David CLARK

                   EXCERPTS FROM A LEAKE COUNTY HISTORY BOOK
David Clark, born in Kentucky about 1802, was born into a family that loved pioneering.  His parents had been among the first to leave the still sparsely populated state of South Carolina to migrate to the wilderness of Kentucky.  Some time around the time of the signing of the second Choctaw Treaty in the State of Mississippi, David's father gathered his children and their families and moved into another wilderness, the south Hinds - north Copiah County area in south central Mississippi.  They arrived at their new home shortly after it was opened to the first Anglo settlers.
David brought 2 sisters with him when he came from Hinds County.  One was supposed to have died young and the other wanted to marry a man who David did not like.  She married him anyway and was never heard from again. The girls would have had to be younger than William's daughter, Nancy.
It was there that David Clark grew to manhood and there he met and married his lifelong mate.  Their marriage license of 3 Jan 1826 in Copiah County, Mississippi lists his mate's name as Calla Putnam; but during her long life living near the south Leake - north Scott County line she was known to all as Aunt Callie.  Family tradition is that her full name was Calfenia; but, no where has that name been found on public record.
Family tradition is that the first time that David Clark came to the Leake-Scott area he had to walk much of the way; and using an axe, hacked his way through closely grown trees and brush.  This was either just before or right after the signing of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the treaty by which the Choctaw Indians agreed to sell the biggest portion of central Mississippi to the Anglo settlers.
It is believed that before the county lines had been drawn, David Clark had built his house and moved his family to their new home; for  after the county lines were drawn most of David's property stood in Scott County but his home stood in Leake County.
David Clark is listed on the first Leake County Tax List (1835) as well as the first Leake County Census (1840).  The estate records of James W. Chambers, owner of an early general store in Leake County, show that in the year 1837 David purchased several pairs of shoes and several yards of hair ribbon, as well as other items.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
David and Callie had 3 young sons when they came to the Leake-Scott area.  After settling into their new home they had 8 more children and all lived to adulthood.  Some stayed to help Mississippi grow; but others inherited the Clark pioneer spirit and moved on to the western lands.
The exact date of David Clark's death has not been determined; but, it is believed to have been shortly after 1880 as on that year's census he was listed as being bedridden.  Callie died in late November or early December of 1899 approximately two weeks after her son, William died.
David and Callie are buried in the Clark Family Cemetery, located a short distance behind the old (c. 1860) two story house, said to have been built by their son, Green Clark,  which sets right on the boundary between the two counties on State Highway #492 out from Walnut Grove, MS.  There are no stones for David.
1880 Leake Co. MS Census shows that in his household were Callie and a grand-daughter named Emily.
WPA PAPERS IN MISSISSIPPI STATE ARCHIVES
WPA papers in the Mississippi State Archives -  Mr. Johnson stated that he had been a slave on the B. W. Johnson place.  At the time this statement was made he still lived near that place in a community that had been settled by ex-slaves of B. W. Johnson.  They named the community Johnson Town and it is still in existence.
His statement:
The old Clark home which stands on the Walnut Grove and Sebastopol Road near what is known as the Britt Cemetery is one of the oldest houses in the county.  (It) was built by the late Mr. Clark eighty years ago, it is made of logs hewn on both sides with the slip notch.  It is about ten fee high with oak sills and the top has fallen from the brick chimney.  The blocks have sunken so deep that the back porch rests on the ground. NOTE:  The B. W. Johnson place was very near the old Clark place and Johnson Town is not far from either location.  All of these places are near what is known as Old Walnut Grove (per Matsy Walker)  David Clark, 1835 - Listed on the first tax list for Leake County, Mississippi:
WALNUT GROVE, MISSISSIPPI
Statistics & Facts
The population of Walnut Grove is approximately 389.
The approximate number of families is 194.
The amount of land area in Walnut Grove is 1.997 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers:.
The distance from Walnut Grove to Washington DC is 846 statute miles. The distance to the Mississippi state capital is 48 statute miles. (Statute miles are as the crow flies)
Walnut Grove is positioned 32.59 degrees north of the equator and 89.45 degrees west of the prime meridian.
WALNUT GROVE HISTORY
Established in 1850 by John W. Sharp, Walnut Grove is one of the earliest settlements along the Sacramento River. Sharp journeyed west from Ohio with his young family and chose the site of Walnut Grove because of the abundant walnut and oak forests in the area.   The town quickly prospered as an agricultural center and riverboat stop (the forests were timbered for steamboat firewood) and a major shipping port by 1865 for agricultural produce, and fish,  with the Bartlett Pear as its primary product. By 1870 it was a thriving town full of small businesses (many owned by the Sharp family), a school, post office, and Union Guard Armory.  After Sharp's death in 1880, the heirs sold a large portion of the estate to Alex Brown and her son Alex.  The Brown family subsequently became heavily involved in the commercial life of the community, operating a general store, hotel, an asparagus packing house, and the well-known Bank of Alex Brown.   Due to the demands for rich agricultural land, its size stayed compact but has the distinction of being the only river town along the Sacramento River to occupy both the east and west riverbanks. For years a ferry connected between, until the first bridge was opened in 1916.  The bridge, since replaced by a modern span, was the first cantilevered counter-weight bascule drawbridge constructed west of the Mississippi River.  It was officially opened by the Governor of California who traveled with various dignitaries to Walnut Grove on the gubernatorial yacht.
1860 CENSUS OF SCOTT CO. MS.
Elizabeth Smith, aged 88, b. NC is living in the household.
1850 CENSUS OF SCOTT CO. MS.
Family #31 on the 1850 census Scott County, Ms.  In 1850,children were William, 21y, Greenberg, 19y, Elizabeth, 15y, Henry J., 13y, Jeremiah, 11y, Alfred, 9y, John, 7y, Warde, 5y, Nancy, 3y,
and Jessie 91/2 mo.
1840 CENSUS OF LEAKE CO. MS.
David Clark, 2-3-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0
Total population of County in 1840 was 2162
David CLARK lived about 40 miles south of Le Fleur's Bluff, now Jackson in Copiah County, MS. His father brought the family from KY, near the Harrodsville area. Note this area has not been located. The name may have changed. The 1860 Federal Census of Scott County, MS lists a female named Elizabeth Smith who is 88 years old. She is shown to have been born in NC. There is no information regarding her possible relationship to the CLARK family. Charity CLARK married John Whaley, Mason Co.,Ky in 1797. Her parents were William C. CLARK and Elenor. Willian C. CLARK's will mention the following children:John CLARK, Peter CLARK, Margaret CLARK, Nelly CLARK,David CLARK, Sara CLARK, James CLARK and William CLARK. I believe some of these CLARKs settled in Gallia, OH. Where did Charity CLARK go after she left Mason Co.,KY. Links? David CLARK lived sequentially next to Winston GUYNES.