The next autograph is that of Thomas Clark of

Dorchester in 1636. He had two daughters born there

— Mehitable in 1640, and Elizabeth in 1642. In 1643

he had removed to Boston, his home lot and warehouse

being on the north side of the cove into which the mill

creek flowed. His house, when he died, was on what is

now North Square, previously Clark Square. By trade

he was a draper, but in time became interested in vessels

and participated with others in adventures to the West

Indies and to the northward, becoming a prominent

merchant. He was especially interested in mills and

land at York, Maine, and had a narrow escape from the

Indians when Captain Thomas Lake lost his life there.

He owned considerable land at the North End in Bos-

ton, and had an interest in the mills there and at one

time owned one-eighth of Bendall's Dock.



He was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Ar-

tillery, its Lieutenant in 1639 and 1651; Captain 1653

and 1656, and Sergeant Major of the Suffolk Regiment

in 1673, then a rank as high as that of Colonel at







Building the First Town House. 117



present. A Deputy to the General Court in 165 1, he

became Speaker in 1662, and in 1673 was chosen an

Assistant. He was also a Commissioner and held other

public offices.



His eldest daughter, Mehitable, married Humphrey-

Warren, who died in 1680; the younger daughter, Eliz-

abeth, married in 1661, John Freake, who died from an

explosion on a ship in Boston Harbor in 1675, and she

afterwards married Elisha Hutchinson, grandfather of

Governor Hutchinson.



Major Thomas Clark died 13 March, 1683. In his

will after bequests to his widow and his daughters and

sons-in-law, he mentions his sister Elizabeth Stoughton,

widow of Israel. He also speaks of his kinsmen, making

them overseers of his will, William Stoughton, cousin*

William Tailer, who married Rebecca Stoughton, his

niece. He also mentions a cousin Thomas Smith, a

brother John Clark of Welton, and sister Anna Hanes.

To the poor of Boston he left ^50 and to those of Dor-

chester ^20. To the company or ward in Boston

which he commanded he left ^10, to purchase arms.

To the Church he gave ^50, and to ten of his poor

kindred £$ each, to be distributed by his brother John.

In case his daughters left no descendants, ;£ 1,500 was

to build a hospital in Boston.