Alexander Barclay’s Heirs – the 2nd family: Mary Barclay Clark

Mary Barclay is a sister to Alexander Barclay and therefore one of his heirs.  She was born to John and Ellen Barclay about 1864 in Eagle Creek, Scott County, Minnesota.

Mary was present in the 1865 Minnesota State Census, the 1870 U.S. Federal, and the 1875 Minnesota State census, but she disappears from the census for John and Ellen Barclay by 1880.

Deer Lodge, Carbon and Yellowstone. Silver Bow Counties

At the time of John Barclay’s death in 1897, she is listed in his obituary notice as living in Butte, Silver Bow Co., Montana.  Her last name is not given.

On 10 January, 1899 we find a marriage in Butte, Montana for a Mary and we find out that she had been married before and is now divorced.  In 1880 she would have been 16 so maybe she married before the census was enumerated and left home.  It is also interesting that she writes her mother’s maiden name as Iverson.

Marriage of Charles B. Clark, white, age 42, born at Henderson, Sibley Co., Minnesota, residing at Butte, son of John A. Clark and Sarah Clark maiden name Butler, not previously married. To Mary Barclay white age 34 years, born Shakopee, Scott Co., Minnesota, daughter of John Barclay and Ellen Barclay maiden name Iverson, who has been previously married but who is now legally divorced, date of marriage 10 Jan, 1899 signed by Clinton C. Clark Clerk and Frank M. Sullivan Deputy Clerk.

Source:  State of Montana, Charles Clark to Mary Barclay, 10 January, 1899 in Butte, Montana #5142.

We find Mary and Charles Clark living in Carbon County, Montana.  You will notice that the middle initial is B in the following census. 

Line 1, 1/1 Clark, Charles B., Head, w, male, Aug. 1856, 42 yrs, married 4 years. Born in Minnesota, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, farmer, owns, speaks, write, talks English, farm, no. 1 on schedule. Mary B., wife, white, female, born Jan 1864, 36? yrs., married 4 years, 0 children, born in Minnesota, father and mother born in Scotland, can read, write and speak English. Henry Fisher, servant, white, male, Oct 1876, 23, Single, born in Ohio, father and mother born in Germany, farm labor, speaks, write and reads English.

Source: 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Rens Twp., Carbon Co., Montana. SD?, ED7, Sht#1. 

Mary and Charles Clark have migrated to Billings, Montana by the 1910 census and they now have a daughter named Ruth.

Line 38, 303/29/31, Clark, Charles B., head, male, white, [43], married eleven years, born in Minnesota, parents in Ohio, Speaks English, occupation Stockman, cattle/sheep, read/writes (cannot make out the rest). Mary B., wife, female, white, 42 years old, married 11 years, 1 child born, one living, born in Minnesota, father and mother born in Scotland, Speaks English, no occupation, writes and reads. Ruth, daughter, female, white, 12-15 years old, single, born in Montana, speaks, reads and writes English.

Source: 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Billings, Yellowstone Co., Montana, SD#2, ED#246, Sht 7A. 

In the 1920 census Charles and Mary Clark are still residing in Billings, Montana and they are alone.

Line 29, 60, 92, Clark Charles B, Head, O, M, M, W, 62, M, born Minnesota, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, Farmer, retired. Clark, Mary B, wife, F, W, 55, M, born Minnesota, father born Scotland, mother born Scotland, English.

Source:  1920 U.S. Federal Census, Billings, Yellowstone Co., Montana, SD# 3 ED#161, Part of Ward 1, Sht#15A, 14 and 15th of January 1920, Frank B. Leaper

Again we find them in Billings in the 1930 census:

Line 90, 803, 142, 154, N. Broadway, Clark, Charles B. head, O, $6000, R, No, M, W, 73, M, 39, No, yes, born Minnesota, farther born Iowa, mother southern WS, retired, farmer. Clark, Mary B., Wife, H, F, F, W, 66, M, 30, No, Yes, born Minnesota, father born Scotland, mother born Scotland.

Source:  1930 U.S. Federal Census, Billings, Yellowstone Co., Montana, School Dist.#2, First Ward, ED#56-2, SD 10, Sht #6, 7 April, 1930, Mrs. Alice B. Mains

Added as of 4/28/2016: Mary is alone in the 1940 census but she is living in Billings, Montana

Line 58, 803, 110, 0, $3000, No, Clark, Mary B. , head, F, W, 76 wed, No. 8, born Minnesota, same house, no, no, no, no, U, 0 0 yes.

Source: Mary B. Clark, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Billings, Yellowstone Co., Montana, School District #2, SD#2, ED#56-3, enumerated April 13, 1940 by Elsie Toogood, Sht #3B

Charles B. Clark is buried in Hill Cemetery, in Anaconda, Deer Lodge Co., Montana. Find A Grave has a memorial but no tombstone photo.  It does state that their daughter is Ruth Clark Kirby.

There is an obituary notice for Charles Clark in the Montana Butte Standard, Tuesday, March 1, 1932 page 3.

CHARLES B. CLARK Called by Death – ANACONDA, Feb. 29, (Special) Charles B. Clark, 75 died, this morning at a local hospital. he was a native of Minnesota and a pioneer resident of Montana. Besides his widow he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Kirby of Billings. The body is at Kendrick chapel. Time and Place of the funeral will be announced later. 

There is a Find A Grave memorial to a Mary B. Barckley Clark #161486707. This Mary Clark died on 5 February, 1954.  There is a death certificate that is posted and it states that she was born in Schoepee, Minnesota which should be spelled Shakopee. It states that her father is William Barclay but I believe they mixed it up with her brother who was living nearby.  It was the hospital that was the informant. Apparently she died in the Montana State Hospital.  I believe this is the Mary I seek but of course, it might be good to seek out more information to verify it.

This is not the Mary I seek: There is a memorial on Find A Grave for a Mary E. Clark who died 19, February 1930 in Calvary Cemetery in Gibson Flats, Cascade County, Montana.  There is no tombstone photo at this time.

There is of course, more research to be done on this family.  For Mary checking probates, and seeking an obituary might be helpful.  Looking for more information on Ruth, their daughter would another step. There is census of 1920, 1930 and 1940 that have a Ruth Kirby in Billings living with a Robert Kirby. They have several children.  I cannot get a good fix on her at this time but it might be her.  The marriage for this couple has her father as Powers and I am confused by that information.  The early years for Mary would be of interest to research pinning down her first marriage and then the divorce.

It is interesting to see that Mary thinks both her parents were born in Scotland?

John Barclay’s Two Families

John Barclay, my great great grandfather, was introduced to me by my Aunt Miriam in her family history notes, so I knew about him.  I also had a copy of the book by the city of Pine River, celebrating their first 100 years, and he is mentioned in that book: 

  “…not far from Shakopee where George’s father chose to live “because it reminded him of his native Scotland.”  Apparently the father, John, remarried and had other children…”  

John Barclay had two families.  He was first married to Margaret.  When he married Margaret is not known and where she is buried is also unknown.  She probably died in Connecticut but so far a search of records reveal only one possibility of a Margaret Barclay dying in Enfield in 1848 of about the right age. 

continuing the quote above…” because at the time of Alexander’s death in 1906, there was quite a bit of difficulty in locating all the Barclay heirs from “both families.”” pg. 105 

In my Aunt Miriam’s notes she mentions Alexander’s probate: 

Alex's Probate

 

My great-uncle Alexander Barclay has been very good to me.  I secured his probate file at some expense from the Dakota County Courthouse in Minnesota and it opened up a very big genealogical door!  

From this first marriage came seven (7) siblings that were listed in Alexander’s estate file.  There wasn’t a will so some of the information is carefully taken from the probate file.  Other information such as census searches and indexes were also used.  I am slowly gathering the facts together on the siblings and will present more at a later time. 

1.  John Avery Barclay born abt 1836, died – unknown.  According to Alex’s estate file he disappeared and was presumed dead as stated in an affidavit of his sister Sarah Agnes. He appears in deeds, land records, and court documents in Silbey Co., Minnesota till about 1880.  He may have gone to California.  John Avery Barclay was probably born in Scotland per census information and other sources but that is not yet proven.  John married Minerva  Parks on 3 July 1865 in Henderson, Sibley Co., Minnesota.  Since John Avery Barclay was considered dead his two children where his heirs and they are mentioned in the estate file.  The couple actually had four children:  

1. John Avery Barclay II born 23 July 1867 in Sibley Co., Minnesota and died 8 March 1951 in Seattle, King Co., Washington.   

2. Sarah Ellen born 29 March 1869 in Sibley Co., Minnesota.   

3 and 4. There were two other children twins: Albert and Alice born 1870 Silbey Co.,  Minnesota but it is looking like they didn’t survive.  Some of this information was supplied by another cousin.  

2.  James A. Barclay born about 1838 in Connecticut, he died about 1906 in Bridgeport, Fairfield Co., Connecticut during the probate process of Alexander’s estate.  He married a Maryanne Stewart and had children.  

3.  Sarah Agnes Barclay born about 1840 in Connecticut.  She married Porter Blinn about 1860 in Connecticut.  He was born about 1842 in Connecticut.  They had 6 children and it looks like they stayed in Newington, Hartford Co. , Connecticut. 

Update:  May 26, 2010 – I was at the Family History Library researching when I discovered that the Sarah that I thought was Sarah Agnes Barclay in the census married to Porter Blinn was the Sarah I should be studying for the Barclay’s.  Turns out she is a Griswold and her father is Henry Griswold.  So back to the drawing board on #3.  This is why it is so important to check other sources like marriages and birth records and not totally trust the census. 

4.  Mary J. Barclay born about 1841 in Connecticut and died 28 March 1917 in Bristol, Hartford Co., Connecticut.  I have her estate file.  She married a Jerome B. Ford and had 3 daughters.  Jerome was born about 1846 in Connecticut. 

5. Alexander A. Barclay was born September 1842 in Hartford, Connecticut and died on 9 December 1905 at the Rochester Hospital for the Insane in Olmsted Co., Minnesota.  He apparently suffered in the end with dementia.  He was only in the hospital about 6 days before he died.  He was buried 17 December 1905 in the Corinithian Cemetery in Farmington, Dakota Co., Minnesota. 

6.  Martha M. Barclay born about 1843 in Connecticut and died around 1920 or later in California.  She married a Jeremiah Ford in about 1859 in Connecticut.  I do not know if Jeremiah and Jerome were brothers.  Martha and Jeremiah had two daughters.  

7.  George Angus Barclay was born 18 August 1844 probably in Connecticut and died on the 28th of October 1898 in Pine River, Cass Co., Minnesota.  George is the subject of our blog and more information will be forthcoming on his life. He married Amarilla Spracklin in 1878 and they had 2 children. 

The second marriage of John Barclay was to Helen in Scott Co., Minnesota.  I have not been able to find their marriage in Minnesota records but it happened prior to 1860 per the census and from this marriage their were four (4) children born. 

8.  Charles Barclay was born about January 1860 in Eagle Creek (Shakopee), Scott Co., Minnesota.  After the death of his mother in 1907 he seems to have moved from Shakopee and might have gone to Minneapolis and died about 1938.  Charles didn’t marry as far as I can determine from census and other documents. 

9.  William Barclay was born about 1863 in Eagle Creek (Shakopee), Scott Co., Minnesota and died 7 Dec 1937 in Gallatin Co., Montana.  He married a Clara E, probably in Minnesota.  She was born about 1859 in Wisconsin and died about 21 March 1919 in Madison Co., Montana.  They had one child name Foster born 1891 and probably died by 1907.  

10.  Mary E. Barclay was born about 1864 in Eagle Creek (Shakopee), Scott Co., Minnesota and died 19 February 1930 in Cascade Co., Montana.  She married Charles B. Clark probably in Minnesota for he was born there about 1856.  He died 28 February 1932 in Deer Lodge Co., Montana.  They had at least one child named Ruth Clark who was born about 1895.   It is interesting that there are two Mary’s named in John’s family a good 20+ years apart. 

11.  Anna Elizabeth Barclay was born 15 April 1870 in Shakopee, Scott Co., Minnesota and died 4 August 1955 in Menominee, Menominee Co., Michigan.  She married David Maurice Carter on 9 July 1885 in Eagle Creek (Shakopee), Scott Co., Minnesota.  David was born 9 January 1860, Marinette, Marinette Co., Wisconsin.  The information for this family was supplied by a cousin and has not been verified.  Anna had 4 children. 

The person that initiated the probate process for Alexander was his niece, my grandmother Grace A. Barclay McDonald.  She was pregnant at the time and lived in International Falls.  She was unable to attend the court sessions because she had the baby and was “indisposed.”  The baby was my Aunt Miriam. 

Book: Logsleds to Snowmobile’s, Pine River Centennial Celebration, 1873-1973, Written by the Citizens of Pine River and edited by Norman F. Clarke, Pine River Centennial Committee, 1979.  A copy is available at the Family History Library.