Loudon County TN Archives Biographies.....Clark, Eli Sutton December 25, 1806 - December 31, 1891
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Liz Clark momcat44@bellsouth.net March 8, 2006, 2:11 pm

Author: liz Clark

Eli Sutton Clark

1806-1891



  Eli Sutton Clark was born in Rowan County, NC, on December 25, 1806.  his

parents were John B. and Rachael Ward Clark.  He married Elizabeth Swan on the

23rd August 1827 in Rowan County, NC.  He and his family left North Carolina for

Tennessee in 1843.He was a founding Trustee for the Methodist Episcopal Church

that was formed in 1865 after the Civil War in Loudon, Tennessee. The following

is taken from the privately printed "Historical record of the First M. E. Church

of Loudon, 1865-1948"  The photo-copy was done at the church- no pagination on

the original church document; it was the first page in the monograph. 



	"The church was born in a revival at the old Episcopal Church in the early part

of 1865, before the close of the civil war.  The name of the minister who

conducted this meting cannot be recalled, but the following description is given

of him:  He was tall, prominent featured, and of an Abraham Lincoln type.  A

preacher of force and power.

	D. F. Harrison and family, E. S. Clark and family, B. T. Harrison and family,

Miss Mary Mason, who later married Prof Presnell of the Athens school, J. D.

Turner, the first sheriff of Loudon County, and Jno. Sevier King, the first

Circuit Court Clerk of Loudon County, relative of the first governor of

Tennessee, were among the early pioneers of Methodism in this community.

	The church building was erected in the years 1874 and 1875.  The structure was

of hand-made brick.

	The first trustees of the church were: D. F. Harrison, John S. King, E. S.

Clark, W, H. Cassady, C. T. P. Davis, J. W. Roberson, and F. J. Mason."



Note on above:  D. W. Harrison was married to Sarah Ann Clarke.  B.T. Harrison

was married to Rebecca Clark, daughter of Eli Sutton Clark(e).



  Eli had a blacksmith shop in Loudon.  His granddaughter, Willie Myrtle Clarke,

said the iron for the window weights that were originally installed in the

Loudon County, Tennessee, Courthouse were forged in his shop in Loudon for his

two sons, John Wesley and Ira Napoleon worked on the building of the courthouse

in 1872. Eli and his two sons also built numerous homes around the Loudon area.

 These include the home “Christiana” for Eli’s daughter, Martha Rebecca, who was

nicknamed Christiana.  The white columned home is located on Harrison Bend Road.

 It is white washed brick with walls from exterior to interior at least 15

inches thick.  The original Clark home was located near the beginnings of

Harrison Bend Road on a lot that was vacant as of 2000 in Loudon.  There are

several other homes.  Eli and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried in Riverview

Cemetery.  He died 31st December 1891.  The graves are all marked and several of

Eli and Elizabeth’s children are buried with them.  The Clarks have left Loudon

as of 2000, but the families of Simpson and Harrison who are cousins still remain.



Additional Comments:
already sent one of Eli- am including this in case one did not get through

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