ContentsScope and Contents of the Collection
Deed to Norman Clark for pews in Baptist Meeting, Newton, Mass. 1804 Dec. 3 Deed to William Clark, Groton, Mass. 1736/27 Feb. 3 Deed to William Clark, Cambridge, Mass. 1709 Mar. 20 Deed to Daniel and Thomas Hastings and Timothy Jackson, Newton, Mass. 1798 Nov. 12 Power of attorney to Norman Clark, Newton, Mass. 1799 May 28 Release of demands against Norman Clark on behalf of Atherton Clark, Hopkinton, Mass. 1771 Aug. 17 Will, Newton, Mass. 1695 Jan. 3 Deed to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1725 Dec. 12 Lease of property in Lunenburg to John Hill, Newton, Mass. 1775 Apr. 10 Bond for L800 to Hannah Clark, Newton, Mass. 1791 Oct. 27 Estate documents for Hannah Clark, Newton, Mass. 1802-1803 Judgment against Ephraim Bacon, Dedham, Mass. 1784 June 1 Deed to Norman Clark, Jr., Newton, Mass. 1785 May 2 Copy of deed of sale of property to Noah Parker, Newton, Mass. 1723 Nov. 6 Facts and Calculations Respecting the Population and Territory of the United States 1799 Deed to Norman Clark, Newton, Mass. 1770 May 18 Receipt for payment of damages to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1734 Aug. 2 Mortgage to Norman Clark, Lunenburg, Mass. Undated Plan of Norman Clark's farm, Newton, Mass. 1783 Apr. 28 Deed to Nathanael Mackey, Newton, Mass. 1703 Nov. 4 Warrant to Norman Clark to collect taxes, Newton, Mass. 1779-1799 Warrant for Norman Clark to arrest James Grant for non-payment of taxes, Newton, Mass. 1779 June 14 Agreement with William Clark, Cambridge, Mass. 1729/30 Jan. 13 Deed to Norman Clark for property of the late Thomas Parker, Newton, Mass. 1790 June 1 Bond to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1730 Sept. 19 Deed to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1713 Nov. 2 Deed (copy) to Daniel Macay, [Newton, Mass.] 1679 May 17 Receipts and miscellaneous, Boston, Mass. 1828 Deed for tomb in burying yard to Norman and Alathina Clark, Newton, Mass. 1802 Oct. 4 Boundary survey of property of Jared Elliot, Newton, Mass. 1711 Deed to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1719 Apr. 7 Agreement with Norman Clark to pay minor children at their majority, Bethel, Mass. 1804 Jan. 30 Deed to property in New Cambridge, Mass. 1694 April 10 Deed to Thomas and William Wallis, New Cambridge, Mass. 1689 Oct. 10 Deposition relative to boundaries of property of Norman Clark, Newton, Mass. 1761 June 29 |
Clark Family PapersFinding AidFinding aid prepared by Dex Haven.2009
Administrative InformationGift of Judith Kelly, 2008-2009. Processed by Dex Haven, February 2010. Preferred CitationCite as: Clark Family Papers (MS 654). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst. The collection is open for research. Return to the Table of Contents Historical NoteSurvey of property purchased by Thomas and William WallisThe Clark family played a prominent role in the colonial and early national history of Newton, Massachusetts. Although there are some discrepancies in the early family history, John Clark (1641-1695) and his wife Elizabeth Norman (b. 1665) appear to have settled in Cambridge Village (now Newton), Massachusetts, in about 1681. When Clark died in 1695, most of his estate passed to his sons John and William (1686-1737), including a profitable sawmill and eight acres of land he had purchased from Indians near their fishing grounds on the Upper Falls of the Charles River. In 1725, William Clark acquired additional property in Newton that became the site of his family's farm. Active in the public life of his community, Clark and his wife Hannah (Kee) had seven children, including two sons who lived to their majority, Norman (1710-1787) and William (b. 1716). Norman's son, Norman Jr. (1751-1826), followed in his father's and grandfather's footsteps in representing his community, serving as a town Selectman and, during and after the Revolutionary War, as Collector of Taxes. Although never exceptionally wealthy, by the 1790s the family were counted among the Newton elite as steady and prosperous citizens. Return to the Table of Contents Scope and Contents of the CollectionThis small collection traces the early history of Newton, Mass., through the lives and activities of four generations of the family of John Clark. While the majority of the collection consists of deeds or related legal documents pertaining to properties in Newton (or in one case, Connecticut), a few items provide glimpses into other Clark family activities. As tax collector for Newton during and after the Revolution, Norman Clark, Jr., left an interesting documentary trail that touches on financial priorities in town, including the collection of taxes for support of the church, Revolutionary War soldiers, and road building. Among the more notable individual items are a deposition from Joseph Bartlett regarding his memory of the location of the Indian fishing grounds on the Charles River that were purchased by John Clark for his sawmill (1747); a receipt for issuance of bounty pay to Aaron Parker for service in the Massachusetts Line of the Continental Army; a deed for a plot in the Newton Burying Ground (1802); and receipts for the purchase of silverware, tinware, and furniture, including Grecian card tables, a Pembroke table, looking glass (1828). A document from Nicholas Bartlett in 1736 appears to be an early example of speculation in military lands: Bartlett assigns rights to William Clark to land Nathanael Mackey received in Killingly, Connecticut, in recognition of his service during King Philip's War. Also noteworthy are two deeds signed by Samuel Sewall (1689 and 1694), one of the judges during the Salem Witch Trials. The earlier of these deeds was docketed by Sewall on September 12, 1692, at the height of Witch Trials. Return to the Table of Contents Search TermsReturn to the Table of Contents Deed to Norman Clark for pews in Baptist Meeting, Newton, Mass. 1804 Dec. 3Testimony regarding location of Indian fishing place on the Charles River, Newton, Mass. 1747 Oct. 14Deed to William Clark, Groton, Mass. 1736/27 Feb. 3Ceding rights to any lands granted to Nathanael Mackey of Killingly, Conn., for wartime service under Capt. Noah Wiswell Deed to William Clark, Cambridge, Mass. 1709 Mar. 20Deed to Daniel and Thomas Hastings and Timothy Jackson, Newton, Mass. 1798 Nov. 12Daniel Hastings is identified as a stonecutter Power of attorney to Norman Clark, Newton, Mass. 1799 May 28Bond with William Clark for payment of loyalties to their sisters from the estate of their father, John, Newton, Mass. 1712 Mar. 29Release of demands against Norman Clark on behalf of Atherton Clark, Hopkinton, Mass. 1771 Aug. 17Will, Newton, Mass. 1695 Jan. 3Deed to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1725 Dec. 12Lease of property in Lunenburg to John Hill, Newton, Mass. 1775 Apr. 10Bond for L800 to Hannah Clark, Newton, Mass. 1791 Oct. 27Estate documents for Hannah Clark, Newton, Mass. 1802-1803 2 itemsJudgment against Ephraim Bacon, Dedham, Mass. 1784 June 1Deed to Norman Clark, Jr., Newton, Mass. 1785 May 2Deeds 1782-1814 9 itemsDeeds 1741-1770 7 itemsDeeds from William Clark (1741); Benjamin Parker, yeoman (1742); Ebenezer Parker and Enoch Parker, gentlemen 1744); Francis Blanden, yeoman, and Elizabeth Blanden (1752); Jeremiah Wiswall and Samuel Norcross, yeomen (1754); Abraham Jackson, blacksmith (1755); John Ireland, yeoman, and Lydia Ireland (1770). Copy of deed of sale of property to Noah Parker, Newton, Mass. 1723 Nov. 6Facts and Calculations Respecting the Population and Territory of the United States 1799Deed to Norman Clark, Newton, Mass. 1770 May 18Receipt for payment of damages to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1734 Aug. 2Receipt of L300 from Norman and William Clark for inheritance from estate of William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1740 May 20Mortgage to Norman Clark, Lunenburg, Mass. UndatedWarrant to Norman Clark to collect taxes due "to supply the Deficiency of the Massachusetts Line of the Army," Boston, Mass. 1783 Feb. 8Plan of Norman Clark's farm, Newton, Mass. 1783 Apr. 28Deed to Nathanael Mackey, Newton, Mass. 1703 Nov. 4Warrant for Norman Clark to arrest Ephraim Hammond for non-payment of taxes, Newton, Mass. 1784 Feb. 26Warrant to Norman Clark to collect taxes, Newton, Mass. 1779-1799 14 itemsWarrant for Norman Clark to arrest James Grant for non-payment of taxes, Newton, Mass. 1779 June 14Agreement and receipt for money paid by William Clark owed to Samuel Oliver, Cambridge, Mass. 1729/30 Jan. 13 2 itemsAgreement with William Clark, Cambridge, Mass. 1729/30 Jan. 13Receipt from Norman Clark for L900 bounty for enlisting in the Continental Army, Newton, Mass. 1780 July 4Deed to Norman Clark for property of the late Thomas Parker, Newton, Mass. 1790 June 1Bond to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1730 Sept. 19Deed to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1713 Nov. 2Deed (copy) to Daniel Macay, [Newton, Mass.] 1679 May 17Receipts and miscellaneous, Boston, Mass. 1828 4 itemsIncludes receipts for silverware, tinware, and furniture (Grecian card tables, a Pembroke table, looking glass). Deed for tomb in burying yard to Norman and Alathina Clark, Newton, Mass. 1802 Oct. 4Boundary survey of property of Jared Elliot, Newton, Mass. 1711Fragmentary, missing lower sixth Deed to William Clark, Newton, Mass. 1719 Apr. 7Agreement with Norman Clark to pay minor children at their majority, Bethel, Mass. 1804 Jan. 30Survey and plat map of property purchased from Timothy Woodbridge, late property of Capt. Thomas Prentice, Cambridge Village, Mass. 1690Deed to property in New Cambridge, Mass. 1694 April 10Intact seals and docketed on verso by Samuel Sewall Deed to Thomas and William Wallis, New Cambridge, Mass. 1689 Oct. 10Signed by Samuel Sewall Deposition relative to boundaries of property of Norman Clark, Newton, Mass. 1761 June 29Return to the Table of Contents |
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