Individual record
Sarah Clark
1801–1891 · 90 years
Life
Places in Sarah’s life
Records & Research
Sarah Clark (1801-1891), daughter of Bethuel Clark, married John French (1795-1874) in 1818 and is documented on Find a Grave memorial #22604742 (Clay Cemetery, Onslow, Jones County, Iowa). The memorial is a strong multi-anchor identity match: birth date (22 Feb 1801), death date (7 Jan 1891), death place (Onslow, Jones County, Iowa), father (Bethuel Clark), spouse (John French 1795-1874, m. 1818), and six named children (Aaron, Joseph, Jesse Clark, Eliza Ann, Joanna, Isaac Newton French) all match the family report. This confirms her burial (a fact absent from the report). The memorial's birthplace ('Amity, Bucks County, PA'), mother ('Ann Dodd Clark'), siblings, and two extra children (Bethuel, Elijah) are family-tree-entered, not primary records, and are treated as unverified leads; the birthplace and mother conflict with the report and remain unresolved.
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Sarah Clark French is buried at Clay Cemetery, Onslow, Jones County, Iowa, Row 1 (gravesite note: 'W/O John'). The report left burial null.
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Sarah Clark's death is recorded as 7 Jan 1891 (aged 89) at Onslow, Jones County, Iowa, matching the report's death date and place.
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Sarah Clark's birth date is recorded as 22 Feb 1801, matching the report exactly. (The memorial's stated birthplace 'Amity, Bucks County, PA' is internally inconsistent and family-tree-entered; see discrepancies.)
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Sarah Clark was the wife of John French (1795-1874), married 1818, confirming the report's spouse and marriage year.
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Sarah Clark's father is listed as Bethuel Clark (1766-1840), matching the report. The memorial also names her mother as Ann Dodd Clark (1761-1838), which conflicts with the report's 'Van Dyke'.
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The memorial lists children consistent with the report: Aaron French (1819-1909), Joseph French (1823-1900), Jesse Clark French (1832-1905), Elizabeth Ann 'Eliza' French Jenkins (1836-1916), Joanna French Wilson (1838-1923), and Isaac Newton French (1840-1912). It also lists two sons not in the report: Bethuel French (1820-1904) and Elijah French (1825-1896).
Differs from the report
burial: report says “null”, records indicate “Clay Cemetery, Onslow, Jones County, Iowa, USA (Row 1)”. New information; fills a gap in the report rather than contradicting it. Supported by the multi-anchor memorial match. findagrave ↗
Not yet confirmed — probable matches and family lore, shown for research. Treat with caution.
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The memorial names siblings of Sarah Clark: Cephas Dodd Clark (1791-1867), Martin Clark (1805-1881), and Mehilah Clark (d. 1872). unconfirmed
unconfirmed mother: report “Van Dyke” vs. found “Ann Dodd Clark (1761-1838)”. Find a Grave names Sarah's mother as 'Ann Dodd Clark', not 'Van Dyke'. This is family-tree-entered with no record cited; 'Dodd' also appears in sibling name 'Cephas Dodd Clark', but that is internal to the same unsourced tree. Conflict unresolved; 'Van Dyke' in the report may refer to a different generation or be an error on either side.
unconfirmed birth.place: report “Virginia Or West Virginia” vs. found “Amity, Bucks County, Pennsylvania (per memorial)”. Memorial states 'Amity, Bucks County, Pennsylvania', which is internally inconsistent (Amity, PA is in Washington County, matching the report's marriage place 'Amity, Pennsylvania'), so the county is likely a tree error and the place itself is family-tree-entered, not a primary record. Conflicts with the report's 'Virginia Or West Virginia'. Birthplace remains uncertain and needs a primary source (census birthplace field or death record).
likely children: report “includes Malinda French and Nancy French” vs. found “Memorial does not list Malinda or Nancy; it adds Bethuel French (1820-1904) and Elijah French (1825-1896)”. The memorial's child list omits Malinda and Nancy (in the report) and adds Bethuel and Elijah (not in the report). Neither source is exhaustive; Malinda/Nancy may have died young or lack linked memorials, and the two added sons are unverified leads. Six other children match across both sources.
Open questions (6)
- Sarah's true birthplace: report says Virginia/West Virginia; Find a Grave gives the unsourced and internally inconsistent 'Amity, Bucks County, PA'. Needs a primary record (census birthplace field or death record) to resolve.
- Mother's identity: report 'Van Dyke' vs Find a Grave's unsourced 'Ann Dodd Clark'. Determine whether 'Van Dyke' belongs to an earlier generation or is a report error, via a primary record.
- Were Malinda French and Nancy French (report-named children) actually children of Sarah Clark French? They are absent from the memorial.
- Confirm the additional sons Bethuel French (1820-1904) and Elijah French (1825-1896) as children of Sarah Clark French via independent records; they are currently only family-tree leads.
- Independently verify the listed siblings (Cephas Dodd Clark, Martin Clark, Mehilah Clark); they are family-tree-entered with no records cited.
- Locate the 1818 marriage record for John French and Sarah Clark (report: Amity, Pennsylvania) and a death/probate record in Jones County, Iowa for further corroboration.
Sources consulted (5)
- Sarah Clark French (1801-1891) - Find a Grave Memorial #22604742, Clay Cemetery, Onslow, Jones County, Iowa (fetched and verified) · findagrave
- Find a Grave memorial search - Sarah French, Iowa, b.1801 d.1891 (located the Clay Cemetery match) · findagrave
- FFA Chart #12, John C. French, VA and WV (French Family Association) - REJECTED, different John French line (b. ca.1710, New River Valley VA/WV); no Bethuel Clark, Amity, Iowa, or Van Dyke · website
- Janet and Robert Wolfe Genealogy - John French page · website
- Web searches across FamilySearch / FindAGrave / WikiTree / Ancestry for Sarah Clark French 1801-1891 Jones County Iowa · other
Sources
- "Aaron French and His Descendents", Charles Newton French
p. 196 Ancestry
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