Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Colin Clark

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Descendants of Colin Clark

Generation No. 1

1. Colin² Clark (David¹ Clarke) was born 06 Mar 1749/50 in Limekilns, Fifeshire, Scotland, and died 18 Feb 1808 in Liverpool, England. He married Janet Gray McKenzie 09 Nov 1771 in Windsor,NC, daughter of John McKenzie and Janet Gray. She was born 22 Nov 1750 in Nansemond Co., Va., and died 25 Nov 1778 in Rosefield, Windsor,NC.

Notes for Colin Clark:
lived in America-1771 to 1778 at Plymouth,Tyrell Co.,N.C. and near Windsor, Bertie Co.,NC. His children were raised by his family at Rosefield plantation, Windsor, NC, after he returned to Scotland (oldest child was 6, youngest unborn). He was a loyalist during the American Revolution and there is record of his having applied for recompense from Britain for loss of property during the war. There is no record of his having received any compensation. From notes extracted from John Bennett's "Virginia Historical Genealogies" :
he was born 3-18-1750 (note different birth date). He sailed on August 18,1770 from Limekilns, and going by way of Barbados, arrived late in the same year at Plymouth, NC. Here he began trading up and down the coast, Starting with one vessel, the "Martin" of which he was captain. Later he bought other vessels and living ashore, first Plymouth in Terrell Co. and then at nearby Windsor, became a Commission merchant, sending his ships to Norfolk, NY, and the West Indies loaded with tobacco and other local produce and bringing back manufactured goods needed in the colony. .. He married at Rosefield, the Gray home near Windsor. .. he was rapidly amassing a fortune when the Revolutionary War broke out. His wife's side espoused the colonial cause. Colin Clark, however, had taken the oath of allegiance to the British, then required before one could leave the old country, and could not get in an uprising against his own people in a colony in which he had lived but such a short while. He tried to continue his export-import trade without taking sides but finding this impossible, he gave up the business he had worked so hard to establish, and left in the spring of 1778 to go back to Scotland. Before leaving he made what provisions he could for the family had had to leave behind, and he later made various attempts to send money and supplies for their support; none of this got through, but was taken in route. William, his fourth son was born after his departure, and his wife died shortly thereafter, and buried at Rosefield. Of his life abroad we have little information but he appears to have been ill for a long time. Eventually he married again but the name of his wife is not known to us. He is reported to have been drowned in 1808 in Liverpool harbor in the capsizing of a row boat when he was taking ship to return to see his children in America. The ancestry of Colin Clark has not been established but he was probably the son of David Clark, listed in Scotch records as "Shipmaster at Limekilns". In a letter written in 1791 by Colin Clark to his brother in law, William McKenzie, he sent his regards to 'my cousin Thomas Clark, merchant at Buckfield, near Windsor'. This Thomas Clark may have been a son of the Thomas Clark who married Amelia Gray (1739-1814), a sister of Colin's wife, Janet Gray McKenzie. This would make Thomas Clark, Sr. of Bertie Co., NC a Brother of David Clark of Scotland and would confirm the family tradition that Colin Clark and his wife, Janet Gray McKenzie were cousins. After the death in 1778 of Janet McKenzie Clark, her four sons were taken by the childless uncle and aunt, Captain William and Margaret Cathcart McKenzie, and raised on their 'Skewarky' estate which is now in Williamston, NC.

Notes for Janet Gray McKenzie:
Died at age 28 in the fall after her husband left America for Scotland (see notes for Colin Clark), leaving four children under the age of 6.

Children of Colin Clark and Janet McKenzie are:

+	2	i.		David³ Clark, born 15 Oct 1772 in plymouth, NC; died 23 Sep 1829 in Halifax Co., NC.
	3	ii.		Kenneth Clark, born 19 Jan 1775 in Windsor, NC; died 28 Jan 1815 in Norfolk, Virginia (buried at Rosefield, Windsor,NC).

Notes for Kenneth Clark:
Lt. in war of 1812. Unmarried. On his tombstone (erected to his memory by his friend Robert Lennox), the following inscription " died from a high sense of principle which strongly matched his character. He left his home to perform a tour of militia duty and fell a victim to an epidemic fever, while exercising his benevolent feelings in administering to the relief of the sick and dying. He was an affectionate brother, a kind and indulgent master, an ardent and sincere friend."

iii.

John McKenzie Clark, born 01 Nov 1776; died 1808 in Chapel Hill, NC.

Notes for John McKenzie Clark:
John Clark may have died while attending UNC... from notes from the Clark family: "Old Aunt Louisa - Mammy - said that her mother always told her that John Clark died while at school at Chapel Hill, NC. and was buried there owing to poor transportation at the time. Some members of the Clark family relate to having seen the marble slab there and read the inscription). His brother Kenneth was his executor"
Other accounts have his burial at the Bryan family home of Buckfield in Bertie Co.

iv.

William McKenzie Clark, born 06 Nov 1778 in Windsor,NC; died 27 Nov 1836 in "Rosefield", Windsor, NC.

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