John W. Clark

John Wesley Clark, his personal and family background, and his involvement in the Mountain Meadows Massacre

John Wesley Clark

1818-1869

Biographical Sketch

John Wesley Clark was a native of Warren County, Indiana with American forebears from Kentucky and the backcountry of western Pennsylvania. In his early years he moved from Indiana to Arkansas and Texas, then back to Arkansas. Joining the Mormons he moved with them through Iowa and Nebraska territories to frontier Utah. He was an American frontiersman and pioneer of southern Utah.

Early Years: Westward from Indiana

Clark was born in Williamsport, Warren, Indiana. He may have been christened in 1820 in White County in central Arkansas. His mother and her forebears were from Kentucky. His father’s mother was born in Ireland. His father was from Bedford County, part of the upper Appalachian Mountains in south-central Pennsylvania. Thus, the majority of Clark’s forebears were Scots-Irish.

In 1841, Clark married Evaline Brown (1822-1893), a Arkansas native, in White County in central Arkansas. They lived in White and Van Buren counties, then later moved to Grimes County in the newly-formed Republic of Texas. By 1851, they returned to Arkansas, settling in Galveston County, Arkansas.

Migration to Utah

At some point they joined the Mormons. Twins were born to them at Chimney Rock in Nebraska Territory during their immigration to Utah Territory. They arrived in Great Salt Lake City in 1853 and moved to Grantsville in Tooele County to the south of Great Salt Lake. They remained their until 1857.

Joining the Southerners in Washington County and the Cotton Mission

In spring 1857, the Clarks were part of a migration of southerners to the new settlement of Washington in Washington County. These southerners founded the Cotton Mission in what came to be known as Utah's Dixie. By the time they joined the new colony in southern Utah, the Clarks had six children the oldest of whom was fourteen.

Although the Cotton Mission eventually proved commercially unsuccessful, it did succeed in producing cotton goods for local use and export at an important stage in Utah Territory's economic development.

In the Iron Military District: Private John Clark, Company I, John D. Lee's 4th Battalion, Washington

In September 1857, Clark, 39, was a private in a Washington platoon, in Harrison Pearce’s Company I in John D. Lee’s 4th Battalion. See A Basic Account for a full description of the massacre.

Clark was among those recruited from Washington, setting out for Mountain Meadows on Monday, September 7, arriving there on Tuesday, the 8th, and encamping there.

According to James Pearce and John D. Lee, Clark was at Mountain Meadows. His role in the massacre is unknown. Clark was not named in the 1859 arrest warrant.

Later Years

Clark and his family remained in Washington County until his death in 1869. He was buried in Washington, survived by his wife and ten living children. In later years his children were in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

References

FamilySearch.org; Lee, Mormonism Unveiled, 228, 379; Lee Trial transcripts; Walker, et al, Massacre at Mountain Meadows, Appendix C.

For full bibliographic information see Bibliography.

External Links

For further information on John Wesley Clark, see:

• http://mountainmeadowsmassacre.org/appendices/appendix-c-the-militiamen

Further information and confirmation needed. Please comment or contact 1857_militia@roadrunner.com.