Clark, Ashford William Sgt. – Co. C, MO Home Guard Co. I, 73rd IL Infantry

Ashford W Clark was born 28 June 1841 in Ohio Co., KY, the son of William CLARK (b. 11 Apr 1813, in Lincoln Co., TN; d. 09 Jan 1886 Greene Co., MO) and his wife Rachel BENNETT (b. 04 May 1813 in Ohio Co., KY; d. 28 Dec 1847 in Jackson Co, IN).

On 18 Mar 1860 in Swan Ville, Christian Co., MO Ashford married Susan Catherine PIGG (b.21 May 1841 in Warren Co., TN; d. 14 Feb 1921 in Los Angeles, CA).

Ashford and Susan were the parents of 13 children. Child number nine was daughter Emma Susan CLARK (b. 24 Nov 1878 in Marshfield, Webster Co., MO; d. 01 Sep 1937 in Santa Barbara, CA). From this child descends this line to the member of Laura Belle Stoddard Tent 22, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865.

Ashford W Clark aka A.W. Clark died shortly after his wife on 04 May 1921 in Los Angeles, CA after nearly 60 years of marriage.

Six months after their first child (America CLARK b. 08 Jan 1861 in Sangamon Co., IL; d, 09 Nov 1863) was born, Ashford enlisted for two months as a Private in Capt. Butt’s Co C, Webster Co. Reg’t, MO H. G. (Home Guard) [Source: National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System; Film # M390 roll 9].  He served from 29 Jun 1861 to 11 Aug 11, 1861.

On 21 Aug 1862 when their second child (John Monroe CLARK (b. 02 May 1862 in Sangamon Co., IL; d. 27 May 1928, Los Angeles, CA) was only three months old, Ashford enlisted for three years as a Private in Co. I, 73rd IL Infantry Reg’t, from Sangamon Co, IL.   He was discharged 10 Feb 1863 at Louisville, KY for disability from wounds at the rank of Sgt. [source: “Footnote” images 68167, 309067945, 309459919, 292942020]

According to family history Ashford walked many miles carrying his young son to see Abraham Lincoln before he was laid to rest.  According to a schedule of Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral Train, it left Washington D.C. on April 25^th 1865 and arrived in Springfield, Illinois on May 3^rd. At that time Ashford was living in Sangamon Co., IL about 75 miles from Springfield.  His young son, John, would have been less than 3 years old at the time.  According to records, there were thousands of people lined up along the train’s route. I believe Ashford and his son John were among them.

The Ashford Clark family came to California prior to 1900 [source: Listed on Fed. Census 1900, Sonoma, Mendocino Co, CA]. They eventually settled in southern California, owning and operating a grocery store called “Blue Front Grocery” at 4611 Compton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA; they lived in a home behind their business.

In 1910 Ashford and Susan celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in Los Angeles, CA. Slightly over ten years later Susan passed away, and Ashford died two months later, as the family remembers— “of a broken heart.”