William CLARKE

Notes:

Name:
He lived in a garrison house by Eel river, which was surprised by the Indians on a Sunday, March 12, 1676, while he was at church. His wife, several of his children, and some other persons, eleven in all, were killed in this attack, which is said to have been the only serious one ever made on the settlement. A son of William Clarke, named Thomas, was left for dead, but afterwards recovered, and had a silver plate put over his exposed brain, by the celebrated surgeon Dr. John Clarke, of Boston. He ever afterwards was known as "Silver-headed Tom."

In July 1676, two hundred Indians surrendered themselves to the Plymouth Governor, and were pardoned, wit the exception of those who had been concerned in the slaughter at Clarke's garrison at Plymouth; these were put to death.--Baylies' History

The colony records give the names of these Indians, and state that they were decapitated.

William Clarke seems to have been an active and enterprising man, having extensive operations in lands, etc., as appears by the colony records. In 1670, William Clarke and Edward Gray, of Plymouth; Richard Bourne and William Swift, of Sandwich; Thomas hinckley and Thomas Huckins, of Barnstable; Samuel Sturgis, of Yarmouth, and John freeman, of Eastham, formed a company to engage and regulate the making and disposing of all the tar made in the colony, at the price of eight shillings for every small barrel, and twelve shillings for every great barrel, during the full term of two years.

In 1679, Joseph and Barnabas Lothrop, of Barnstable; Kenelm Winslow, of Marshfield; and William Clarke, of Plymouth, as the agents of thirty partners, purchased for the sum of L200, the remainder of the lands not already granted, between Dartmouth on the west, Plymouth purchase on the east, and Middleboro' and Plymouth on the north, "to be settled, in four years with an Orthodox Ministry." These rants include the present towns of rochester and marion.--Baylies' History.

In 1684, William Clarke hires the bass fishing at Cape Cod, of the town of Plymouth, at L30 a year. --Plymouth Records.

In 1697, he received a grant of land from the town of Plymouth, where he was living in 1714.

1682, "the Court have agreed with Mr. William Clarke, of Plymouth, to provide suitably for the Governor and Magistrates diet, lodging, etc., in the County House at Plymouth, for four Courts, viz: October, march, June, and July, and to pay him forty pounds in money for the same; if it shall happen that the General Court be adjourned, or special courts called within the time of the year, he is to be allowed for those Courts according to his just account."-- Records

William Clarke was deputy in 1674, 1680, 1681. Was a selectman for many years.

William married Sarah WOOLCOT on 1 Mar 1659. Sarah died on 12 Mar 1676. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Hannah GRISWOLD on 7 Mar 1677. Hannah (daughter of Lieut. Francis GRISWOLD and Mary TRACY) was born on 11 Dec 1658; died in 1687. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Abiah WILDER on 3 Aug 1692. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]