MISC: Transcription, "The Genealogy of Our Parentage", pgs 1-4, Nicholas Co., KY ************************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net. Submitter Name: "Mia K. Fleegel", (mkfleege@library.syr.edu), 4-16-00 ************************************************************************************** The original copy of The Genealogy of Our Parentage was discovered by Mia K. Adkins Fleegel in the possession of Emmett and Vernon Clark of Philadelphia, Marion County, Missouri on August 19, 1974. They graciously allowed me to borrow the little booklet and photocopy it in nearby Hannibal, Missouri. Emmett and Vernon Clark are both now deceased and I have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the original. In the late 1970's I donated a copy to the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort, Kentucky while visiting there and believe it is still available to researchers. This copy was transcribed by myself, Mia K. Fleegel in April, 2000. Spelling and punctuation is as it appears in the original copy. Known errors are noted in the footnotes. [Before posting the only change I made was to remove the hypens when a word was at the end of a line so that I could make use of word-wrap. nt] The Genealogy of Our Parentage The genealogy of our parents as handed down by our father to brother J. D. Clark some thirty years ago. As he gave a portion from memory there may be some omissions and mistakes but in the main correct. Our great-grand father John Clark, was born in England about the year 1750 of Scotch- Irish parentange. He came when quite a lad to America, married in Maryland to a Miss Baker about the beginning of the Revolutionary war. He moved to Kentucky in the latter part of the seventeenth century, before what was known as the Dark Days. He was a rugged eccentric Scotchman prosperous and charitable. He had much grain when that country was stricken with famine and he opened the doors to his graineries and gave it away. All through his life a widow was never charge a cent for grain to make bread. He was converted to the Methodist religion through the Wesley meetings in London and always adheared to that belief. He built the first log church that was in that section of Kentucky on his farm and named it Pisga, the sight of the church is yet known. The Baker family were ardent Revolutionist giving their means and some of them their lives to the cause. By agreement John Clark stayed with the family while the Baker boys joined the army. Of this marriage three children were raised, two girls and one boy. One of the girls married Josiah Vanschoaick* the other a Mr. Tewell. Samuel, the son born May 13th, 1777, died March 12, 1858, on a farm formerly owned by Robert Vanschoiack, in Mason county, Kentucky, on the Mayesville and Lexington road. * A marriage of Hezikiah Vanschiack and Sarah Clark was recorded in Mason Co., KY on July 16, 1798. --- 2 --- Samuel Clark, our grandfather, married Miss Sallie Fife, who was raised near Gilford Court House, Virginia*. She was eight years old when the battle of that place was fought. She always remembered the sound of the fire arms and confusion of the day when it was announced that General Green was repulsed. Her father was in the battle and lived to welcome LaFayette on his first visit to that place after Independence was acknowledged. The Fifes were Scotch, being very early settlers in that State. Samuel and family settled in Kentucky in the latter part of the Seventeenth Century accompanying his father. In character a high roller, fight, sing drink whiskey and for a good time in general, for all, was genial and charitable, twice rich and three times poor. All that knew him loved him. At his funeral the greatest gathering that was ever known in that country. As a fighter was never whipped, in his last fight defeated the bully of Bourbon county, in a pitch battle. Their first home was on Shannon River in Nicholas county, having bought a small farm, a mill and a distillery was on the farm as was the custom in those days; the house and mill was below the dam and one night the dam broke and all had a narrow escape for their lives. Many funny incidents our father would tell as grandfather had told him of their ups and downs in the early settlement of the State. Of this family there were four children born all boys, namely: Singleton, James, John and Daniel, the families of Singleton and Daniel still live in Kentucky, the families of James and John in Missouri. James, our father, born in Nicholas county, Kentucky, February 28th, 1800, he married Polly Vanshoaicke, near Mayesville, Mason county, Kentucky, March 15th, 1826, who was born at that place February, 23rd, A.D. 1806. *Guilford Court House is located in Greensboro, North Carolina - not Virginia as stated in this piece. --- 3 --- They immigrated to Missouri in the fall of 1830, with Robert Vanschoaicke and family and all lived together in a log house hastily built that winter; it being the winter of the deep snow. The house is standing near Woodland on the farm owned by Wm. Howell. In the spring of 1831 moved on a track of land near South River. In the summer of 1836 sold out to a Mr. Jack Snell, of Kentucky, that was during the time of the Muldrow and Ely boom. Mr. Snell agreed to give two thousand dollars for the 160 acres, paying four hundred dollars down, the remaining sixteen hundred dollars was to come at a fixed date to Monticello, Lewis county, Missouri, by a certain man of Kentucky. When father received word that the money was ready for him he went to Monticello after it, it was in gold and silver, mostly silver, so he carried it in a small hemp sack on the pommel of his saddle from Monticello to near where Woodland is. Snell never settled on the land but sold it to a Mr. Smith. The fall after selling to Snell father bought land and moved to Warren Township near Shannon's Mill and Distillery, there lived and died January 29th, 1876. Polly our mother, dying two years previous. Of this family there were ten children born, seven sons and three daughters. Robert Vanschoaicke, our grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania of Dutch parentage about 1773. He married Elizabeth Allen about 1793, they moved to Kentucky soon after, and improved a farm in Mason county on the Mayesville and Lexington Road, twelve miles from Mayesville. They built the first brick residence in that part of the country. He sold the farm in 1830 and came to Missouri traveling overland crossing the Mississippi River at St. Louis. He settled on the land now owned by Wm. Howell remained their a few years and sold out; he then moved to Monroe county settling on a farm about 4 1/2 miles --- 4 --- south of Hunnewell, where he died February 20th, 1853. He possessed the Dutch characteristics in many ways. In religious belief a Baptist. He served in the War of 1812 under General Shelby. He was at the Battle of the Thames River where the Indians were defeated and the great Tecumseh was killed. He saw Tecumseh charge on General Johnson but Johnson did not kill him and many of the soldiers fired on him at the same time and his body was pierced by several bullets. He always deplored the fact that the body of the old chieftian was afterward mutulated. Elizabeth Allen was born in 1770 and married Robert Vanschoiacke as previously stated. She was English, and East Virginian Tuckeyhoe. Part of the Allen family moved to Ohio and became famousf in politics of that State. Another branch moved to Kentucky from there to Missouri. Of this marriage there were born seven sons and three daughters, all born in Kentucky. Hezikiah married in Kentucky to a Miss Nancy Grover. Jesse was married to a Miss Patsy Howser. Enoch was afflicted and died soon after coming to Missouri. William married in Marion county, Missouri, to a Miss Susan Lair, a daughter of William Lair who lived near Woodland. Robert married a Miss Holley near Woodland. Samuel married a Miss Ary Ann Ragsdale of Monroe county. Alfred to a Miss Louisia Frazier of Monroe county. Louisa married Joseph Ragsdale her first husband, her second husband was John Milan. Nancy married James Williamson of Monroe county. Polly married James Clark. These are the names of the children of Robert and Elizabeth Vanschoaicke and all came to Missouri with their parents. The mother died in Monroe county on the farm July 3rd, 1844. [continued]