THE COUSINS

Definition of Cousin:

   1. A child of one's aunt or uncle. Also called first cousin.

   2. A relative descended from a common ancestor, such as a grandparent, by two or more steps in a diverging line.

Today’s post is all about cousins; specifically cousins that were the grandchildren of Jeremiah B. Clark and his wife Harriet C. Ogden. Jeremiah and Harriet were married July 3, 1861 in Westtown, Orange Co., New York. When they first married, they lived in the Wawayanda township, later moving on to Greenville and finally to Goshen where Jeremiah owned and operated a butcher shop.

The Clark’s had seven children—Frances E., David Pullis, Minnie I., Franklin Emerson, Amos Ryerson, Lillian Mae and Grace Lee. The children all married and had families of their own giving Jeremiah and Harriet twenty-one grandchildren.

Photo from Personal Collection

Cousins Ethel Clark, Nellie Hewitt and Ella Wilson

Ethel Clark (born 1893) was the only child of Frank Emerson Clark and Fannie Smith. Nellie Hewitt (born 1890) was also the only child of Lillian Mae Clark and George B. Hewitt. Ella Wilson (born 1899) was Grace & Jerome’s oldest daughter. This photograph was taken professionally probably by a studio in Middletown, New York.

Photo from Personal Collection

Ella Wilson, Viola Wilson and Laura Fitzgerald

Sisters Ella and Viola are seated atop a mule while Cousin Laura Fitzgerald keeps an eye on them. Ella and Viola Wilson were the daughters of Grace Lee Clark and Jerome Walter Wilson. Laura Fitzgerald was Minnie and Eugene Fitzgerald’s daughter. Viola was my grandmother born in 1904. If you look very closely at this snapshot, you can see great-great grandmother Harriet (Ogden) Clark sitting on the porch. This might have been Uncle David Clark’s home on Matthews St. in Goshen, New York. The barn on the left belonged to the Clark’s. Grandmother Harriet died in 1912 so the photo was taken before then. Perhaps this can be dated about 1909/1910.

Photo from Personal Collection

Nettie Clark

Nettie Clark (born 1893) was the oldest child of David Pullis Clark and Ada Dolson. Nettie’s picture was taken at the Wheeler Studio in Goshen, New York.

Photo from Personal Collection

 Clara Fitzgerald and Viola Wilson

 

Clara (born 1894) was Minnie Clark and Eugene Fitzgerald’s youngest child. There’s my grandmother with her.

Photo from Personal Collection

 George and David Clark

You know they have a good sense of humor! They are Amos Clark and Irene Carpenter’s sons. George was born in 1914 and David in 1910. The pic was probably snapped near their home when they lived on East Main Street in Middletown, New York. I would guess the date to be the early 1920’s.

Photo from Personal Collection

 Knapp Cousins

Frances E. Clark and Adelbert Knapp had six children—Edith (born 1887), Pearl (born 1889), Frank (born 1890), Hattie (born 1892), Elmeda (born 1895) and Ada (born 1898). I have a portrait of Fanny and Dell’s family posed on their front lawn at 265 West Main St., Goshen, New York with their children and grandchildren. I cropped the Knapp girls from this portrait but you’ll notice there are six girls rather than Fanny and Dell’s five daughters. Young Frank Knapp’s wife must be included. I think the daughter-in-law might be the 4^th from the left. In the original photograph, Frank is standing behind her. I don’t know which daughter is Edith, Pearl, Hattie, Elmeda or Ada.  I’m hoping a reader will be able to identify the girls.

Photo from Personal Collection

 Frank Knapp

Son of Frances E. Clark and Adelbert Knapp

Not pictured are David P. Clark and Ada Dolson’s other children--Jeremiah Benjamin Clark (born 1894), Charles Wilcox Clark (born 1899), Woodford Pitts Clark (born 1905) and Blanche Elizabeth (born about 1912). No photos exist for Percy Fitzgerald (born 1889) and Cora Fitzgerald (born 1893) who were brother and sister to Laura and Clara, children of Minnie Clark and Eugene Fitzgerald.