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Show Page 20 The Ogden Valley News Volume I, Issue X July 1999 Biography of Francis Clarke Sr. Francis Clarke, commonly known as, “Dad Clarke,” was the son of Thomas Clarke born January 2, 1840, at Upminster, Essex County, England. Francis’ early life was spent in many England cities, his father worked as a butler and after his marriage he and his wife Mary Ann ran an Inn or Public House, which accommodated travelers. Later his father obtained a job as a flagman on the Eastern Counties Railway, running from London to Colchester by way of Romford, Ingalestone, Chelmsford and Marks Tey Stations, he then became a Station Master. When he was 17 years old, he heard that Jesus Christ had restored his church again on earth through a Prophet Joseph Smith. He was interested in the message of the Mormon Missionaries and the latter day church, so on May 10, 1857 he was baptized a member by William Brazier. Francis worked very hard to obtain money to emigrate to the United States and in 1861, he sailed for America, leaving his father, mother, brother and sisters behind. His family was very bitter about his new religion and about his leaving. He made two trips back to England, once on an L.D.S. mission, and once to the Queen’s Jubilee, but was never able to convert any of his family. Francis was 21 years old when he arrived in America. At Florence, Nebraska, he joined the Mile Andrus Company for the trek to Utah. There were 620 people and 38 wagons, which left in July and arrived to Salt Lake City, September 12, 1861. Francis purchased a yoke of oxen and hauled freight from Council Bluffs to Salt Lake City until 1865. During the summer of 1865, he came over North Ogden Canyon to Ogden Valley to visit some friends. He was fascinated by the beautiful crescent shaped valley with its lush green meadows and clear mountain streams. He traded his yoke of oxen to Stephen Wilbur, a drum player in the Mormon Battalion, for a two room log cabin, which was the third house that had been built in Eden. When the town was surveyed into blocks by Washington Jenkins, Francis purchased some lots in the center of town. He built one block west and one half block north of the present day Eden Hearthside (the old Eden chapel). The house was located on the west side of the road and the barn and sheds on the east side of the road. He homesteaded land in the north end of Eden and on the nearby west hills. Living in the tiny settlement was Elvira Teeples Worden, a pioneer of 1848. She was the daughter of George B. and Hulda Teeples. Her brother Sidney Teeples had come into Ogden Valley in 1859 and had built the second house in Eden on the North Fork River, about a mile west of town. Francis Clarke married Harriet January 28, 1867 in Eden, Utah. From their marriage was born Mary Ann, born and died December 26, 1867, Francis Clarke Jr., born June 4, 1869 and Thomas Brown Clarke, born November 3, 1872. Francis made a lovely home for Harriet and their children. He planted an orchard of apple trees and plum trees in which he kept hives of bees. His garden consisted of raspberries, currants, rhubarb, horseradish, and all kinds of vegetables. Around the house was a profusion of flowers: sweet williams, lilacs, hollyhocks, day lilies and honeysuckle. He raised pigs, chickens, horses and milk cows; also he had many fields of wild hay. He took eggs, butter and honey to Ogden twice a month. He was very thrifty and intelligent and was a real bookkeeper who always kept a record of income and expenses. Francis Clarke was active in church and community affairs of the town of Eden, he taught school until 1887. He was well liked and everyone called him Dad Clarke. He was Secretary and Treasurer of E d e n Irrigation Company from 1879 1894, and Justice of the Peace until 1883. On November 1893 he was set apart for an L.D.S. mission to the British Isles. He labored in the Norwich District for two years, returning home, December 8, 1895. His son Thomas took care of the farm and Mother Harriet while he was away. From his personal journal he writes: “I arrived at the Ogden Railroad Depot at 2 o’clock a.m. Tom had not come to meet me so I walked home to Eden, arriving there at daylight. It was a beautiful moonlight night though frosty and cold.” Harriet Elvira, Francis’ beloved wife, passed from her earthly life, October 11, 1911 at their home in Eden. She was 81 years old. Francis followed her in death June 8, 1913 at the age of 73 years. They are buried in the Mountain View Cemetery north of the town of Eden, a town they had both lived [in] and loved. Note: This biography is taken from a larger version written by Mary Clarke Wangsgard |
