The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. This is continued from last week’s edition of the Star Herald.
January 14, 1943
The distinction of being a distant relative of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence belongs to Mrs. Addie Clark, 84, who resides with her daughter, Mrs. Vernon Goembel, near Luverne. Although most people at her age would not undertake it, Mrs. Clark recently wrote a brief family biography, tracing the history of her family since early in the 18th century.
Her father David McKean was of Scotch descent, his forefathers having come to this country in 1720. An old family history, which was later destroyed by fire, stated that the first McKeans came to Boston in that year. There were five boatloads of Scots that came at one time, but Mrs. Clark is not certain that all were north to Nova Scotia, others settled in Connecticut and New York and many probably settled in Massachusetts.
One of her father’s forbears was Thomas McKean, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Mrs. Clark’s father was a boy of 17 when he came west to settle in Clinton county, Ia. His father bought a half section of land at $2.50 per acre, which land was owned by the McKean family until 1867. Mrs. Clark’s father cared for his parents as long as they lived. He was married in 1855 to Sarah E. Banks and they reared a family of five girls—“three school teachers and two milliners” according to Mrs. Clark. Mrs. Clark, who was one of the school teachers, was born on the home farm Sept. 14, 1858.
“My mother,” says Mrs. Clark, “married at 18 as most of the girls of that age did. They moved to father’s farm, part of the original farm, and lived there until after the Civil War. My mother did not like farm life.
“We had a good school there and she was anxious for us girls to have every advantage.
“Those were hard times after the war,” recalls Mrs. Clark, and predicts, “they’re such as we’ll have when this war is over.
“We lived on the old farm until 1867, then moved to Wheatland in the same county. Later, in 1873, we moved to Calhoun county, Ia. where I stayed with my grandfather and went to high school that year. Then I went to Missouri to school and lived with my great-uncle 1½ years. The next summer, I taught a country school, and that fall on Oct. 11, 1876, I was married to Ellis I. Clark, at Lake City, Ia.”
Mrs. Clark taught school the next year, and then she and her husband moved on a rented farm. In two years, Mr. Clark bought an 80-acre tract, and built a small house, 14x20 feet, with one room on the second floor. They lived there until 1881 when they sold the farm and bought another. There they built a large house and barn, and as Mrs. Clark describes it, “we were very comfortable.”
In 1896, they sold their Iowa farm and moved to Nebraska, living there 12 years before moving to Clear Lake, S.D. This was their home for five years, and they then moved to Luverne, coming to this community Feb. 24, 1914. They bought a farm near Luverne and operated it until moving to Luverne on Decoration day, 1917.
Mr. and Mrs. Clark were the parents of 10 children, nine of whom are living. They include Edmond L. Clark, Dickson, Ill.; Mrs. J. H. Pinkley, Pender, Neb.; Guy E. Clark, Cedar Rapids, Ia.; David W. Clark, Detroit, Mich.; Neil C. Clark, Walker, Ia.; Mrs. Vernon Goembel, Luverne; Floyd M. Clark, East Moline, Ill.; and Leslie L. Clark, Tallahassee, Fla. She also has 24 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Clark has two sisters living, Mrs. Clara M. Alt, Evanston, Ill. and Mrs. Bird Davey, Des Moines, Ia.
“As to my own life,” Mrs. Clark writes in her biographical sketch, “it is hardly worth talking about. It was quiet and uneventful as you may suppose, cooking and doing my own work the better part of the time. I never knew what it meant not to have plenty for my big family of seven boys and two girls. I lost one girl, eleven years old, in 1896. This was a great grief.
“I am 84 years old now, and as happy as one can be out of her own home. My husband died in 1926.
“As to the reason for my long life, perhaps that can be found in Exodus 20, in the fourth commandment, “Honor thy father and thy mother and that days may be long in the land thy God giveth thee’.”
Mrs. Clark is a member of the Presbyterian church, serving many years as superintendent and teacher in the Sunday school.
She has made her home with Mrs. Goembel since her husband’s death in 1926.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.