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Subject: [MAHAMPSH] Chester & Grace (Thayer) Clark
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:34:04 +0000


Town records are available at the Northampton City Hall & on microfilm at the Forbes Library. Probate records are available at the Hampshire County Court House (conveniently located in Northampton). The staff at the City Clerk's office are very nice & very helpful. The reference library staff at Forbes is great.

James Trumbull's "History of Northampton" (2 Vol, pub 1898) has information about William1 and Nathaniel4. The vast majority is information that is interesting to add to a family history. The only "genealogical" information is in Vol 1, p112-114. William Clarke was married twice - his first wife Sarah died in Sept 1676 and he married Sarah (--) Cooper, widow of Lt. Thomas Cooper. He had 10 children, none born in Northampton, and died at ae 81 in 1690.

"In 1888, the descendants of William Clarke, from all sections of the country, united in erecting a memorial to his memory in Bridge Street cemetery. The original slab of red sandstone still marks the location of the grave, and beside it has been placed a monument with an appropriate inscription." (p114)

Forbes has a copy of the History of Northampton. It also has microfilms of the Daily Hampshire Gazette so you might want to check to see what articles were written about the family reunion & the monument. Northampton also had the Northampton Courier and sometimes it has different information than the Gazette so check both papers.

Forbes has a genealogy room that is open on Fridays, but if you call ahead, you can make arrangements for access at other times. Its card catologue is on-line if you want to check for any local Clark/e genealogies. Forbes doesn't have the same hours every day so check on-line for the hours so you can plan your attack ahead of time.

Westhampton has a part-time clerk so you may want to call ahead for access to those town records.

The Dept of Public Works is responsible for the Bridge Street cemetery. If you call ahead, they can tell you exactly where in the cemetery William's memorial is located. The cemetery roads are not paved so you may be here just in time for "mud season". Be prepared to walk through snow/mud if you want to see the memorial.

Feel free to e-mail me off list if I can provide any other info for you.

--
Jane S.

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