Person:John Clark (245)

"21 Rev. John (Clark) (42 [Nathaniel]), b. in Newbury 24 June 1670, H.C. 1690. With urgent calls from West Newbury and Exeter 1693-5, he chose the latter. His wife was adm. member of Hampton Ch. 9 May 1697 and with others of Exeter dism. to organ, a ch. there 11 Sep. 1698. … He d. int. 25 July 1705. Adm. to his wid. 2 Apr. 1706, her bond wit. by John Odlin."

"John Clark, minister of Exeter, N. H., was born January 24, 1670, the fourth son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Somerby) Clark of Newbury. So far as the college quarter-bill book shows, he led a blameless undergraduate existence. The Yale University Library owns a manuscript notebook which he kept in college, including extracts from the writings of William Ames and other text-books. He took, both degrees in course, for the M.A. upholding the affirmative of the question, 'An Motus fiat sine vacuo.'

The year that Clark commenced B.A., his father died on the Canada expedition, leaving a large family and an estate of 700l, of which John and his mother were executors. On May 10, 1693, the town of Newbury 'Voted that Mr John Clarke be chosen to Asist Mr John Richardson [A.B. 1666] in the worke of the ministry and to help at the west end of the Towne of Newbury to preach to them for one yeare in order to further settlement as the Church and Towne shall agree and also to keepe a Grammer Schoole for which the said Towne engages to allow said Mr Clarke Rationall satisfaction if he except of the worke.' On July 5, 1693, the same day that Clark proceeded M.A., the town voted 'a full settlement in the work of the ministry and Mr. John Clarke was then chosen and not one vote against him.' Twenty-five persons of the west end entered their dissent and took their case to the General Court on the ground that they were still bound to support Mr. Tompson (A.B. 1684). The following spring the town offered Mr. Clark 20l in money and 50l in grain so long as he would carry on the work of the ministry, but he declined.

In the meantime he had begun to preach at Exeter, New Hampshire, and to such good purpose that the town in April, 1694, took steps toward building a parsonage. Thus encouraged, Mr. Clark went to New Castle, New Hampshire, and there on June 19, 1694, married Elizabeth Woodbridge, the eldest child of the Reverend Benjamin and Mary (Ward) Woodbridge. Their wedding sermon, preached by John Cotton and printed in 1699, is one of the rarities among Americana. But the young couple never did obtain a parsonage, the town eventually commuting its obligations for a payment of 100l.

The church which had been formed in Exeter under John Wheelwright had ceased to exist as an organization a generation before Clark's coming, although the town usually had a preacher. Clark and twenty-five worshippers gathered this church on September 18, 1698, and three days later he was ordained over it. There were then but four churches in New Hampshire. His salary was 60l with 10l additional to find firewood and to keep the fences in repair, and he was given 100 acres of land upon the Neck.

Mr. Clark's pastorate was short. The Boston News-letter of July 23-30, 1705, printed this notice: 'Piscataqua July 27. … This day the Reverend Mr. John Clark, Minister of Exeter is to be Interr'd, who Dyed the 25 Instant, in the Flower of his Age, whose Loss is universally lamented, being a person of indefatigable Industry, and Exemplary Piety.' John Pike in his journal says that Clark 'deceased with extream vomiting &c. in less than 24 hours after he was taken ill. A good man much wanted and much Lamented.' Cotton Mather seems to have been much impressed by his character:

A very Timothy! One of whom, it might be said, as our Cranmer said of a Divine that he had a value for, He thinks of nothing, He hopes for nothing, but JESUS CHRIST. A Good Man, always flaming with a Zeal to Do Good; it even Consumed him. A Mirrour; I had almost said, a Miracle of Diligence: One always abounding in the Work of the Lord: that is to say, as that Phrase has been by some of the Learned Glossed upon; Doing something Extraordinary; Doing things beyond the common rate of Expectation. Doing, Plusquam quisquam Exigere audeat. And it may be told with Admiration, His Labour was not in Vain for the Lord: Admirable Success attended the Labour: The whole Town felt it. The Word of God, in the management of this Commendable Workman, was notably Divided unto the Town; It ran and was Glorifyed. He also Ran, and soon arrived unto Glory.

John Clark's estate was appraised at over 800l, of which only 20l represented books. He had four children; his son Ward graduated in 1723."

Children of Nathaniel Clark and Elizabeth Somerby: 4) John, b. Newbury 24 Jan 1670, graduated Harvard 1690, d. Exeter, NH, 25 Jul 1705.

Clark, John, s. Nathaniel, [born] Jan. 24, 1670.