Thomas Jefferson Clark

CLARK, THOMAS JEFFERSON (1846 ~ 1938). Confederate veteran Thomas Jefferson Clark was born in 1846 in Tallassee, Tallapoosa County, Alabama.

At the age of fourteen, Clark and his father Samuel encountered a Confederate unit that was marching by their farm. Samuel told the officer, his son wanted to join the Confederacy. The officer asked if T.J. Clark if he could ride a horse, he could, so he enlisted November 27, 1861, at Columbus, Georgia.

Clark served as a private in Captain Craft's Battery, Georgia Light Artillery. In April 1864 at Savannah, Georgia, the muster roll reported he was discharged on account of sickness.

Clark moved to Texas in 1870, and lived in Hearne, Robertson County. While in Robertson County, Clark served as a deputy sheriff. In 1875, he moved to Davilla, Milam County, Texas to start a hauling and livery business. While in Milam County Clark, he married Josephine Eleanor Ashford and moved to Taylor, Williamson County. Together, Clark and his wife had nine children, six boys and three girls.

In 1882, he and his family moved to Bartlett, Bell County, Texas. While in Bartlett, Clark maintained a livery stable and was nicknamed "Hay" because he owned a hay rigging business. Clark cut and baled the grass on the local prairies and sold it to the townspeople.

Clark was admitted to the Confederate Men's Home on April 25, 1938, and died there on May 1, 1938. He was buried at the Texas State Cemetery the next day.

Information taken from Texas State Cemetery file materials and family stories.