Helen (White) Clark
(1850-1903)
Helen White Clark was born on Oct. 11, 1850 near Cardington, Morrow County, OH, the daughter of Luther and Mahala (Minor) White.
In 1869, she and her parents ventured west, becoming pioneer settlers of Haseville, Linn County, MO. The farm was about seven miles east of Laredo, Grundy County, MO.
On Oct. 8, 1874, she married George William 'Will' Clark (1844-1917). He was born on Dec. 27, 1844 near Camargo, Montgomery County, KY, and had come to Laredo with his parents just after the Civil War, in 1866. They went on to have two children -- Roscoe Conkling Clark and Jeannette 'Blanche' Tarter.
Laredo's Main Street, looking east, at the turn of the century
When her parents and siblings moved again to Kansas in 1884, Helen chose to remain behind in Missouri with her husband and family. They lived on a farm about four miles from Laredo, Grundy County. Starting out with 10 acres inherited from his parents, George built a substantial real estate holding. According to a landmark book by daughter Blanche, Will gradually:
… acquired the interests of the other heirs, until, in 1888, he was the sold owner of the original farm of 160 acres. The originally log house was replaced by a comfortable country home. Their farm, with its well kept fiends and beautiful orchards, was one of the "show places" in that vicinity.
The book has the following description of Helen:
Although of frail physique, Helen was a devoted wife and mother. In addition to her household chores, she helped with the daily chores on their pioneer farm. She loved flowers, and had a collection of unusual house plants, and was an excellent seamstress….
Tragedy struck in 1889 when Helen's sister, Nettie Bailey, was killed by a bolt of lighting in Kansas. Helen later brought Nettie's daughter Mabel into their home to raise.
Will enjoyed fox hunting and was an officer of the First Christian Church of Laredo, despite the fact that his wife was a Methodist.
Helen died on Feb. 13, 1903 at the family homestead near Laredo. She is buried in the Joab Holloway (Union Grove) Cemetery near the farm.
Five years after his wife's death, Will married Nora E. Lilly of Laredo on May 3, 1908.
George died on July 10, 1917 "in the farm home near Laredo … where he had lived for so many years."
Nora outlived her husband by two decades. She passed away in Kansas City on Sept. 3, 1937.
Blanche's book is invaluable to our understanding of the members and stories of this pioneer branch. It's entitled Ancestral and Chronological History and Lineage of the Family of Luther White and Mahala (Minor) White -- Their Forbears and Descendants -- 1665-1971. The book has been donated to libraries in Mt. Gilead, OH; Sandusky, OH; Somerset, PA; Indianapolis, IN; Salt Lake City, UT; and to the Minerd-Miner-Minor Archives.
Copyright © 2000 Mark A. Miner