Clark-Moorman Family Research

Several years ago I was fortunate to be a member of a remarkable research group that was looking into various Clark-Moorman and related families. This group was run by Linda Kay Sparks Starr. Her work on these families was truly remarkable. Unfortunately, we lost Linda to live disease on 23 Oct 2014 (Find A Grave Memorial 137761946).

The second hammer dropped on December 2017 when Rootsweb that hosted the website with all of Linda and the groups files went down. Sadly, the Virginia Connection website was no more and the prospects to get it back are not very bright. This was the site that Linda stored files related to her research including the Clark Family files.

But their is a bit of a shining light for me and the many other family researchers of the Virginia Clark families. I downloaded most, if not all, the Clark family research files. So to honor Linda and the entire groups work, will start posting them to this blog and archiving them in the pages section above for future researchers to use.

To get things started in this post, here are the copies of the two pages of the will and the proven record for Captain Christopher Clark, son of Micajah Clark and Sarah Ann Moorman, Salt Lake FHL Microfilm #32192 item 1, Will Book 1: 1745-1761 for Louisa County, Virginia.

Captain Christopher Clark Will Page 1

Captain Christopher Clark Will Page 2

Captain Christopher Clark, left the will above and transcription that follows which was written on August 14, 1741, and was proved in court and recorded in Louise County, Virginia on May 28, 1754.  The following though, is an abstract of his will

.

In the name of God Amen.  I Christopher Clark, being sound in mind and memory, thanks to God Almighty, for it, but calling to mind the uncertainties of ye life, make this my last will and testament as follows:

1st I give to my loving son Edward Clarke, one gun and all my wearing clothes and all things else that he was possessed of that was mine. 

2nd I give my loving daughter Agnes Johnson, one negro wench named ----- and her increase, and whatever else she has or ever had in possession that was mine. 

3rd  I give my loving daughter Rachel Moorman, four hundred acres of land in Hanover County, near to Capt. Thomas Dancey, and one negro woman named Moll, with her increase and all things else that she has had in her possession whatever of mine. 

4th I give my loving daughter Sarah Lynch, one negro boy named ------, and all things else that she is or ever was possessed of that was mine. 

5th  I give my loving son Micajah, five hundred acres of land in Hanover County, the same whereon I now live with all rights and hereditaments, thereto belonging, and one negro boy named -----, working tools, and whatever else is or was possessed of that was mine. 

6th I give my loving son Bowling Clarke, four hundred acres of land in Hanover County, lying on the north west side, joining on the land of Mr. Thomas Carr, and on ye County ------ two young negroes, named Nane and Robin, one horse named Spret, one gun and one feather bed and furniture, two cows and calves, my trooping arms, my "Great Bible" and all my law books.  (Bowling Clark is my direct line and my 5th great-grandfather who married Winifred Buford.  I wish that Bible still existed and that family info was written in it.)

7th  I give my loving daughter Elizabeth Anthony, four hundred acres of land in Goochland County, on Footer Creek near the South fork of the James River, two young negroes, Mat and Jenny, cows and calves, one feather bed and furniture. 

All the rest of my estate be it what nature or quality, so ever, I leave to my loving wife during her natural life, who I appoint my executrix and further my will and desire is that my loving granddaughter, Penelope Lynch, at the death of her grandmother, Penelope Clarke, my wife, that them she and the said Penelope Lynch, be paid out of my estate if there be so much remaining, forty pounds good and lawful money of Virginia, and then if any left, to be equally divided among my said children, but not to be appraised. 

In witness to the above promises, I have here unto set my hand and fixed my seal this 14th day of August, 1741.     Christopher Clark

Test: Thomas Martin, Ann Martin (made her mark, she was daughter of Charles Moorman Sr.), James Waring (made his mark) 

At a court held for Louisa County, the 28th day of May 1754, this will was proved this day in open court by the oath of Thomas Martin and affirmation of Ann Martin and admitted to record and is recorded. 

Test: James Littlepage, Clerk of the Court.

Rev Elijah Witt and Hannah Clark Photo Retouches

OK, I am going to admit something right now in public on my blog to the zillions of readers who inhabit this space from time to time - I am a junkie.

There I said it. Now I feel better. Oh wait I didn't tell you what kind did I?

I am a family history "picture" junkie. Now that's better and I'm glad that is now out in the open. I'm told it is a good thing to air these sort of things out.

Now on a serious note, I have always received great pleasure in seeing and collecting pictures of my family, cousins and such. I never worry about an original or that sort of thing, but the electronic kind work just for me.

But the real treat is a picture of an ancestor. Now that is the ultimate family history experience. These are the people who are responsible for me being here. Their DNA is in me and  they have touched my life like no other ever can.

In the 35 years I have been doing research I have put a premium on locating a picture of my ancestors and I get to brag a bit, I have done quite well. If you would like to see some of my handy work, you can view the collection in my public family tree at Ancestry at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/6838/family.

I have pictures of all four of my grand parents, all eight of my great grandparents, seven of my 16 great-great grandparents, and the ultimate prize five of my 32 great-great-great grandparents.

My latest two 3rd great grandparent picture acquisitions came as a result of my public tree and a leaf hint at Ancestry. In February 2011 I got one of those cute little leafs at Ancestry. When I opened that bad boy up and saw the hint I had tears in my eyes. For the first time ever I was seeing a picture of my 3rd great grandparents Rev. Elijah Witt and Hannah Clark-Witt. Wow, was I ever blown away. I knew there had to be a story here so I wrote the person who posted the photo Angela Beth Jameson. She responded with the following:

The Witt/Clark families are in my husband's ancestry and my father-in-law is in possession of the Witt Family Bible, which has a publishing date of 1849. Elijah and Hannah Witt are my husband's 3rd great grandparents, as well. The picture was inside the Bible, along with handwritten information about births, marriages and deaths of immediate family members, starting with the marriage of Elijah Witt and Hannah Clark. The Bible is very old and falling apart, so I have to be very careful with it.
_________________________

This is what is written in the Bible under the Marriages heading (spelling/grammar faithful to the writing):

Elijah Witt and Hannah Clark was marriade Oct the 19th-1848

Rachel E. Witt daughter of Elijah & Hannah Witt was marriad to Mike Custer Sept the 10th 1868 (Rachel Elizabeth)

MA Witt Maride to AE Dobbs December the 30-1879 (Mary Agnes)

Marthy An Witt was mariade to JS Brown Nov 17-1880 (Martha Ann and James Stevens Brown---this is my husband's line)

JC Witt Son of E and H Witt was marriad to Henrettah Lang 1882 (Not 100% sure of spouses name---ink is faded)(John Christopher Witt)

SF Witt daughter of E and H Witt was marriad to CW Bush nov 15-1883 (Sarah Forest)
_______________________

Under the Births heading:

Elijah Witt was born Dec the 15th 1824

Hannah Clark was born August the 7th-1830

Rachel Elizabeth Witt was born january the 26th-1850

Nancy Michael Witt was born January 28-1852

John Christopher Witt was born February the 8th 1854

Mary Agnes Witt was born Sept the 16th-1856

Marthy An Witt was born july the 22 1860

The infant was born Feb the 24 (?not sure it's a 4) 1865
(Note: After closer inspection and looking at death dates, I believe the death date is supposed to be Feb 2 and what I couldn't make out was a scratch out mark...and the year is 1863, not 1865. There is a crease right at the top of that number, as well as an ink spot, which is why I thought it was a 5. Hopefully, I am correct with a 3!)
Hannah (unreadable) Witt was born January 26-1864

(Note: I think the middle name for Hannah (daughter) is Rebeccah, but I'm not 100%.)
Sarah Forest Witt (no date)
_______________________

Under the Deaths heading:

Nancy Michail Witt Departed this life Sept the 30th-1861 She was The daughter of Elijah & Hannah Witt

The infant daughter of Elijah & Hannah Witt Departed This life February the 2nd 1863

Mr. E. Witt Died Dec. 30, 1898
___________________________

Then there is the picture Rev Elijah Witt and Hannah Clark-Witt. It is in pretty good shape considering its age. Here is that lovely picture below.

Rev. Elijah Witt and Hannah Clark-Witt of Tennessee/Texas. Picture courtesy of Angela Beth Jameson and family.

Angela wrote:

The picture is on a cardboard that is stamped "Cabinet Portrait""T.B. Latham, Court Square, Union City, Tenn." There is no date on the picture.

As you can see it needed some work and since I'm handy at photo digital restoration I went to work on the picture and also made singles of them. So here for the first time are the digitally restored singles of Elijah and Hannah.

Rev. Elijah Witt of Tennessee digitally restored by Larry Van Horn



Hannah Clark-Witt of North Carolina digitally restored by Larry Van Horn

Rev. Elijah Witt was a Methodist minister who was born 15 December 1824 in Henry County, Tennessee, to Rev John D. Witt (1802-1851) and Rachel Meek (1802-1827). He died 30 December 1898 in Center Point, Kerr County, Texas and is buried in the Center Point Cemetery.

3rd great grandfather Elijah married Hannah Clark who was born 7 Aug 1830 in Anson County, North Carolina, to Christopher Clark (1791-1853) and Elizabeth Wilson (1789- ). She died 8 Jul 1908 in Center Point, Kerr County, Texas and is also buried in the Center Point Cemetery.

They were married 19 Oct 1848 in Henry County, Tennessee.

They were the parents of seven children:

1. Rachel Elizabeth Witt (1850-1948) married Michael Custer.
2. Nancy Mitchell Witt (1852-1861)
3. John Christopher Witt (1854-1925), a private in the Texas Ranger Frontier Battalion married Henrietta Elizabeth Lange. These are my second great grandparents.
4. Mary Agnes Witt (1856-1953) married Adam Everett Dobbs.
5. Martha Ann Witt 91860-1938) married James Steven Brown.
6. Infant Witt (1863-1863)
7. Sarah Forrest Witt (1864-1949) married Columbus Washington Bush.

So if you are related to any of the above, I would love to hear from you. Maybe you haven some pictures you can share with me.