William Clark

ID # 2405, (1841-1899)
FatherWilliam George Clark (1807-)
MotherSarah Street (1805-)
BirthWilliam Clark was born in 1841 at Landport, Hampshire, England. 
ChristeningHe was christened on 5 September 1841 at Portsea, Hampshire, England. 
MarriageHe married Emma Catherine Mathewson, daughter of James Mathewson and Emma Beal Hare, on 19 June 1864 at Stratford, St. John, Essex, England.
Ancestry provides a transcription only for the following:

Essex, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1935

William Clark, full age, place of marriage Stratford, St John, Essex, England. Marriage date 19 June, 1864. Father William George Clark.
Spouse Emma Catherine Mathewson, father James Mathewson.

Source Description:Service of Church: Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials; Incumbent; Stratford, St John; Parish Records;1860-1868.
 
DeathHe died on 6 December 1899 at Galt, Waterloo Co.. 
BurialHe was buried at Section 3, Mountview Cemetery, Galt, Ontario. 
NoteThe 1871 census at Teddington, London, England, shows the Clark family (son Henry excepted) and William Clark, age 29, carpenter, as being born in Landport, Hampshire. His place of birth is so shown in this tree. The 1861 census, however, shows his place of birth as Portsea in Hampshire. The 1851 census also shows his place of birth as Portsea. A glance at a map of the area shows Landport to border Portsea. This is on Portsea Island and Landport is probably technically correct. It's interesting to note that the 1851 and 1861 censuses show William with an older sister named Thirza. Will and Emma Clark had a daughter Thirza and she was evidently named after his sister.

The 1851 and 1861 censuses show William's parents as William George Clark and Sarah. FreeBMD shows a marriage on Portsea Island in the 2nd quarter of 1838 between William George Clark and Sarah Street.

In the 1881 Canadian census, Will Clark is said to be a carpenter. His profession in the 1891 census is illegible.

His son, Wesley Clark, gives Will's place of birth as Portsmouth, England.

Death reg. 026052-00 Galt, Waterloo County
William Clark died Dec. 6, 1899. Age 59. Residence Rich Ave. Carpenter. Married. Methodist. Born England. Physician and informant Dr. J. S. Wardlaw.

It appears that the above page of death registrations was not entered until January of 1900, hence they are registered in that year at the Archives of Ontario.

Until at least recent years, a picture appeared inside the Market Square entrance at Wesley United Church in Cambridge/Galt. The central photograph was surrounded with individual photographs of early church elders. One of them was William Clark.

A comment here regarding the baptisms of Will and Emma's children.

No doubt they were all baptized. Entries of baptisms in the central repository of the Wesleyan Methodist Church are, however, inconsistent. It does appear that many clergy never bothered to submit the information. There also appears to be the odd inconsistency relating to a given clergyman. This latter may have to do with legibility of the entry clerk's handwriting which then in turn affected the indexing. Reference to a given church's records would probably tell a fuller story. For the moment, only a baptism for son Stephen has been found in the Wesleyan Baptism records. 

Children of William Clark and Emma Catherine Mathewson

Last Edited9 Nov 2023