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Maj. Thomas J. Clark is a native of Pendleton
District, S.C., born in 1828, and is a son of Thomas and Jane A.
(McClure) Clark, Virginians, who removed with their parents to south
Carolina, and were married in Pendleton District. They went to Benton
County, Ala., in 1832, to Winston County, Miss., in 1842, and in that
State the father departed this life in 1847, the mother's death
occurring in Louisiana in 1868, both having been worthy members of the
Methodist Church from youth up. They were tillers of the soil. The
grandfather, Matthew Clark, was of English descent, a Virginian by
birth, and died in South Carolina. The mother's father, Josiah McClure,
was also born in the "Old Dominion," and, after his marriage, went to
South Carolina, and from there to Alabama, dying on his farm in that
State. Maj. Thomas J. Clark was the seventh of a family of ten sons and
four daughters, and in his boyhood days acquired a good practical
education in the schools of Mississippi, and was married in Winston
County, of that State, in 1851, to Miss Nancy C., daughter of Charles
and Elizabeth Peters, a sketch of whom appears in another part of this
work. Mrs. Clark was born in Bledsoe County, Tenn., in 1833, and a
family of thirteen children have been born to her union with Mr. Clark--
eight sons and three daughters now living, all but three having been
married and living in Clark County. In 1862 Mr. Clark enlisted in the
Confederate army, in Company S, Second Mississippi Infantry, the
lieutenant, but, after serving sixty days in Kentucky, he returned home,
soon after becoming a member of Company D, Thirty -Seventh Mississippi
infantry, and was detained to purchase beef cattle for the army. Some
time after he joined Gen. Wirt Adams calvary command, and was made
forage-master of the regiment, which position he held until the close of
the war. He then returned to his home, and in 1866 removed to Clark
County, Ark., and has since resided on his present farm of 440 acres.
Which is situated about two and one half miles southwest of Dobyville.
He has 150 acres, nicely improved, and besides a good residence, barns,
etc., he has a fine steam cotton-gin and grist-mill on his place.
Although formerly a wig in politics, casting his first presidential vote
for Scott, in 1852, he has long been a Democrat, and by this party was
chosen justice of the peace of South Fork Township, a position he held
for eight years. He has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. since he was
twenty - three years of age, and now belongs to South Fork Lodge, at
Gurdon, of which he has been secretary, having been master of a lodge in
Mississippi. He and Mrs. Clark have been members of the Methodist
Church since their youths.
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