Evening star., 1909-05-18

Frances Eleanor CIdrk 100 iO.O
''Six of the ten children had black
eyes and black hair and four had blue
eyes and auburn hair. OF the six sons.
five of them fought as officers In the
revolutionary war. Tradition preserves
the statement Of their mother that 1T
was the proudest day of her life when
all five of her sons who were capable Of
| bearing arms were fighting for the inde-
pendence Of their country. The sixth
son, Gen. William, fought In the Indian
wars following the revolution. and In
the war of 1872: was the Clark of the
Lewis and Clark expedition to the north
| west. 1SO4-6;' territorial Governor Of Mis-
souri,, ETC., etc.
"Of the four daughters, the eldest
married one of the most prominent bank
ers of his day in Louisville. Elizabeth
married Col. Richard Clough Anderson
and Lucy married Maj. William Croghan.
both of the revolution. At the battle OF
Charleston they were colonel and major
Of the regiment of which Jonathan Clark
was then lieutenant colonel.
Was a Noted Beauty.
'The youngest daughter, Frances Ell
eanor Clark, noted beauty and belle
of her day, was three times married.
First. February 81, 1891, to DR.. James
O'Fallon, by whom she had two children.
John and Benjamin, both of whom set
tied in St Louis. After the death of
DR.. O'Fallon she married her earliest
love. Capt. Charles Mynn Thruston. jan
uary IL, 1895, who, before he was twelve
years of age. fought by his fathers side
in the revolution. BY him she had two
children, Charles William and Ann, who
married DR.. Bernard Gaines Farrar of
st. Louis.
Capt. Thruston was murdered by one
of his negro slaves December II, 1900
and a few years later, Arril 13. 1905,
his widow married her third husband.
Judge Dennis Fftzhugh. whose mother
was her first cousin. BY him she also
had two children, Clark Fitzhugh. whose
descendants live at Helena, Ark, and
Lucy Ann Fitzhugh, who lived to be
married, but left no descendants
There are many descendants, most of
whom are living in Kentucky.
Mr.. Thruston says also that Many
years ago Lyman c. Draper, who was
preparing to write book upon the ca
reer and achievements Of George Rogers
Clark, borrowed hundreds of original doc
uments from various members of the fam
lily. which he promised to return as soon
as he was through with them. AS he died
some years afterward / would suppose
th:-t he is through with them. but they
were never returned to the owners, and
are now in the Historical Society of Wis
consin. known as the Draper collection.
Most of the members of the family were
furious when they found they could not
recover their property. but ] am inclined
ters collected together and cared for as
they are now than returned to the original
owners. My own parents, along with 9TH
ers. contributed largely to this sollection.
and l am sorry to say that there are but
few original documents remaining with
the descendants.
Portrait Destroyed by Fire.
Il had an original portrait of George
Rogers Clark by Stuart, hanging on the
wall of my brothers house, but when his
residence was destroyed by fire some three
years ago it was badly injured, so much
so that repairs were necessary. There be-
ing an excellent artist here. / sent the
portrait to him to be prepared and cared
for until the new house was completed.
Unfortunately his studio was in the Cour-
ier-Journal building, and / am sorry to
say that the serious fire they had there
shortly after destroyed this portrait I
nave been endeavoring to procure another
original. if possible, as 1 know three or
four are extant, but the owners will not
part with them for love or money
The family were neighbOrs of Thomas s
Jefferson. near Charlottesville, Va, and
Clarks sons went to a school kept by a
Scotchman of strong character and abil-
ity, who exercised a great influence over
their morals and their minds. James
Madison was pupil at the same school,
and shared the benefits of his instruction
and influence. When his schooldays were
finished George Rogers Clark became a
surveyor like Washington. That was
one of the most profitable occupations of
that period in the southern and western
colonies, where the constant advent of
immigrants required the laying out of
boundaries and the division of the states
When he was still very young man
Clark went out to Ohio in pursuit of his
profession and took up a tract of land.
His adventurous disposition led him
farther into Kentucky. where he surveyed
lands and became a leader of the people,
public opinion, commander of the militia
and protector of all the early settlers be-
tween the Allegheny mountains and the
Mississippi river
From 1915 he was constantly in action
defending the western frontier against
the British and their Indian allies. 1t
was a continuous campaign of the most
desperate and thrilling character Clark
was not only the military commander
but exercised all sorts of authority. which
was recognized by the settlers who de-
pended upon him for advice and leader
ship. His career is full of Incidents
which furnish the plot for 1.-The Cross
ing" Winston Churchills' novel He had
the confidence and the respect of all the
Americans upon the frontier. and they
believed him to possess superhuman sa-
gacity. The Indian chiefs regarded him
with reverence and awe, which explains
his narrow escapes and extraordinary vic
tories. But Clark was no politician. His
blunt speech and autOcratic ways pro-
voked continuous quarre1s with the Off
cials of the government and the politi-
CLANS in Washington, which finally re-
sulte ed in his discontinue, and he retired
to live with his sister at Locust Hill near
Louisville, to brood over his wrongs.