I am searching for the birth parents of my 3rd great-grandfather, Presley
Clark. Presley was born in 1802 in Kentucky – per the 1850 census; 1803 in
Indiana –per the 1870 census, and in 1804 in Ohio – per the 1860
census. Presley
had four wives: He married Caroline Hendelider on May 28, 1823, in Floyd
County, Indiana. (I recently stumbled upon a Caroline Clark who married a
Charles Hagan in Jackson County, Indiana, about 1841, and I am wondering if
this was Presley’s first wife, or if it was their daughter). In 1833, he
married Eliza Second or Secord in Jackson County, Indiana. (I don’t think
Eliza’s last name was Second. I think someone just put that there because
she was his second wife. I also can’t find his marriage to Eliza anywhere).
He married his third wife, Eveline (Bristow) Coen on October 21, 1858, in
Jackson County, Indiana. Last but not least, he married Marcia “America”
(Findley) Williams on January 4, 1861, in Bartholomew County, Indiana. Presley
first appears in the 1830 census living in Jeffersonville Township in Clark
County, Indiana. He appears in the 1840 census living in Redding
Township/Jackson County, Indiana. He last appears in the 1870 census, and
is still living in Redding Township/Jackson County, Indiana. I am assuming
he passes away sometime after 1870.
Presley and his second wife, Eliza, had several children:
1. Margaret Clark who was born about 1834 in Jackson County, Indiana.
Margaret
married James W. Homes on March 25, 1851, in Jackson County, Indiana. She
married James W. Brown on March 16, 1869, in Jackson County, Indiana.
2. Cassandra Clark, (you see her name spelled in the various census in
various ways, these include: Casdena/Cassandra/Casandra/Cassendra), who
was born about 1836 in Jackson County, Indiana. She married John Conrad on
April 11, 1878.
3. Samuel T./Tilden Clark, who was born July 10, 1838 in Jackson County,
Indiana, and died on June 22, 1881, in Jackson County, Indiana. Samuel
married Mahala Jane Tompkins on January 29, 1860.
4. Presley Clark, (my great-great grandfather), who was born about 1842 in
Redding Township/Jackson County, Indiana. He drowned in the White River on
July 21, 1872, in Jackson County, Indiana. He married Martha Jane Coen on
August 23, 1861, in Jackson County, Indiana.
5. Eliza Clark, who was born between 1845 and 1847 in Jackson County,
Indiana. She married Thomas or Thompson Hardin on February 1, 1877, in
Brownstown, Indiana/Jackson County, Indiana.
6. James Clark, who was born in October of 1847, in Jackson County,
Indiana, and died on April 20, 1924, in Brownstown, Indiana/Jackson County,
Indiana.
7. Mary Clark, who was born in 1849, in Jackson County, Indiana.
8. George Clark, who was born about 1852 in Jackson County, Indiana, and
died March 22, 1876, in Jackson County, Indiana. He married Martha J./Jane
(Coen) Clark on August 17, 1874, in Brownstown, Indiana/Jackson County,
Indiana.
9. Tommy Clark, who was born about 1854 in Jackson County, Indiana.
Presley and his wife, Eveline (Bristow) Coen, had one child, a daughter,
Charlotte Clark, who was born in November, 1859 in Jackson County, Indiana,
and died May 19, 1878. She married Lafayette Thomas on December 3, 1876,
in Brownstown, Indiana/Jackson County, Indiana.
*NOTES*: I have somewhat traced some of Presley and Eliza’s children
through the censuses. In the 1880 census, Cassandra’s last name is Clark. In
the 1900 census, you see her listed as Casander Dancy. Evidently, between
1880 and 1900, she married someone by the last name of Dancy. I can not
find a marriage for her and a Mr. Dancy anyplace. I am hoping that someone
can help me with this.
In the 1910 census, there is a Catharina Clark with James Clark, and the
census says it is his sister. I don’t see a Catharina Clark listed as one
of Presley and Eliza’s children. Who could this be???
Thank you very much!
Betsy Emhuff
betsyemhuff6010(a)gmail.com
(812) 430-1950