Sarah Bowyer & John D. Clark
Sarah was born 1820 and died September 7 1901.
John was born 1814 and died 1905
John and I had 8 children: Mary, who married Sylvester Rynearson, A Civil War surgeon and Captain.
Sarepta who married Mr. Burkett who was an artist and painted our house upon a visit.
Nancy who was married to William Allbright.
John W. spouse, Miss Falknor. John and my husband, owned the drug store at 10 W. George in Arcanum. We sold all kinds of things, from drugs, to oils to paint, varnishes, glassware, toilet articles and notions. Bless his soul, he died young in 1888.
Bowyer married Caroline Parks and was in business with Jacob Kraus.
Sarah was never married and we called her “Lizzie”. She lived in the Clark Block on George Street at 2 West George on the south side of the bldg.. She bought the property from Mr. Rynearson her brother-in-law and in later years sister Mary lived in close proximity.
Laura married Mr. Limbert.
This is Laura speaking for the family in 1930. Sarah, my sister, died in 1932. She left a life estate of lot 16 to me. The lot remained in the clark family for 62 years.
Well back to my husband, John D. He was quite a busy man between his farm and then we moved to town in 1872. Before we moved, he was a Twin Twp. Trustee. Along with liking expensive horses! He also worked with Mr. Ivester to get the word out about needing good roads and because of that 3 miles of free pike was done along with putting down gravel on the street of Arcanum.
In town, he owned and operated the drug store along with his son, John W. He then had this big idea of getting into the mercantile business. So from 1875-1895 Krause and Clark General Store and Dry Goods operated. Then in 1885-1887 Jacob Krause and our son, Bowyer Clark operated the business.
We’ve had a good life being among some of the earlier settlers of the area and owning 295 acres. We have a fine brick home on Littles Road, a good family and owned a lot in town for the business.
We have faithfully attended the Methodist Church in town on West South Street and been members for 40 years.
But all good things must come to an end and here we rest today.
The Clark farm was located on Littles Road, west of Arcanum. The old brick house still stands today in 2022.
The Clark Block uptown Arcanum, where the business was, was taken down in the 1950’s and replaced with the buildings that are present today, aka the Korner Restaurant at one time and currently Fourman’s Variety Store. The other side of the location where possibly Lizzie lived was Kincaid’s Kleeners at one time and the traction office. Today it is A & S Inc.
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