Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 912 - 913

SIMEON CLARK has a fine farm on section 27, Garden Plain Township, where he is interested in stock-growing, fruit culture, and the various products raised by an enterprising Kansas farmer. He was born in Spencer County, Ky., March 31, 1826, leaving that State for Indiana when about three years old, with his mother, where they remained for nearly a year, and then went to Greene County, Ill., and made their home the succeeding five years. Thence they went to Montgomery County, Mo., but at the end of a residence of eight years in that State they returned to Illinois and settled in Pike County, remaining there until our subject was of age. His chances for an education were very limited, but by patient perseverance he managed to secure opportunities to learn to read, write and cipher. At the age of twenty-one he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, but did not follow it long, as he had a good chance to work in a sawmill in the employ of VanDorn, Arthur & Co., in Adams County, serving them faithfully and efficiently for nearly twenty years. In March, 1865, he enlisted as a member of the 38th United States Troops, and was in the service of the Government for one year.

            While in Adams County our subject established a home, having married Miss Susan Wilson, in October, 1851, but after a few brief years of a happy wedded life Mrs. Clark died. One son was born of that union, James W., the date of whose birth was Aug. 26, 1852. He is well educated, as his father gave him the school advantages that were denied to his own youth; he is now a mercantile traveler with a home in Chicago. Mr. Clark was again married, Jan. 18, 1857, to Mary M. Reed, a native of Mobile, Ala. She was born April 27, 1837, and when three years of age was taken to Palmyra, Mo., where she lived until she was nearly eight years old, when she was taken to Illinois, and bound out until she should be eighteen years old. She is a woman of great capability and is fairly well educated; she served with general satisfaction as Postmistress of Garden Plain for one year.

            In 1873 Mr. Clark resolved to try life in Kansas, and coming to Wichita in October of that year, the following winter he worked at wagon-repairing with his brother, who was a blacksmith. In March, 1874, he pre-empted his present farm of 160 acres, and shortly after his family joined him. On account of the grasshopper raid our subject had to work in Wichita another year to support his family. Times were very hard that year, and they were very poor as he found it difficult to get good paying work all of the time; then Mrs. Clark nobly proved herself to be a true helpmate by taking in sewing to assist her husband in supplying the necessaries of life. Since that time prosperity has smiled upon them, and Mr. Clark has been enabled to put his farm in a high state of culture, to erect a comfortable dwelling and other farm buildings. He has a good peach orchard, which brings him in a good sum of money; a fine grove greatly enhances the value of his farm and adds beauty to his place.

            To our subject and his wife have been born three children, namely: William H. A., born Oct. 3, 1857; Harvey M., born March 3, 1859, died Sept. 23, 1859; Helen S., born Nov. 16, 1862, died Nov. 5, 1864, having been burned by her clothing catching fire. William is finely educated and has a good position in the State National Bank at Wichita; he is married and has a home of his own. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have taken a boy into their home, whom they have reared from an infant six weeks old. His name is Antonio J. Winters, and he was born Nov. 15, 1876, in Quincy, Ill.

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