Found at http://pwl.netcom.com/~boju2325/Clark.html A-1 Thomas Clark, born 1686, died 5-17-1752, and his wife Ruth, born 1695, died 6-2-1749, came to Clarks Landing from CT, to what is known as "Clark's Mills Meeting House." The site is marked by the old Burying Ground or Churchyard, at what was known as Clark's Mills, now a part of Port Republic. On the river bank, at the site of the Clark Plantation, in Clarks Landing are two headstones: "Here lyes the body of Mr. Thomas Clark who died May 17, A. D. 1752 in the 65 year of his age. Here lyes the body of Mrs. Ruth Clark wife of Mr Thomas Clark who died June 2nd 1749 in the 53rd year of her age." The Presbyterians were at Clark's Mills Meeting House, built by Thomas Clark about 1762. B-1 Benjamin Clark, born ca 1760, died before 1847, married 1st Sarah _______, 2nd 9-22-1805 Lucusso Garland, who must have died before 1813, 3rd Christina Garland, who d before 1847. He was in the Rev War. He shows on estate settlement of David, deed book F, p 223 1800-1802, & G, p 262 1902-1803. In the Colonial period and for a number of years later, live stock roamed at large. Early laws required that they be earmarked, the horns marked, or that they be branded for identification. When livestock wandered to the wrong plantation, the law required that it be reported, also advertised. A "posting" fee of 25@ seems to have been charged in Great Egg Harbor Twp. The note was that a "yearling steer, crop off the Neigh Ear, hole in the right Ear" came to Benjamin Clark's Mill 1794. He arrived in Tate Twp, Clermont Co, OH ca 1804. He bought land with the deed dated 1806 from Robert Tylar and Margaret, his wife. Daniel Teagarden and Robert Leeds were witnesses. He secured another piece of land from William Simonds and Lydia, his wife. He and his wife, Christina, sold both together on 4-7-1813 for $1400 to Timothy Folger, of Hamilton Co. Witnesses were David Teagarden & Andrew Pirkham. The land bordered Samuel Echarts, Robert Leeds, Daniel Echarts. The land had been surveyed by Thomas Pearson and Patented to Robert Tyler and recorded on War Office Vol. N, page 133 of lands granted to the Virginia Line on Continental Establishment and conveyed to William Simmonds by deed Jun 27, 1810 Robert Leeds, mentioned above, could be the same man who showed in the New Jersey records. There was a large family of that name at Leed's Point in Gloucester County. It was at the mouth of the river that the Clarks lived on -- being called the Egg Harbor area. Matthew Collins was a neighbor in New Jersey. He may have been related to the John Collins, who came to Clermont County to set up the church. Emma Doughty, Mrs. Daniel, writes to her relatives in New Jersey that Benjamin Clark farms about 18 acres, with corn 11 feet tall, and "has not reached its growth yet. I mention those things that you may see how fertile the land is without manure." This is from a series of letters reprinted in a Atlantic County, New Jersey history. The letters are dated 1836, and were sent from Batavia, Clermont County, Ohio to her sis-in-law, Mrs. Sarah Doughty, Egg Harbor, Absecome, NJ, County of Gloucester. Daniel and Emma took seven children, leaving their home, which had been sold on contract to a family member. She mentions Benjamin Clark, as reprinted, p 30, Vol 7-8 of Atlantic County History Society Yearbook. A note of explanation, p 27 Vol 7-8, says these letters were to Sarah and Charlotte Doughty, wives of her husband's brothers, Nathaniel and Enoch. He was one of the men to whom Rev. John Collins and his wife, Sarah, transferred 1805 land for the purpose of starting a Methodist Episcopal known as Bethel-Bantam Church, or Bethel Methodist meeting house. Others on the deed were Robert Leeds, Thomas Page, Daniel Teagarden, William Simonds, David White. This land bordered Elias Gerard, Jonas Blackwood, Josiah O'Heroin on the Little Miami River. Witnesses were John & Richard Doughty. This is north of Mount Carmel. The History of Clermont states "In the Bantam neighborhood Methodism has flourished since 1803, when it was introduced by the Rev. John Collins, and at his house the first meetings were held. Among the early members of the class were persons belonging to the Collins, Higbee, McCullom, Justice, Drummond, Clark, and other families living along the East Fork. About 1807 a log meeting-house was erected by the society." John Collins had come from NJ and started what was known as the New Jersey Settlement. Benjamin lived on the edge, buying from Tylar. Benjamin's 1st wife was Sarah, who must have died ca 1805 (to be 2nd person buried in church cemetery,) when he sold to move further north into Union Township. His wife was Christiana when he sold in 1813. It is possible that he married 9-22-1805 Lucusso Garland and she did not live long. No marriage record is found for a Christina Garland. A history of ME Church is quoted "Mrs. Sarah Clark, wife of Benjamin Clark, a Methodist 'exhorter' and class leader, was the second person buried in Old Bethel cemetery. Mr. Chandler was the first." The records of the Bethel Church were stored in a shed, which burned in the early 1900's. Only a few items mentioned in county histories have been preserved. There is another Benjamin Clark in Clermont County, in Miami Twp, in 1820, but he does not show in county earlier. This Benjamin was born 1775-1795, as was the wife. They had 5 sons and 2 daus as shown in the 1840 census. Court records show a suit of Jacob Clark vs Samuel Clark, Benjamin Clark, & Elizabeth Clark, wherein Jacob claims to have bought land in Woodville 1846 from William Clark. William Clark had property in Miami Twp at a very early date, but did not pay chattel tax and it is thought that he never lived on property. See no connection this family to ours.