Notes for Abraham CLARK

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Notes for Abraham CLARK

Signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Hon. Abraham 4 Clark, only child of Thomas 3 and Sarah (Winans) Clark,
was born at E.T. Feb. 15, 1726. He was married about 1749 to Sarah Hatfield,
dau/of Isaac and Sarah (Price) Hatfield, who was born at E.T. about 1728.
She died June 2, 1804.
"Mr. Clark was known as Abraham Clark, Jr., to distinguish him from his uncle
Abraham. He was a surveyor, and lawyer, and drew up a very large number of
deed, wills, etc., many of which he signed as witness. He was always ready,
it is said, to aid his friends and neighbors with gratuitious advice, which
earned for him the title of "Poor Man's Counsellor".
"In 1764, he was one of the commissioners to survey and divide the common
lands of old Bergen Township.
He was in 1767, appointed Sheriff of Essex County, and clerk of the Assembly.
From the beginning of the troubles with England he took an active interest in
theaffairs of the Colonies, and in Dec. 1774, was a member of the Committee of
Observation and Correspondence, and later became Secretary. He was a member of
the Provincial Congress of 1773, and a signer of the Declaration of
Independence.
"He was a member of Congress 1780-2 and 1786-88, and was present at the
Annapolis convention of 1786, and was elected to the Constitutional Convention
of 1787, but ill health prevented his attendance at the latter. He was a
member of the second and third congresses under the new Federal Constitution,
but died before his completion of the last term. His death was due to
sunstroke, received while working on his farm at Wheatsheaf, near Rahway, 15
Sept. 1794. He was buried at Rahway where a monument has been erected to his
memory."
C.C. Gardner continued:
"Hon. Abraham Clark had ten children, . . Although many Clark families have
claimed descent from him, it is certain that his son Aaron, who settled in
Ohio,was the only son who could possibly have left any descendants in the male
line. Mr. Clark's will, dated May 15, 1793, mentions children Hannah Miller,
Sarah Edgar, Abigail Clark, Abraham Clark, and Aaron Clark, wife Sarah. The
executors named were son Abraham and brother-in-law, Andrew Hetfield."
[C.C.Gardner Collections]. While it is certainly true that most of those who
claim to be "descendants" of Abraham Clark are not (though possibly are
distant cousins), there were more than C.C. Gardner thought. An Article by
Ann Clark Hart in The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, April 1932, sets
forth the then known descendants of The Signer. We have incorporated the
results of that article in this compilation. That article has been reprinted in "Genealogies of New Jersey Families" [Geneal. Pub. Co. Balt. 1996] Vol. 1, page 145.
Gardner, at page 106 includes, just prior to Abraham Clark:
Newspaper Item "A Thought for Today"
He that ruleth over men must be just -- 2 Samuel 23:3.
Oppose Tyranny in all its strides. Guard against every step depriving us
of Constitutional Liberty. -- Abraham Clark.
It seems that almost every Clark family with some ties to Elizabethtown has a family tradition that they are related to Abraham Clark, the Signer. In this regard it is important to note that Abraham was an only child; he had no brother and no
sister and therefore was not an Uncle.
The picture included here is from "Signers of the Declaration" published by U.S. Dept. Interior, Nat. Park Service, The National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, Vol. XVIII, Washington D.C. 1973, page 47. He is also depicted in Trumbull's
famous painting of the Declaration of Independence, as No. 29, seated in the center rear.
The 20th Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Vol. 2, p.212
CLARK, Abraham, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born near Elizabethtown, N. J., Feb. 15, 1726; son of Thomas Clark. He followed the occupation of a surveyor, and was also sheriff of Essex county, and clerk of the New Jersey
assembly. He was admitted to the bar and removed to Rahway, N. J., in 1767. At the beginning of the Revolution he was a member of the committee of safety, and as a representative in the Continental congress, 1776-78, he signed the Declaration of
Independence. He was returned to congress, serving 1780-82, and again, 1787-88. He was a member of the New Jersey assembly, 1782-87, and a delegate to the Annapolis convention of 1786. He was elected to the convention in 1787, which framed the
constitution of the United States, but illness prevented him from attending. His two sons served in the Continental army, and were imprisoned and treated with indignity. He was elected a representative in the 2nd and 3rd U.S. congresses, serving
1791-94. He died at Rahway, N. J., Sept. 15, 1794.
***
NJHS has letter dated 1/16/1782 from AC to Benjamin Winans [MG31] relating military matters.
*****
See "Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette and Greene Counties, Pennsylvania ..., Volume 1
[1912] by John Woolf Jordan, James Hadden," page 179 for a description of the location of Abraham Clark's farm. "Midway between Elizabeth and Rahway, one half mile northwest of the Wheatsheaf Tavern."
*****
Executor of Benjamin Winans, Sr. will written in 1791 [See NJ Calendar of
Wills].
Need to check his will to see if Anraham Clark, Jr. was indeed deceased at
the time of its writing.

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