John Clark, Private 1^st Virginia (VA) State Rgt.; Colonel George Gibson and BrigGen’l. Peter Muhlenberg’s 1^st VA Bgde.  P-133760

John Clark was born (b.) 19 Feb 1741 at Middlesex County (Co.), VA to parents William Clark (1716-1787) and 1^st wife (w.) Ann Taliaferro James (1718-1750), married (m.) 1736 at Orange Co. John’s family consisted of brother, James, age 4 and sister, Ann “Nancy”, age 1. This upcountry family resettled upon a Clark family 1^st Patent of Land mapped on the Brightwood USGS quad topo map as Thorofare Mountain, now Madison. [Note: Culpeper Co. was formed in 1749 from Orange and Madison Co. formed 1792 from Culpeper.] An online search of Alabama, Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981 for William Clark (filmstrip, frame 205) -Va. Gazette, Aug 14, 1959, located a typed, genealogical characterization that identified William lived near Clark’s mountain, west of Orange, and was reported to have died in 1787. Names of John’s parents and maternal grandparents were identified as William and Ann (James) Clark, a daughter (dau.) of Samuel James and Mildred Taliaferro from a review of online records; see, Alabama, Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981 for William Clark 6528. (A) Clark – James Christopher, film strip, Image 209. Additionally, a determination was made that William Clark died (d.) 1787 Orange Co., VA. A 1^st w., Ann James was found dec’d., c1750, before her father’s (Sam’l. James) will was dated 14 Dec 1754 at Orange.  William Clark m., 2^nd (1751) Martha “Sarah” Foster: Ibid, William Clark, handwritten, – Va. Gazette, Nov 30, 1962.

The writer determined that William Clark’s will was dated 29 Oct 1787 and proved on 12 Dec 1787 at Culpeper Co. Courthouse; however, sons –[James an officer assigned as a Convention Army Guard, Taylor’s VA Rgt. identical with SAR Patriot Records System, Patriot #: 133660] and John Clark were not identified with Legatee: (2^nd) “Wife.” [Martha (Forster)] sons –Joseph [(1752) identical with Joseph Clark, SAR Patriot Records System, Patriot #: P-336458], George, Reuben (aka Reubin) Robert, Ambrose, Larkin and daus. -Sarah, Lucy Beck and Ann “Nancy” Griffen were identified for record; source, Culpeper County Virginia: Will Books B and C by Dorothy Ford Wulfeck, 1965, pg 68. A search of the separate, Appendix of the 1976 publication: An 18^th Century Perspective: Culpeper County compiled by Mary Stevens Jones, pgs vi revealed Clarks as William Clark, dec’d., will 1787; James Clark, dec’d., will 1789; and Oliver dec’d., will 1791; also, John, William, James, Reubin (sic) and Oliver Clark, “Culpeper Taxpayers from Virginia Taxpayers, 1728-87,” pgs 42-43 of the text. Joseph Towles, John Clark’s father-in-law, Henry, Stockley (aka Stokely) and Thomas Towles were identified separately in the Appendix, pg xix.

At age 24, John m. on 4 Nov 1765, Mary Towles [1749 (Orange Co., VA) – 1836 (Orange)] at Culpeper Co.  Source, DAR Ancestor #: A022478.  Attributes for Publick’ Service for John Clark furnishing supplies, see: DAR #: A022478. Mary Towles was identified as a dau. of Joseph Towles of Culpeper Co., VA.   Joseph Towles’ will was dated 27 Jan 1770 and proved on 20 Aug 1770. Legatees: Sons: Henry, William, Joseph and Robert Towles (all minors). Other children, Mary, Jane, Ann, Frances and Sarah Towles. Executors: Oliver Towles and Reubin Terrell. Wit.: Ware Long; see, Ibid., Culpeper County, Virginia: Will Books B and C, Dorothy Ford Wulfeck, pg 46. 

John Clark’s Virginia, Revolutionary War service was proven based upon U.S. Pension Application S.3014 for John Clark found during a search of bounty land records within the Library of Virginia; see, http://revwarapps.org/VAS3014.pdf

A native of Orange and Culpeper Co., VA, Angus Rucker [S.19068] who was commissioned on 24 Jun 1777 as an officer, would sign an affidavit at Court on 1 Feb 1780 that John Clark enlisted and served (1778-80) as a private in Rucker’s company of the 1^st Virginia (VA) Rgt.; Colonel George Gibson and BrigGen’l. Peter Muhlenberg’s 1^st VA Bgde., for three (3) years which was his term of enlistment. Coincidentally, Angus Rucker’s [(1752-1836) SAR biography was published during 2016. See, SAR Patriot Records System, Patriot #: P-282622]. For the reader’s military service interest kindly refer to the 1^st VA Bgde’s assignment duty at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania between Dec 1777 and Jun 1778; see, Philadelphia 1777 Taking the capital by Osprey Publ. Ltd., Midland House, Oxford, Great Britain, 2007, see: Orders of Battle -American Forces, 1^st Division (MajGen’l. Nathanael Greene); 1^st (VA) Bgde led by (BrigGen’l. Muhlenberg) 1^st, 5^th, 9^th, 7 13^TH (VA) Rgts., pg 24.

John’s death on 28 Oct 1831 at Orange Co., VA, was found recorded and published in the SAR Patriot Record System, Patriot #: P-133760. The Clark family, private burial ground has been lost to Madison Road, Route 29 development. See: Madison County, Commonwealth of Virginia map surveyed and drawn by Eugene M. Scheel, available for public purchase at the Madison County Library, 402 N. Main St., Madison, VA 22727.