah and Phoebe (Holdridge) Clark, from his birthplace in Onondaga County, New York, to Michigan, in 1831. The father settled at Detroit where he operated one of the first bakeries in that city. Later he came to Independence township, Oakland County, where he bought over 2,000 acres of land, much of which he improved, and a great portion of which he sold in later years. He was a man of remarkable enterprise and built the first grist mill in the township, which has been standing ever since 1839. This was the beginning of what is now the busy, enterprising village of Clarkston, the center of the commercial interests of the township, a description of which concludes this sketch. Mr. Clark became very prominent in political life and was elected Representative in the State Legislature and was a Territorial statesman at the time Michigan was admitted into the Union. He served in the War of 1812 with the same loyalty as his father had served in the first struggle with Great Britain, and through his whole life, which was filled with public honors, he represented the highest class of citizenship. If not recalled in a hundred other ways, Jeremiah Clark will always have a monument in the prosperous village of Clarkston, which, with his brother, Nelson W., he platted and which was named in honor of so valued a citizen.

Jeremiah Clark married Phoebe Holdridge, who was born in Vermont and was a daughter of Ephraim Holdridge, and six children were born to them, namely: Edwin G.; Darwin; Washington; Milton; Newton and Mrs. Phoebe Abby, all of whom have passed away except our subject.

Edwin G. Clark attended the district schools of his native county, and after his parents settled at Detroit assisted his father in the bakery. He was 20 years old when the family located in Independence township and from that time he engaged extensively in farming until he retired from active pursuits in 1883. His farm of 340 acres was in the near vicinity of the village and for years was regarded as one of the finest in the township. He was a large stock raiser and owned much blooded stock, and during the portion of his life actively devoted to business accumulated a large fortune.

Like his father and grandfather, Mr. Clark has always been actively identified with the Democratic party and has been frequently honored by it. He has most ably filled all the local offices, and in 1876 was elected to the State Legislature. Although so actively interested in politics, Mr. Clark retained his residence on his farm until 1883, when he purchased his fine home in Clarkston, where he has since resided, one of the esteemed and valued citizens. For many years he has been connected with the Masonic fraternity.

In 1835 Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Mary Lyon, who was born in England and is a daughter of William Lyon, who came to America when his daughter was three years old. Nine children were born to this union, the three survivors being: Washington E.; Lawrence, of Independence township; and Mrs. Livonia Harris, of Clarkston. Mr. Clark married, secondly, Martha Cobb, who was born in New York. There is no issue to this marriage.

Washington E. Clark, the eldest son of our; subject and one of the prominent citizens of Independence township, was born March 3, 1840, in an old log house still standing in section 18, Independence township. His education was secured in the common schools of his locality and two years were subsequently spent at the Clarkston High School He then taught school for two years in his own and Springfield townships. At the age of 23 years he became a clerk in the general store of M. H. Clark, at Clarkston, and one year later went to Waterford township where he was entrusted with the management of the business interests of John G. Owens, which included a grist and sawmill, a general store, post office and two farms, a responsible position which called forth abilities not usually found in one of his age. When Mr. Owens sold out five years later, Mr. Clark went into the business of buying produce in which he engaged six years, and then became a drover, an occupation he followed for 25 years. For the past few years Mr. Clark has confined his business energies to dealing in wool.

In 1865 Mr. Clark married Eliza Keeler, who was born in Oakland County, Michigan, and is a daughter of Lewis Keeler. One son has been born to them, Rollin W., a very promising young man, a graduate of the Waterford and Pontiac high schools, and of Gutcher’s Business College in Detroit.

Mr. Clark possesses many of the characteristics of both his father and grandfather, among these being settled convictions concerning personal and political integrity, a manly dignity of character, an honesty of purpose and a feeling of public spirit which does credit to a representative of the founder of Clarkston. His Democratic friends have placed him in many of the township offices, the affairs of which he has administered with the greatest efficiency.

Clarkston, the home of our subject, is one of the most enterprising and progressive towns of Oakland County, Michigan, and has all the advantages of fine location and the best of citizenship. Nature has done much for this place, and as early as 1832 its fine water front attracted capital and enterprise.

Clarkston is the township seat of Independence township, and is situated at the head of a chain of beautiful lakes and on the Clinton River, a stream that divides it into eastern and western Clarkston. Among the early pioneers to that section was Mr. Holcomb, who erected on the banks of the river, at what is now Clarkston, a comfortable house, with engineering ability built a canal and procured a sufficient water power, easily regulated, and constructed a mill. The Clarkston Mills are now known for miles in every direction and are now owned and operated by the grandsons of the enterprising and far-seeing man whose enterprise had much to do with the development of the section. In 1833 when Jeremiah and Nelson W. Clark settled in the neighborhood, they immediately saw its future possibilities. After purchasing the Holcomb mill, they erected a dam by which they secured a 20-foot fall and plenty of power with which to operate the first grist mill in that part of the county. This wonderful adjunct of civilization soon made the settlement more desirable as a home, and the little hamlet continued to grow in importance and numbers.

The name of “Clarkston” was given the prospering village, in honor of the family of that name, which, up to the present day, has been prominent in the affairs of the locality. A general store was started by William and John Axford, and a distillery and foundry with other necessary industries of comfortable living, soon were established. Clarkston has been evolved from the primitive forest, the wild beasts have been driven still farther west, a fine agricultural region was opened up in close proximity, schools and churches were built and the gentle amenities of social life became cultivated.

A present view of this charming Michigan town reveals an unusual number of prospering industries, beautiful homes embellished with works of art and occupied by cultured and educated owners, a High School which offers excellent educational advantages, churches beautifully located and well supported, and a self-respecting population which cordially extends a welcome to the deserving stranger.

In 1902 a building association was formed for general improvement and it has under consideration many schemes for the public good. The town is incorporated and the Council includes such substantial and representative citizens as Austin J. Taylor, president of the board; John Beardsley, clerk; R. E. Jossman, treasurer; and F. D. Beardsley, Jerome Vliet, Frank Walter, John McMahon, J. A. Loan, J. D. Ogden, trustees, with Leroy N. Brown, assessor, and James O’Roark, marshal.

Among the important enterprises engaged in by Nelson W. Clark was a fish hatchery, where he successfully hatched fish from spawn and demonstrated its practicability to the United States government. The hatchery at Northville is now successfully operated under the management of Frank Clark.