Descendants of Thurston Clarke
Thurston Clark was born in 1590 in the Parish of St. Margaret, Ipswich, County Suffolk. His parentage and early family background are not known.. He died 06 June 1661 at Duxbury, Ma. He married, pr 1618 at Ipswick,Suffolk, Faith (–) who was born in 1597 probably at Ipswich, Suffolk. She died prior to 01 June 1663 at which time her estate was divided among her surviving children, i.e., Faith Clark Doty and her brothers, Henry Clark and Thurston Clark, Jr.
Thurston Clark, Sr., aged 44, came to New England in the ship “Francis”. John Cutting-Master on 30 April 1634. He had his daughter, Faith, aged 15 with him. His wife Faith (–) Clark came to New England following the death of her daughter Abigail who was buried at Ipswich, Suffolk on 19 Jan. 1637. She brought their two sons, Thurston and Henry with her. Thurston Clark,Sr. settled in Plymouth, Ma. where he was a proprietor in 1636. There are many records in Plymouth concerning our Thurston Clark. “05 Feb. 1638, fourty acrees of land are graunted unto Thurston Clark, and a garden place lying at the southwest end of Derby’s Pond, on the South side of Monte Hill Chase”. We find on 16 Sept. 1649 “Thurston Clark, the elder, and his wife, Faith unite in conveying to John Dunham a house and ten acres of upland etc”. They subsequently removed to Duxbury, Ma., some time in the 1650s where they lived until their deaths.
Evidently, times were somewhat difficult at Duxbury; Thurston Clark, Sr. died from “cold and exposure” on 06 Dec. 1661. In that they had property and resources, one has to assume that Thurston, Sr. death was due to some unique situation. The administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Faith, on 04 March 1662. Widow Faith died prior to 01 June 1663 at which time “The Court haue ordered concerning the disposing of the estate of Faith Clark widow deceased, that her daughter Faith Dotey widow shall have a quarte pte etc”. It would seem that Thurston Clark, Sr. and his wife, Faith (–) Clark had much tragedy with many of their children.
Relative to Baby Mary we find the following record in the town records of Ipswich, Suffolk dated 21 Jan 1623. “At Ipswich Petty Sessions Anna Puse, wife of Richard Puse of Ipswich, laborer, was tried for having caused the death of Mary Clark, daughter of Thurston Clark, Sr. aged one month, “by inchantments, witch- craftes & charms”; being found guilty, it was decreed that the said Anna should be hanged”. Then concerning their two sons, Thurston and Henry, we find that they were both mentally retarded, probably since birth. They both lived a long life. The following comes from the records of Duxbury, dated 01 April 1690 i.e., “The selectmen of Duxborough having reported that two of their inhabitants, Henry Clarke and Thurston Clarke,Jr., by reason of their age indiscretion & weakness of understanding are incapable of their own support notwithstanding that they have an estate sufficient,, and John Dotey of Plymouth their nephew having promised to take prudent care of them is allowed to recoup himself from their estate”. As previously noted their daughter Abigail died in England at an an early age. Life for our early New England ancestors was not easy; attributes of strong faith, courage, physical stamina, compassion, and a strong positive attitude were very necessary.
References:PH7:159; PH17:V1:403; PH217:124; PH219:2; FH72:20-22,27-28; FH73:48-49.
Faith Clark, daughter of Thurston and Faith (–) Clark, was born in 1619, probably at Ipswich, Suffolk, and was buried at Marshfield, Ma. 21 Dec. 1675. She married at Plymouth, as his second wife, on 06 Jan 1635, Edward Doty born 14 May 1598 and died 23 August 1655 at Plymouth, Ma. Edward Doty came to New England on the Mayflower in 1620 and was the 39th signer of the Mayflower Compact. Faith Clark Doty married secondly at Plymouth on 14 March 1667 John Philips of Marshfield, Ma. In view of the fact that they each had a number of children, their marriage contact was somewhat unique in spelling out the property rights of the children.
References:PH7:227; PH17:V1:403; PH174:87; PH217:224; PH219:1-2; FH72:27-28; FH73: 48-49; FH113:505-506; FH220:xx.