Spencer Clack memorials in Sevierville TN

 Repost from When I Was 69 dated 12/10/2020

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 Unveiling by DAR of the Spencer Clack memorial in Sevierville, TN, 1937.

The Sevier County Court House in 2018

And the memorial stone still stands by its side...

I was able to just walk up to it to get this closeup of the plaque.

He was my great times 5 grandfather...his daughter, Catharine Clack married Rev. Elijah  Rogers, who had a son Micajah Rogers, who had a son, George Washington Rogers, who had a son William Sandford Rogers, who had a son George E. Rogers, who had a son George E. Rogers Jr. who was my father.

In honor of Lt. Spencer Clack's death July 9, 1832

repost from 7/9/2018 When I Was 69 blog

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 I recently saw a post on one of my more famous (there aren't that many!) ancestors, Spencer Clack of Sevierville, TN.  The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter is named after him there.  So Lieutenant Clack must have been pretty important in that area.  Anyway, the new post had a document about a "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files Page 10 - Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant."

 Original marker standing (broken) and Revolutionary soldier honorary marker for Spencer Clack

Carved likeness of Spencer Clack on his grave marker. before it was broken.

Recently added document

But it was completely illegible.  I copied the photo, cropped it, enlarged it, enhanced the contrast and brightness, but it was all gibberish. So I was glad that the original source, Page 10, was cited, and when I went back there, I could read about John Alvey's pension request by his widow, Francis, or maybe her survivors as to whether she could have received pensions for the last days of her life, written in 1857.  Who is he? Who is she?

The Ancestry tree I have doesn't have any John Alvey, or even Francis Alvey on it, especially related to Spencer Clack.  I wonder who they were? And how they are related to Lt. Spencer Clack.  When I asked, the person who's tree it was added to said he/she hadn't been working on that part of her/his tree lately, and didn't know who it referred to either.

Here's the best I was able to do with my limited photo skills.  More will be coming I'm sure.

I located a pretty good summary of Spencer Clack's life, HERE. 
I'm copying it below, in case you want to know more about him.

Spencer Clack (1746-1832) 

by Miss Tommie Clack, Abilene, Texas; and J. A. Sharp, Sevierville, Tenn.

Spencer Clack, Revolutionary soldier, settled in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1788 or 1789. Little is known of his military service except that he was a lieutenant of a Virginia (Henry County) militia company in 1782-83; Captain Tully Choice was company commander. He was born, March 28,1746. His obituary gave his birthplace as Loudoun County, Virginia, but this could not be accurate for Loudoun County was not partitioned from Fairfax County until 1757, and no Clack records, as early as Spencer's birth, were found in either of these counties. 

Spencer Clack did, however, live in Loudoun County, and witnessed there, in 1770, the will of Thomas Beavers; also, Loudoun County was probably where he married Mary Beavers about 1766. He sold his lands in Loudoun County in 1777 and moved southward to Henry County, Virginia about 1778, when he purchased land in the latter county. In 1786, when Franklin County, Virginia, was formed from parts of Henry and Bedford Counties, he became one of the first justices of the new county, and in 1787 he sold his Franklin County lands, just before his westward trek to Sevier County, Tennessee. 

No conclusive proof of the parentage of Spencer Clack has been offered, although various attempts to do so have been made by descendents and genealogists. It does seem certain, however, that he descended from Rev. James Clack, English-born rector of Ware Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, from 1679 to 1723. 

The Spencer Clack home in Sevier County was located on the right bank of Little Pigeon River, immediately below the junction of the East Fork and West Fork of that river. Here, in 1808, Spencer obtained an occupant grant from Tennessee for 442 acres; most of this land was on the north bank of East Fork directly opposite to the town of Sevierville, or the Forks-of-Little Pigeon, as this frontier settlement was known. The Chandlers and Walkers, Clack descendents, later owned the same place and the old Clack home was located on the same site as the later Chandler-Walker home. Near his home Spencer operated one of Sevierville's first mills, also a cotton gin and wool-carding machine. 

Spencer Clack was prominent in the affairs of the Forks-of-Little Pigeon (Sevierville) Baptist Church from the time of its formation in 1789 until his death. For many years he served as church clerk. In addition to his church activities he was interested in education and politics. He was an early trustee of Nancy Academy, Sevier County's first school and gave money for its support. He was one of the five Sevier County delegates to the Knoxville convention of 1796, which drafted and adopted Tennessee's first constitution and he was a signer of that document. He also represented Sevier County in the lower house of the first three Tennessee legislatures, 1796-1802, and in 1801 he served on the legislative committee "to prepare a device and motto" for the Great Seal of Tennessee. 

Neither the Spence Clack Bible record nor the Spence Clack will have been found; therefore, the writers will list only those who were unquestionably children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack. Perhaps, in this way, the confusion and error of other Clack descendents and genealogists may be avoided. Good proof exists for the following Clack children: Martha, Rawleigh (Rolly) (b. 1772), Rhoda (b. 1776), Catherine (b. 1778), Frances (b. c1783), Mary (b. 1785) and Malvina. 

Martha Clack's marriage to Josiah Rogers occurred in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1786; they apparently came to Sevier County with the Clacks. Rawleigh Clack was married (1) to Mary Randles in 1791, and after her death he was married (2) to Martha Kerr in 1816; this marriage took place in Sevier County. Sixteen children resulted and about 1820 Rawleigh and family moved down the Tennessee River to Rhea County, Tennessee, where he died in 1842. Rhoda Clack married James Randles in 1791; they raised a family of twelve on Boyd's Creek in Sevier County. Randles died in 1816, while on a trip to Virginia for salt, and was buried somewhere in Washington County, Virginia. Catherine Clack was married, in 1794, to Rev. Elijah Rogers, early and well known Baptist minister in East Tennessee; they raised five sons and five daughters at their Sevier County home near the mouth of the Little Pigeon, on the French Broad River. Mary Clack married William Miller; they left Sevier County at an early date and settled in Meigs County, Tennessee, where she died in 1860. Frances Clack was married (1) to Mordecai Gist; after his death she married (2) John Mynatt of Knox County, Tennessee. Malvina Clack married Major Beavers; they left Sevier County for Talladega County, Alabama, soon after the War of 1812. 

There were doubtless other Clack children, but the writers do not believe that Spencer Clack, Jr. John Clack and Nancy Clack were children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack, as some published accounts claim. However, there is a well established tradition that there was a son, Micajah Clack, who was "killed by lighting." And there may have been a daughter named Rebecca Clack, but again we must rely only upon tradition for proof. Also, in 1789, one Sarah Clack (b. c1773) married William Henderson in the "Forks of Little Pigeon," as shown by bounty land papers in the National Archives; they migrated to St. Louis County, Missouri, about 1840. We believe that this Sarah Clack, heretofore unknown to present generations of Clack descendents, was another daughter of Spencer and Mary. 

Spencer Clack's death occurred, July 9, 1832 and he was buried in the old Baptist Cemetery at Sevierville; the original flat limestone rock with the unique carving of Spencer's face and the initials, "S.C.", still marks his grave. Mary Beavers Clack died, August 14, 1840, and was buried by the side of her husband. At the time of his death a contemporary described Spencer Clack as a "pious… worthy Christian, kind and affectionate. . .an excellent neighbor, remarkably even and unruffled in temper."

I highlighted Catherine Clack and Rev. Elijah Rogers, my great times 4 grandparents.

If you know who the Alvey's were, please leave a comment below! Thanks.

In honor of Spencer Clack's death, July 9, 1832

 Repost from 2018

Ada & George Rogers Sr. and granddaughters Mary Elizabeth and Barbara Booth Rogers 1948 Houston TX. I'm adding this photo to posts in the George Rogers Family Tree.

I recently saw a post on one of my more famous (there aren't that many!) ancestors, Spencer Clack of Sevierville, TN.  The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter is named after him there.  So Lieutenant Clack must have been pretty important in that area.  Anyway, the new post had a document about a "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files Page 10 - Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant."

 Original marker standing (broken) and Revolutionary soldier honorary marker for Spencer Clack

Carved likeness of Spencer Clack on his grave marker. before it was broken.

Recently added document

But it was completely illegible.  I copied the photo, cropped it, enlarged it, enhanced the contrast and brightness, but it was all gibberish. So I was glad that the original source, Page 10, was cited, and when I went back there, I could read about John Alvey's pension request by his widow, Francis, or maybe her survivors as to whether she could have received pensions for the last days of her life, written in 1857.  Who is he? Who is she?

The Ancestry tree I have doesn't have any John Alvey, or even Francis Alvey on it, especially related to Spencer Clack.  I wonder who they were? And how they are related to Lt. Spencer Clack.  When I asked, the person who's tree it was added to said he/she hadn't been working on that part of her/his tree lately, and didn't know who it referred to either.

Here's the best I was able to do with my limited photo skills.  More will be coming I'm sure.

I located a pretty good summary of Spencer Clack's life, HERE. 
I'm copying it below, in case you want to know more about him.

Spencer Clack (1746-1832) 

by Miss Tommie Clack, Abilene, Texas; and J. A. Sharp, Sevierville, Tenn.

Spencer Clack, Revolutionary soldier, settled in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1788 or 1789. Little is known of his military service except that he was a lieutenant of a Virginia (Henry County) militia company in 1782-83; Captain Tully Choice was company commander. He was born, March 28,1746. His obituary gave his birthplace as Loudoun County, Virginia, but this could not be accurate for Loudoun County was not partitioned from Fairfax County until 1757, and no Clack records, as early as Spencer's birth, were found in either of these counties. 

Spencer Clack did, however, live in Loudoun County, and witnessed there, in 1770, the will of Thomas Beavers; also, Loudoun County was probably where he married Mary Beavers about 1766. He sold his lands in Loudoun County in 1777 and moved southward to Henry County, Virginia about 1778, when he purchased land in the latter county. In 1786, when Franklin County, Virginia, was formed from parts of Henry and Bedford Counties, he became one of the first justices of the new county, and in 1787 he sold his Franklin County lands, just before his westward trek to Sevier County, Tennessee. 

No conclusive proof of the parentage of Spencer Clack has been offered, although various attempts to do so have been made by descendents and genealogists. It does seem certain, however, that he descended from Rev. James Clack, English-born rector of Ware Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, from 1679 to 1723. 

The Spencer Clack home in Sevier County was located on the right bank of Little Pigeon River, immediately below the junction of the East Fork and West Fork of that river. Here, in 1808, Spencer obtained an occupant grant from Tennessee for 442 acres; most of this land was on the north bank of East Fork directly opposite to the town of Sevierville, or the Forks-of-Little Pigeon, as this frontier settlement was known. The Chandlers and Walkers, Clack descendents, later owned the same place and the old Clack home was located on the same site as the later Chandler-Walker home. Near his home Spencer operated one of Sevierville's first mills, also a cotton gin and wool-carding machine. 

Spencer Clack was prominent in the affairs of the Forks-of-Little Pigeon (Sevierville) Baptist Church from the time of its formation in 1789 until his death. For many years he served as church clerk. In addition to his church activities he was interested in education and politics. He was an early trustee of Nancy Academy, Sevier County's first school and gave money for its support. He was one of the five Sevier County delegates to the Knoxville convention of 1796, which drafted and adopted Tennessee's first constitution and he was a signer of that document. He also represented Sevier County in the lower house of the first three Tennessee legislatures, 1796-1802, and in 1801 he served on the legislative committee "to prepare a device and motto" for the Great Seal of Tennessee. 

Neither the Spence Clack Bible record nor the Spence Clack will have been found; therefore, the writers will list only those who were unquestionably children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack. Perhaps, in this way, the confusion and error of other Clack descendents and genealogists may be avoided. Good proof exists for the following Clack children: Martha, Rawleigh (Rolly) (b. 1772), Rhoda (b. 1776), Catherine (b. 1778), Frances (b. c1783), Mary (b. 1785) and Malvina. 

Martha Clack's marriage to Josiah Rogers occurred in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1786; they apparently came to Sevier County with the Clacks. Rawleigh Clack was married (1) to Mary Randles in 1791, and after her death he was married (2) to Martha Kerr in 1816; this marriage took place in Sevier County. Sixteen children resulted and about 1820 Rawleigh and family moved down the Tennessee River to Rhea County, Tennessee, where he died in 1842. Rhoda Clack married James Randles in 1791; they raised a family of twelve on Boyd's Creek in Sevier County. Randles died in 1816, while on a trip to Virginia for salt, and was buried somewhere in Washington County, Virginia. Catherine Clack was married, in 1794, to Rev. Elijah Rogers, early and well known Baptist minister in East Tennessee; they raised five sons and five daughters at their Sevier County home near the mouth of the Little Pigeon, on the French Broad River. Mary Clack married William Miller; they left Sevier County at an early date and settled in Meigs County, Tennessee, where she died in 1860. Frances Clack was married (1) to Mordecai Gist; after his death she married (2) John Mynatt of Knox County, Tennessee. Malvina Clack married Major Beavers; they left Sevier County for Talladega County, Alabama, soon after the War of 1812. 

There were doubtless other Clack children, but the writers do not believe that Spencer Clack, Jr. John Clack and Nancy Clack were children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack, as some published accounts claim. However, there is a well established tradition that there was a son, Micajah Clack, who was "killed by lighting." And there may have been a daughter named Rebecca Clack, but again we must rely only upon tradition for proof. Also, in 1789, one Sarah Clack (b. c1773) married William Henderson in the "Forks of Little Pigeon," as shown by bounty land papers in the National Archives; they migrated to St. Louis County, Missouri, about 1840. We believe that this Sarah Clack, heretofore unknown to present generations of Clack descendents, was another daughter of Spencer and Mary. 

Spencer Clack's death occurred, July 9, 1832 and he was buried in the old Baptist Cemetery at Sevierville; the original flat limestone rock with the unique carving of Spencer's face and the initials, "S.C.", still marks his grave. Mary Beavers Clack died, August 14, 1840, and was buried by the side of her husband. At the time of his death a contemporary described Spencer Clack as a "pious… worthy Christian, kind and affectionate. . .an excellent neighbor, remarkably even and unruffled in temper."

I highlighted Catherine Clack and Rev. Elijah Rogers, my great times 4 grandparents.

If you know who the Alvey's were, please leave a comment below! Thanks. 

Yes, more of Spencer Clack's siblings

Looking at Spencer Clack's siblings (part 3)... (See this link for the start of this series)

Ann Clack Robinson 1745-1800
Spencer Clack 1746-1832
Martha (Patty) Kennon Clack (between 1748-60) - (around 1793-1818,) unknown if she married Hightower, d. maybe in NC
James Clack (1750 or 56) -1834
John Sterling Clack 1758-1798
Richard Clack 1763-1806
Agnes Bolling Clack 1771-1803


Richard Clack 1763-12 Jan 1806. He was born in what is now Loudon County, VA.

In 1786 in Brunswick County VA, he married Anne Hardaway who had been born in Prince George County VA in 1759 but their marriage, 14, Sept of 1786 was in Brunswick County VA.  She died sometime before 1794.  They had no children (at least recorded through Ancestry.)

Richard married again in 1794 to Amy Maclin or McLain or Mclain. They had at least 4 and maybe 6 children.  The tree gets a bit fuzzy at this point, without birth or death dates, so it's hard to see if the names that are listed really belong to these parents.   Richard died in 1806, and Amy in 1808.  Richard's death was in Brunswick County VA, and we don't know where Amy died.  Richard apparently left a will, naming at least 2 children, and mentioning there were others who weren't named.

The last of the Clack siblings is Agnes Bolling Clack Jones, born in 1771 in Brunswick County, VA.
She married William Jones on 14 Feb. 1792 in Brunswick VA.  But ancestry has listed another William Jones, one who married Elizabeth somebody else and died in Georgia.  I couldn't find out much about Agnes and her family.  The other William Jones came from Prince George County, VA (same birth and death dates) and had parents listed.  One from Mecklenburg County VA didn't have parents listed, but same dates.  And being married in Brunswick County VA may just mean that that is where Agnes lived.  There are 2 listings for their marriage, but none for their children (if any) nor even definite death places or dates.

So today's pursuit of cousins has ended.

More of Spencer Clack's siblings...John Sterling Clack

John Sterling Clack 1758-1798

Well, there appears to be some hanky panky going on. He's got 3 wives listed, and the first one was still alive when he married the third.  She also is mother to a whole lot of children that were born where he never lived that I know of.  One John Sterling who served in the Revolutionary War had a wife (or maybe daughter) named Mary who applied for his pension in Connecticut.  I don't think I'll consider her married to my John Sterling of VA and TN.

He was in the Revolutionary War.  That much is known.  Maybe he went by Sterling as well as John Clack.

There were probably 2 men, both of whom had families of Clack children.  Only one was brother to Spencer Clack of Sevierville.

One of them lived until 1831.
One of them died in 1798

One of them married Sarah Sally Standifer, and died in Pulaski, Giles County, TN.

One of them married Ann Eppes Walker and remained in VA where he died in 1798.

I can't keep them separate yet.  So many Ancestry Trees name one or the other wife, one or the other date and place of death.

Here are some interesting notes from a Family Chronicle, probably written in 1928 by a 84 year old grandson of the John Sterling Clack of Pulaski, Giles County, TN.  It was entered into Ancestry trees by "jgbg2016, Trophy Club, Denton TX in Jan 2017.  I don't know when or where it was published.

But based on this information, I'm going to remove Anne Eppes Walker as being married to our John Sterling.  It's not likely that our John had a wife and children in VA while being in Giles County TN.  It's a long ways away.

...this is the largest that the photos will enlarge.  I am saving here pages 649-652, and combined 655-56.

The author interviewed Col Spencer D. Clack (not Hon Lt. Spencer Clack) but a grandson of John Sterling Clack.

The above information includes why he has been so hard to flesh out. Pulaski, Giles County, TN is the home of the original Klu Klux Klan.  And John's son and grandson apparently were active members.

I'm so sorry, but every family has this kind of branch.  It has been cut off apparently by some of my relatives...perhaps cousins who just took the information out, left me wondering what ever happened to those children.  Now I know why.  These poor befuddled and racist men had fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War, and for them the war was continuing.  I do not feel sorry for them.  They have been misled and committed atrocities against black people too numerous to list.  Indeed, I dare say they haven't ever been written down.  The KKK knows how it is a evil monster, and so hides from public view.

Spencer Clack's siblings' families

Lt. Spencer Clack has been given a lot of my blog time...Try these subjects if you want some background:
In honor of Spencer Clack's Death July 9
Spencer Clack Memorials by the Little Pigeon River, Sevierville TN
Mary Beavers Clack and her children
Spencer Clack, founding father, Sevierville TN and Revolutionary War soldier

Today I will be looking at his younger siblings, since he was the first son born into the John Clack family. I already gave you a post on  Col. John Clack which mentioned how the children were born in different Virginia counties.  But the dates of their births are pretty wishy washy.

Ann Clack Robinson 1745-1800
Spencer Clack 1746-1832
Martha (Patty) Kennon Clack (between 1748-60) - (around 1793-1818,) unknown if she married Hightower, d. either in NC or GA?
James Clack (1750 or 56) -1834
John Sterling Clack 1758-1798
Richard Clack 1763-1806
Agnes Bolling Clack 1771-1803

I spent a good couple of hours looking at how many Ancestry trees combined Martha Clack (whether she had Patty or Polly as a nick-name or not) and another couple of Marthas who were named in wills.  I thought she might have been the Martha married to Austin (Augustino) Hightower (his second wife.)  It is too bad that his first wife was named Jane Oldham, and someone decided that her name must have been Martha Jane.  I'm going with the guess that there were 2 different women.  But there's no evidence.  And since someone thinks his last 3 children were born to the second wife, our Martha might have only been 13 when she married a man who had 3 children already and was (ahem) 63.  (But her birth date also might be in question, so maybe she was older) So as of now, I'm skeptical of her being THAT Martha, who died in Chatham County, NC in 1793.

The other Martha was definitely Martha Rivers, not Clack, so that whole family isn't related to me.  I may never find out, but Martha Rivers Broadnax did have a daughter who's given a K. as middle initial, which could have stood for Kennon, but the Rivers Martha is the one who was her mom, not my Martha Clack (whose mom had been a Kennon.)

And now let's hope the rest of the siblings have easy to follow notes on their lives.

Ann Clack Robinson, born to Col. John (1721-1784) and Mary Kennon Clack (1728-1794) on 12 April, 1745.  But her birth could have been as late as 1748.  In Brunswick County, VA...which is where she married Burwell Robinson on 9 Feb 1766.  They had 8 children.  They moved around 1783 to Warren County NC, where one daughter was born, but their last 2 children were born back in VA.   However Ann returned to Warren County NC by the time she died 12 March 1800.  Burwell outlived her  until 1816, and there's a hand written will of his desires, including leaving a ferry and an acre of land at the landing in Warren County NC to his son Clack.

The Robinson's other children were
Elizabeth, Mary Polly, Lucy, John, Nancy Anna Robinson Claiborne, James, and Henry.

I dare say the other daughters also married, but I haven't gone off in that direction to find out.  The Claiborne name is already in my Rogers Family tree, so I'm glad to see that marriage, though not to the other Claibornes that I've got already. Nancy Anna's husband was George Ravenscoft Claiborne, (1782-1833) and I haven't ever heard of him.

More on other siblings tomorrow...

At the courthouse in Sevierville

 "Oh yes," the Information Volunteer told me, "don't miss seeing Dolly's statue at the courthouse."

 Sevier County Courthouse entrance

Dolly Parton, country singer, actress...who started Dollywood and has contributed a great deal to the community....this statue didn't look that much like her, except for the guitar.

 The kinds of photos I usually see of Dolly Parton

A historic marker on the grounds of the courthouse, dedicated by the Spencer Clack chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The plaque (enlarged below) was dedicated in 1931.

My great times 5 grandfather, Lt. Spencer Clack.


Another marker at the courthouse.

Other markers at the court house were...

In honor of Lt. Spencer Clack's death July 9, 1832

NOTE: a repost from my other blog...gathering the more recent blog posts into one place for access and organization!

I recently saw a post on one of my more famous (there aren't that many!) ancestors, Spencer Clack of Sevierville, TN.  The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter is named after him there.  So Lieutenant Clack must have been pretty important in that area.  Anyway, the new post had a document about a "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files Page 10 - Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant."

 Original marker standing (broken) and Revolutionary soldier honorary marker for Spencer Clack

Carved likeness of Spencer Clack on his grave marker. before it was broken.

Recently added document

But it was completely illegible.  I copied the photo, cropped it, enlarged it, enhanced the contrast and brightness, but it was all gibberish. So I was glad that the original source, Page 10, was cited, and when I went back there, I could read about John Alvey's pension request by his widow, Francis, or maybe her survivors as to whether she could have received pensions for the last days of her life, written in 1857.  Who is he? Who is she?

The Ancestry tree I have doesn't have any John Alvey, or even Francis Alvey on it, especially related to Spencer Clack.  I wonder who they were? And how they are related to Lt. Spencer Clack.  When I asked, the person who's tree it was added to said he/she hadn't been working on that part of her/his tree lately, and didn't know who it referred to either.

Here's the best I was able to do with my limited photo skills.  More will be coming I'm sure.

I located a pretty good summary of Spencer Clack's life, HERE. 
I'm copying it below, in case you want to know more about him.

Spencer Clack (1746-1832) 

by Miss Tommie Clack, Abilene, Texas; and J. A. Sharp, Sevierville, Tenn.

Spencer Clack, Revolutionary soldier, settled in Sevier County, Tennessee, in 1788 or 1789. Little is known of his military service except that he was a lieutenant of a Virginia (Henry County) militia company in 1782-83; Captain Tully Choice was company commander. He was born, March 28,1746. His obituary gave his birthplace as Loudoun County, Virginia, but this could not be accurate for Loudoun County was not partitioned from Fairfax County until 1757, and no Clack records, as early as Spencer's birth, were found in either of these counties. 

Spencer Clack did, however, live in Loudoun County, and witnessed there, in 1770, the will of Thomas Beavers; also, Loudoun County was probably where he married Mary Beavers about 1766. He sold his lands in Loudoun County in 1777 and moved southward to Henry County, Virginia about 1778, when he purchased land in the latter county. In 1786, when Franklin County, Virginia, was formed from parts of Henry and Bedford Counties, he became one of the first justices of the new county, and in 1787 he sold his Franklin County lands, just before his westward trek to Sevier County, Tennessee. 

No conclusive proof of the parentage of Spencer Clack has been offered, although various attempts to do so have been made by descendents and genealogists. It does seem certain, however, that he descended from Rev. James Clack, English-born rector of Ware Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia, from 1679 to 1723. 

The Spencer Clack home in Sevier County was located on the right bank of Little Pigeon River, immediately below the junction of the East Fork and West Fork of that river. Here, in 1808, Spencer obtained an occupant grant from Tennessee for 442 acres; most of this land was on the north bank of East Fork directly opposite to the town of Sevierville, or the Forks-of-Little Pigeon, as this frontier settlement was known. The Chandlers and Walkers, Clack descendents, later owned the same place and the old Clack home was located on the same site as the later Chandler-Walker home. Near his home Spencer operated one of Sevierville's first mills, also a cotton gin and wool-carding machine. 

Spencer Clack was prominent in the affairs of the Forks-of-Little Pigeon (Sevierville) Baptist Church from the time of its formation in 1789 until his death. For many years he served as church clerk. In addition to his church activities he was interested in education and politics. He was an early trustee of Nancy Academy, Sevier County's first school and gave money for its support. He was one of the five Sevier County delegates to the Knoxville convention of 1796, which drafted and adopted Tennessee's first constitution and he was a signer of that document. He also represented Sevier County in the lower house of the first three Tennessee legislatures, 1796-1802, and in 1801 he served on the legislative committee "to prepare a device and motto" for the Great Seal of Tennessee. 

Neither the Spence Clack Bible record nor the Spence Clack will have been found; therefore, the writers will list only those who were unquestionably children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack. Perhaps, in this way, the confusion and error of other Clack descendents and genealogists may be avoided. Good proof exists for the following Clack children: Martha, Rawleigh (Rolly) (b. 1772), Rhoda (b. 1776), Catherine (b. 1778), Frances (b. c1783), Mary (b. 1785) and Malvina. 

Martha Clack's marriage to Josiah Rogers occurred in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1786; they apparently came to Sevier County with the Clacks. Rawleigh Clack was married (1) to Mary Randles in 1791, and after her death he was married (2) to Martha Kerr in 1816; this marriage took place in Sevier County. Sixteen children resulted and about 1820 Rawleigh and family moved down the Tennessee River to Rhea County, Tennessee, where he died in 1842. Rhoda Clack married James Randles in 1791; they raised a family of twelve on Boyd's Creek in Sevier County. Randles died in 1816, while on a trip to Virginia for salt, and was buried somewhere in Washington County, Virginia. Catherine Clack was married, in 1794, to Rev. Elijah Rogers, early and well known Baptist minister in East Tennessee; they raised five sons and five daughters at their Sevier County home near the mouth of the Little Pigeon, on the French Broad River. Mary Clack married William Miller; they left Sevier County at an early date and settled in Meigs County, Tennessee, where she died in 1860. Frances Clack was married (1) to Mordecai Gist; after his death she married (2) John Mynatt of Knox County, Tennessee. Malvina Clack married Major Beavers; they left Sevier County for Talladega County, Alabama, soon after the War of 1812. 

There were doubtless other Clack children, but the writers do not believe that Spencer Clack, Jr. John Clack and Nancy Clack were children of Spencer and Mary Beavers Clack, as some published accounts claim. However, there is a well established tradition that there was a son, Micajah Clack, who was "killed by lighting." And there may have been a daughter named Rebecca Clack, but again we must rely only upon tradition for proof. Also, in 1789, one Sarah Clack (b. c1773) married William Henderson in the "Forks of Little Pigeon," as shown by bounty land papers in the National Archives; they migrated to St. Louis County, Missouri, about 1840. We believe that this Sarah Clack, heretofore unknown to present generations of Clack descendents, was another daughter of Spencer and Mary. 

Spencer Clack's death occurred, July 9, 1832 and he was buried in the old Baptist Cemetery at Sevierville; the original flat limestone rock with the unique carving of Spencer's face and the initials, "S.C.", still marks his grave. Mary Beavers Clack died, August 14, 1840, and was buried by the side of her husband. At the time of his death a contemporary described Spencer Clack as a "pious… worthy Christian, kind and affectionate. . .an excellent neighbor, remarkably even and unruffled in temper."

I highlighted Catherine Clack and Rev. Elijah Rogers, my great times 4 grandparents.

If you know who the Alvey's were, please leave a comment below! Thanks. 

Spencer Clack memorials by the Little Pigeon River - Sevierville Part 2

I drove west from Asheville NC to Tennessee, which is the other side of some old Appalachian Mountains...to Sevierville, and Knoxville.  Part of the trip was to meet my son and his family as they traveled perpendicular to my journey (Ohio to Florida) for their vacation on the beach.

So I had some time while they were held up in traffic in Kentucky and I stopped in Sevierville and drove around a bit.

There's I-40 at the top of the map, going south to north at this point, but I mainly traveled east to west.

I stopped at the Sevierville Visitor Center.  What a smart gal I am, and got some good maps showing where maybe Spencer Clack's grave was.  The clerk didn't know anything about the little park where the original log church had been and the grave marker for Spencer Clack still was.  But she knew there was a small park that was located by the river and a highway by-pass.  That sounded right to me, because I'd been zooming along that bypass and saw a sign about a cemetery when I went through the town about 25 years ago. It was on the left however!

Newer sign designating the Cemetery park on the by-pass.

And on Ancestry, Spencer Clack has 2 memorial sites with pictures.  So I hoped to see for myself!

Though there was a LOT of traffic, it kept moving and each stop light was given a number.  So I was going to light Number 15.6, turn up Main St. and pass the by-pass...and the pink area was the probably place of the park.  But it was still on the left side of a 5 lane highway.  So I played around with several more right and left turns in circles, and eventually was coming back down Main St. to turn right onto a little no-name street, and there it was!

 Bridge over the Little Pigeon River on other side of manicured park.

 I see the 4 markers at first...

And then notice more markers, this is a real cemetery!

Spencer Clack's marker, as it is in 2018.

The cemetery has been kept up, and someone has used Round Up around each marker to kill all the grass...but it's probably safer than using a weed-eater.  We just won't think of the run off into the river just yards away!

This shot is posted on Ancestry, supposedly a carving of Spencer Clack's face on the tombstone.  When I looked at the shards of the stone behind the broken vertical piece, they seemed to have various layers, as if it had been repaired with concrete and then broke apart.  But the face is definitely gone now.

The marker at the base was added by Joe Sharp, who requested it from the US Government to honor a Revolutionary War Hero.  (Joe Sharp was an active genealogist in Sevierville.) And  now I understand that Spencer Clack was in the Virginia Militia, rather than the Continental Army.

I don't know any dates he served in the military, and perhaps nobody does.  But he came across the mountains without benefit of the highway I just traveled, from Virginia into this area when it was wilderness. It is known that he was part of the group trying to form the State of Franklin out of the western wilds of North Carolina, but it didn't succeed, and eventually the western part of NC became Tennessee.  Spencer took part in that also.

This little pocket park tries to give a bit of memorial, though I couldn't read any of the other old stone's inscriptions, except 2 newer ones flat on the ground.  But there were good markers around the park to let me know what was there and why.

Spencer Clack was my 5 times great grandfather.  His daughter Catharine married Rev. Elijah Rogers, and their son Micajah moved his family to Texas in the early 1800s.

But back to the park...according to Ancestry, Mary Beavers Clack, Spencer's wife, is also buried in this cemetery.  But I didn't find a stone marker that was near him with her name, but it could have been any of them since names were illegible.

 Broken marker in foreground is Spencer Clack's.  The other marker doesn't say whose it is.

 Upon the park's rededication in 2009 more amenities and signs were added (by the Spencer Clack Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, and others)

A central flag pole with a circle of benches was added with dedication and appreciation of those who contributed to it.  Among the names, at the bottom is Joseph Sharp, who had worked to get Spencer Clack's newer marker installed.

I'll finish describing this little park in another post...it wasn't mobbed with people coming to see it...and with Pigeon Forge, Dollywood, and Gatlinburg right up the road, I wasn't surprised!

Week in Review - the Clacks and Bollings and Beavers

These were early colonists in Virginia, and Tennessee; we started with Richard Kennon Jr. (1690-1736) and his mother, Elizabeth Anne Worsham Kennon (1656-1743).

The Brick House built by Richard Kennon Jr's father.

At about the same time Mary Sterling married James Clack...Here, in Gloucester County VA, though she was raised in Maryland, so I looked into the history of that colony also.

Capt. John Rolfe was the subject HERE, with 3 wives (in succession) Sarah Hacker Rolfe (1590-1610), Pocahontas Rebecca Rolfe (1595-1617), and Jane Pierce Rolfe (1595-1635). Their birthdate are approximate.

Ancestry often gives a ship photo to designate that he was an immigrant to America

Col. Robert Bolling (1646-1709) was our subject here.

We visited the life of Col John Clack (1721-1784)  HERE. (He had fought in the French and Indian war before the American Revolution.

And we ended with some glimpses of Lt. Spencer Clack (Here.)

1931 dedication of Spencer Clack memorial, Sevierville, TN...by
Daughters of the American Revolution, Spencer Clack Chapter.

And a look was given to Mary Beavers Clack, wife of Lt. Spencer Clack, and their children. HERE

Marker at cemetery Forks of Little Pigeon Church (sorry can't tell what it says)

All these posts are on the same branch of my father's, George Rogers Family Tree.