Hello,
I probably haven't posted a good query about this man in at least 5 yrs. (and 5 yrs.
before that). I can't even say he is an ancestor of mine. But, my "educated
assumption" is that he probably is. This is a brief summary of his life:
James CLARK or CLARKE "appeared" in Little Compton, RI, ~1827, and married in
nearby Westport, MA, in 1829. He fathered a child in Westport in 1837, and
"disappeared" in 1844.
Years ago a "distant cousin" found a record for a James CLARK getting on a ship
in New Bedford, MA, as a "greenhand." In 1844 the ship was heading out for a
4-yr. voyage to the Indian Ocean. In 1845, James "deserted" in NSW,
Australia.
In 1829, he married a young widow, Mrs. Rhoda (MANCHESTER) LAVARE. She had been born
in Westport in 1800, and had 3 young children with the LAVARE name. Then the only child
we know about for this couple was a daughter, Mary Anna CLARK, b1837 Westport.
Mary "Molly" grew up to marry John DEXTER, always of Killingly, CT. They might
have married in Stonington, CT, but lived in Killingly. They had 3 daughters, but 2
died as children. The surviving daughter became Mrs. Clara (DEXTER) YOUNG, of
Killingly. She also lost a young daughter and only had a surviving son. ...
John's father was Marvin DEXTER, and Marvin's father was Joseph DEXTER. Joseph
was one of 3 brothers who left the Providence, RI, area in 1780's to move to
Killingly, CT. I believe a few more DEXTER relatives joined them.
In ~1885 John and Mary DEXTER left their home in Killingly to move to Melrose, MA. In
1889, they took in a baby girl, and they adopted her in 1892. At the adoption they
changed her name to .. Mary Anna Clark DEXTER. It is my "assumption" that
the DEXTER's married daughter had a pregnancy outside of her marriage during the
summer of 1888. It became a "family secret" which is now over 120 yrs. old.
The little girl grew up to become my grandmother. She died in the 1960's never
knowing who her birth-parents were. But, I believe that the DEXTER couple were her
maternal grandparents.
Mrs. Dexter died in 1899, and their adopted daughter was taken to an orphanage in Downtown
Boston. She remained there from Age 10 to 19. Mr. Dexter died in 1905. ... I
have told this story many times on many Lists for 10+ yrs.
(to be continued)
Betty (near Lowell, MA)
(on Lists and Boards for 14 yrs.; now an Admin for 11 Lists and 5 Boards)