Clark Carr

CLARK CARR.

Agricultural pursuits have long had a worthy representative in Clark Carr, whose home farm of eighty acres is situated on section 12, Jackson township, about a mile and three-quarters west of ClarksviUe, on the SheU Rock river. Here he has lived since the 5th of September, 1868, and the county knows him as one of the worthy representatives of agricultural life — industrious, honorable and persistent in all that he has undertaken. He was born September 8, 1844, in Bennington county, Vermont, his parents being C. R. and Rhoda (Brown) Carr. The father was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, February 19, 1811, and the mother in Rutland county, Vermont, February 26, 1811. They became residents of McHenry county, Illinois, in 1845 and after twenty-one years there passed removed to Butler county in September, 1866, spending their last days in Jackson township. The father followed the trades of a carpenter and stone mason until he came to Iowa, after which he followed farming. Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church in early life but as there was no congregation of that denomination near their home in Iowa they united with the Methodist Episcopal church. Christian principles actuated them in aU that they did and their good deeds made their example one weu worthy of emulation. The father died Feb-

Google ruary 2, 1888, and the mother, surviving for more than a decade, passed away December 26, 1898. They were the parents of four children beside our subject: Julia, the wife of George Smith, of Jackson township; Mrs. Mary Rogers, who died in Clarksville; Mrs. Lucinda Olson, of Junction City, Kansas; and Mrs. Lucina Poisal, deceased. Mrs. Olson and Mrs. Poisal were twins.

In taking up the personal history of Clark Carr we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in this county, where he has now lived for almost a half century, having come here with his parents in 1866. He continued at home until his marriage two years later. He had given active manifestation of his patriotic spirit and his loyalty to his country by enlisting on the 20th of August, 1862, in McHenry county, Illinois, as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twentyseventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war. He was taken prisoner at Youngs Point, Louisiana, but was paroled after thirty days. The regiment was attached to the First Brigade, Second Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, known as Logan's Corps, and with his conunand Mr. Carr went through the entire siege of Vicksburg, took part in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and was in the Atlanta campaign, in which he was for one hundred and five days under fire. He had a most arduous military experience, but he never faltered in the face of danger, bravely defending his country and her interests whether on the firing line or the lonely picket post. With the close of the war he participated in the Grand Review in Washington, D. C, and was then mustered out, receiving an honorable discharge in Chicago, on the 19th of June, 1865. He returned home with a most creditable military record and the history of his service as a Union soldier is one of which he has every reason to be proud.

Since the war Mr. Carr has been actively engaged in farming in Butler county and at one time was the owner of two hundred and forty acres of valuable land, of which he still retains eighty acres, comprising the old homestead on section 12, Jackson township, a mile and three-quarters west of Clarksville. He took up his above upon this place forty-five years ago and in connection with the production of crops best adapted to soil and climate he has made a specialty of raising horses.

On the 5th of September, 1868, Mr. Carr was married to Mrs. Frances J. Wamsley, who was born in Henry county, Indiana, March 11, 1839, and died here on the 21st of September,* 1911. She

Google was the widow of Martin B. Wamsley, who died while a prisoner of war at Tyler, Texas. By her first marriage she had four children: R. P., now deceased; S. B., living in Jackson township; Mary E., who became the wife of Harry Parker and died in lone, Washington; and M, V., of Jackson township. These four children were reared by Mr. Carr as his own. There were four children born of the second marriage, but two sons died in infancy. The elder of the surviving sons is William A., who occupies the old homestead. The younger, James L., of Westplains, Missouri, married Annie Moore, a daughter of W. H. Moore, deceased, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. James L. Carr are Jerry and Roy.

Clark Carr has long been an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic, having joined James Butler Post, No. 220, of Clarksville, on its organization. He likewise belongs to Butler Lodge, No. 94, A. F. & A. M., of Clarksville. His political allegiance is always given to the republican party, but he has never sought nor desired office. His religious faith is that of the Christian church. His whole life has been devoted to his home and family. For forty-three years he had a most happy married life, but since his wife's death has been very lonely. He remained VLpon the home farm alone for two years but now his eldest son and his family reside with him. He has witnessed many notable changes in the county, which has been transformed from a frontier district into a populous and prosperous region since he arrived. Something of the rise in land values is indicated in the fact that he has refused one hundred and fifty dollars per acre for his farm. It has been his home for forty-five years and he wishes to remain upon the old homestead as long as he lives. His many friends hope that he will be yet spared for many years to come, for he has ever been regarded as a valued and representative citizen and one whose genuine personal worth has gained for him the esteem of all.

As printed in History of Butler County, Iowa: a record of settlement ..., Volume 2 (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.