Home page updated December 27, 2023
Site updated December 27, 2023
This branch of the Clark family can be traced back to the early 1800’s settling in Southeast Illinois in 1847. The Clark portion of this site is a history of direct descendants of Elias Clark M.D. The family later ended up in West Central Illinois in Greene County.
Additional family ancestry from the Bass, Burr, Copeland, Davis, Glen, Groot, Scott, Vedder, Vivell and other related families are included on the web site.
The Veterans Freedom Walkway in Carrollton was unveiled to the public in mid-September. Included among those honored for serving in the military are family members James M. Davis, Francis P. Vedder, Victor O. Clark, John R. Clark, Alice L. Clark, and Andrew L. Clark.
The images in the slideshow below are from Caryn Bertman and Bernie Faul. Bernie said more names will be accepted until January 1, 2024.
LINK: Books Written by Clark Family Members
READ: Family Military Service Members Related to Alan, Alice And Andrew Clark
Click the image to the right to see (enlarged) a certificate from President Joe Biden honoring the service of Andrew Clark who served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Investigating the Photograph of Frank Vivell: Have We Solved the Mystery? – by Alice Clark Click link to read more.
The vast majority of photographs on this site are from family albums and we make every effort to identify photographs from other sources. Other documents are either public documents or credit is given to their source.
Over the years people have copied and used photographs from this site. That is fine but we would ask that if they are used on other sites that credit is given as to where they came from.
The following two items on the left were received from the Coonrod-Vivell Insurance Agency. The dental tools on the right were used by Dr. Elias Clark in his medical practice as identified by Violet Vivell-Clark who was married to Victor O. Clark, great Grandson of Dr. Elias Clark. Photograph on the far right is Elias Clark. from the Shepard Family Tree on www.geni.com The three items on the left were photographed by Alan Clark.
 October 3, 1908 Hanover Fire Insurance Company fire Insurance policy issued by O. H. Vivell Insurance Co. Carrollton, Illinois to J. W. Van Meter and counter signed by O. H. Vivell. |
 From one of the O. H. Vivell offices on the north side of square, Carrollton, Illinois. |
 The dental tools used by Dr. Elias Clark 1808 – 1889 who practiced, among other places, Mount Carmel, IL. |
 Elias Clark 1845-1932 |
Information on new additions to the site are outlined at the bottom of this page.
Spanish Flu, 1918
 Read about Victor Clark and his role during the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918, and how it led to getting “Vicksed” as a family tradition. Author, Alice L. Clark; spanishFlu1918.pdf 540 kb |
Family War Records
 War records, including the American Revolution and the Civil War. Click Here to read enlistment records, pension applications and personal letters. |
Salina Street Fire
 Read about F.P. Vedder’s confession in the 1869 South Salina Street fire. Click Here to read all 12 installments of the story. Author, Alan L. Clark. |
1950 House Fire
 One missing brick led to disaster. Read about Victor & Violet Clark’s house fire at 623 School Street in 1950. victorClarkHouseFire.pdf 704 kb |
Family Art: click here to see samples of artwork done by the Clark Family.
Direct descendants can be traced back to William Bradford of Plymouth, MA arriving on North American soil in 1620. More than 390 years of family linage traces the Bradford’s through the Clark’s from Massachusetts to Illinois and now on to Iowa, Indiana and Texas.
A second branch of the family can be traced back to the Mayflower and Plymouth Colony with the Bass family which leads up to the Leach’s and on to the Clark’s.
Vedder family members can be traced on American soil for over 350 years going back to Harmen Albertise Vedder arriving from Holland and being a trader in Beverwyck (Albany) New York.
The Vivell family can be traced back over 325 years.
Another early settler was Thomas Yale who arrived in Boston with his mother in 1637 and a year later moved onto a farm in New Haven, CT.
Scotchman Sander Leendertse Glen was a trader for the West India Company, at Fort Nassau on the Delaware River in 1633. He was also one of the original settlers at Schenectady.
Family members have been Physicians, Politicians, Law Enforcement Officers, Farmers, Business Leaders, Preachers and a variety of other professions. Each has an interesting story to tell.
LATEST NEWS
December 27, 2023
Added final chapter (the conclusion) on the Syracuse Arson file on the home page. Adding the posting of a certificated from President Biden for my brother Andrew Clark who passed away in 2023 in the military service section and will add a new photo album page for Alan & Barbara Clark by the first of the year.
Happy New Year 2024.
October 2023
Added photographs of Greene County, Illinois Veterans Freedom Walkway, Courthouse lawn, Carrollton, Illinois.
January 2023
US Veterans Bureau cards for Clinton Thompson and Victor Clark added along with an article from the Mt. Carmel Register about Dr. Elias Clark and an ad for Dr. Clark in the Wabash Democrat. A death notice and an obit for Maria Lois Leach were both added to the Leach photo album. Six images were added to the John & Mary photo album.
September 2022
Carrollton High School Class of 1916 (with Victor Clark’s Senior Picture) added to the Victor and Violet Clark Photo Album. From Greene County, Illinois Historical Society.
February 2022
Two letters from the civil war have been added to the Dr. Elias Clark photo album.
A 1863 letter from Alfred H. Clark to his brother Elias Clark and a 1864 letter from Dr. Elias Clark to his son Elias Clark. Rare pieces of family history.
January 2022
The photo album section now includes 82 O. H. & Belle Vivell images, 51 Victor & Violet Clark Images, 40 U. D. & Bertha Clark images and 32 John & Mary Clark images.
December 2021
Added Family U. S. Military service members on Home page and 3 new photographs to the Scott family photo page including Bertha Scott-Clark’s father. Additional news paper articles on the Victor & Violet Clark and John & Mary Clark photo album page.
New section added to home page listing books written by Clark Family members.
March 2021
Bertha Scott – Clark and two of her sisters in a school photograph at Mann School 1892 -1893. Near Ellery, Illinois. Posted by Roger Beadles in Facebook Group Wayne County Illinois Genealogy was added to the Scott Photo Album Section.
Family Military Service Members related to Alan, Alice and Andrew Clark was added to the home page all the way back to the Revolutionary war.
January 2021
Additional images have been added to the Photo Section including Belle & O. H. Vivell documents & photographs (including the image of 1909 Illinois Hunting License. That brings the Vivell total to over 80 entries. Bertha and Ulla Dio Clark 50th wedding anniversary Photograph with their oldest Great-Granddaughter and new Photographs of Frank Vivell’s Carrollton home.
Photographs and Documents sections include
- Belle & O. H. Vivell — 80 Images and Documents
- Violet & Victor Clark –50 Images and Documents
- Bertha and Ulla Dio Clark — 40 Images and Documents
- Mary and John Clark — 37 Images and Documents
- Elias Clark — 24 Images and Documents
Happy New Year and goodbye to 2022.
The article on Victor Clark and the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918 certainly has relevance to the current Covid 19 virus hitting the world. Article is located above on home page.
A very interesting medical post on Frank Vivell (1881) written up in the St Louis Medical and Surgical Journal regarding his visit to a specialist shortly before his death, A link to the article is found in the Frank Vivell family page. From Alice Clark research.
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