52 Ancestors: Ancestor #6 Mary Elizabeth Durbin Clark

February 19, 2014

52 Ancestors: Ancestor #6 Mary Elizabeth Durbin Clark I am behind in my blog posts! I am making an attempt to catch up. 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks a blog prompt by Amy Johnson Crow http://www.nostorytoosmall.com/posts/challenge-52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

Mary Elizabeth Durbin was born on 23 Nov 1861 in Avena, Fayette, Illinois, United States to Morris and Rachel (Logue) Durbin. She appeared in the census on 3 Aug 1870 in Avena, Fayette, Illinois, United States. Her father Morris died in February of 1880 when she was eighteen years old. She, her mother and siblings appeared in the census on 16 Jun 1880 in Avena, Fayette, Illinois, United States.

Mary Elizabeth and Charles Clark cir 1940

In December 1880 Mary became pregnant. There are two stories surrounding her pregnancy. One was that she became pregnant by a Dial boy that she knew but decided she did not want to marry; the other story was that she was raped by one of the Dial boys in town and refused to marry the culprit. I have no idea which, if either, of the stories is true. I do think that making a decision to have a child and not marry during that time period shows that Mary had gusto.

Charles and Mary cir late 1920's

In 1888 Mary married Charles Henry Clark. Charles was the son of Morris T. and Mary Josephine (Metz) Clark. Charles’ father died while he was an infant. His mother remarried and he was raised by her and her new husband Paul Baughman. The Clark’s, Durbin’s and Baughman’s all resided near each other in Avena, Fayette, Illinois.

Mary appeared in the census on 6 Jun 1900 in Loudon Township, Fayette, Illinois, United States. The 1910 Census shows the family in Loudon Township, Fayette, Illinois. The 1910 census record indicates that she gave birth to 8 children, 7 living at that time. I have not yet located Mary and Charles in the 1920 Census. She lived 1524 N. Clinton in Decatur, Macon, Illinois, United States on 16 Apr 1930. The couple lived at 769 N. Broadway in Decatur, Macon, Illinois.

She died on 9 Feb 1949 at the age of 87 in Avena, Fayette, Illinois of a cerebral hemorrhage. Mary was buried on 12 Feb 1949 at Saint Bonaventure in Saint Elmo, Fayette, Illinois, United States.