W5: Harriet Mills Clark(1822-1894)

Harriet Mills Clark was born on December 17th, 1822 to James Clarke and Anna Francis Warren in Northampton, MA.  She was the 3rd of 3 children, but there was a 14 year gap between her older brother's birth and her's.  I don't have any information to explain the gap, but feel there would be an interesting story here.  Her mother passed away in 1830. Harriet's mother died fairly early in her life, and the children were apprenticed out.  It is believe Harriet was sent to Fitchburg and worked/learned from a Mrs. Jewett,  She resented the fact that she had been bound out, because there were relatives who could have taken her in.

Harriet expressed her intentions to marry Asa Wright on September 29th, 1845 and married him on October 21st, 1845 in Northampton, MA.  Her father died soon after in 1848. Harriet and Asa's first child, Francis Clark Wright, was born on April 15th, 1849 in Williamsburg, MA and died almost a year later on April 8th, 1850.  The 1850 census shows Asa living with Harriet in Northampton and working as a farmer.

Their second son, David Joy Wright was born on February 9th, 1851 in Northampton, MA. Their youngest child, Charles Black Wright was born on June 27th, 1855 in Northampton, MA and the 1860 census shows the family living together and Asa still working as a farmer. The 1865 Massachusetts census has Asa living with his wife and youngest son.  There is no sign of David Joy.

The family is all together again in 1870.  Asa is still working as a farmer.  His personal estate is worth $5000 and his real estate is $3000.  This 1873 Land ownership map shows where they was living at the time.  I believe the property would have been located at what is now the corner of Laurel St and Grove St. The 1880 census lists Asa living with Harriet, son David and David's wife, Jane Caroline Reed.  He is now a farmer for the Northampton Lunatic Hospital.  There is a possibility that he is living at the farmhouse on hospital property at what is now Village Hill Road and West Street.

By 1880, Asa was still working as a farmer, but living at 19 West St. with Harriet, their son and daughter-in-law.  Asa died on May 11th, 1882 of an epileptic coma in Northampton, MA. Sometime after Asa's death, Harriet moved to 67 West St.  She died on August 25th, 1894 of a Strangulated Hernia.  She is buried in Bridge Street Cemetery.

Branch

• Generation 3 (2nd Great Grandparents): Asa Wright and Harriet Mills Clark

  • Generation 2 (Great Grandparents): David Joy Wright and Jane Caroline Reed

    • Generation 1 (Grandparents): David Sanders Wright and Florence Edna Smith

      • Generation 0: Robert Ervin Putnam and (Florence) Caroline Wright

Sources

• Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988: Name Mr Asa Wright, Event Type Marriage, Marriage Date 29 Sep 1845, Marriage Place Northampton, Massachusetts, Spouse Name Harriet Clark

• 1850 United States Federal Census: Year: 1850; Census Place: Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; Roll: M432_320; Page: 136A; Image: 273

• Massachusetts, State Census, 1855: Name Asa Wright, Gender Male, Birth Year abt 1820, Birth Place Massachusetts, Residence , Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA, Enumeration Year 1855, Age 35, Household Number 863, Reel Number 13, Volume Number 18

• 1860 United States Federal Census: Year: 1860; Census Place: Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_505; Page: 886; Image: 892; Family History Library Film: 803505

• Massachusetts, State Census, 1865: Name Asa Wright, Gender Male, Marital Status Married, Birth Year abt 1819, Birth Place Massachusetts, Residence Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA, Enumeration Year 1865, Age46, Household Number 1041, Reel Number 14, Volume Number,17

• 1870 United States Federal Census: Year: 1870; Census Place: Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; Roll: M593_621; Page: 390A; Image: 42503; Family History Library Film: 552120

• U.S., Indexed County Land Ownership Maps, 1860-1918: Owner's Name Asa Wright, State Massachusetts, County Hampshire, Town Northampton, Year 1873

• 1880 United States Federal Census: Database online. Year: 1880; Census Place: Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts; Roll: 538; Family History Film: 1254538; Page: 447C; Enumeration District: 347; Image: 0105.

• Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915, Name Harriet M Clark Wright Gender Female Age 71 Birth Date abt 1823 Birth Place Northampton Death Date 25 Aug 1894 Death Place Northampton, Massachusetts, USA Father James Clark Mother Frances Warren Wills and Probates Harriet M Clark Wright - 1894

• U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current: Name Harriet M Wright Maiden Name Clark Birth Date 17 Dec 1822 Birth Place Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States of America Death Date 25 Aug 1894 Death Place United States of America Cemetery Bridge Street Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States of America Has Bio? N Spouse Asa Wright Children Francis Clark Wright URL https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88043959/wr