A. J. Clark, farmer, Sec. 17: P. O. Charleston; born in Coles Co., Ill., April 22, 1834, within one-half a mile of where he has since lived; he is the youngest son of Benjamin and Sarah Clark, who emigrated from Kentucky and located in Coles Co., Ill., about the year 1829, where his father lived until his death, which occurred April 18, 1856, while on a visit to Indiana; he was born in Kentucky in the year 1798; his mother, who still lives within one-half mile of where she has lived for nearly one-half of a century, was born Jan. 1, 1800. Mr. Clark remained with his father until 1856, when he commenced farming for himself, upon the old homestead, where he has since continued to live, and where he owns 120 acres of land, mostly under cultivation, and 90 acres mostly timber, in Secs. 16 and 21. His marriage with Christina V. Robinson was celebrated June 1, 1865; she was born in Clark Co., Ind., Jan. 11, 1850; her parents located in Illinois when she was 2 years of age; five children were the fruit of this union, two of whom are deceased; the names of the living are-Lillie May, born Jan. 24, 1867; Willis P., born Dec. 9, 1868; Clarence V., born July 17, 1875. Mr. Clark met with a severe loss by the failure of the proposed Charleston & Danville R. R., having contracted to furnish 5,000 ties, and the failure to complete the railroad left the ties upon his hands, by which he suffered to the extent of $1,500.
