Luther Sherman CLARK (14 Feb 1889-16 Dec 1983) +
Aurora Casline CORBET (15 Jan 1890-20 Oct 1968)

Luther Chalmers “Chalmers” (12 Jan 1911-4 Jan 1989) — m. Ramona Priscilla Ponder on 27 Mar 1932

Chester Alfred (8 Aug 1912-23 Sep 2001) — m. Jonnie Magee on 26 Jun 1936

Millard Morris (26 Jun 1915-19 Mar 1967) — m. Myrtle Norris on 12 Apr 1937

Sherman Lavelle “Lavelle” (6 Dec 1918-22 Jul 2003) — m. Frances McCarroll on 29 Feb 1948

Corbet Leroy “Leroy” (18 Jan 1922-5 Feb 2005) — m. Jay Etta Rowsey on 14 Nov 1942

Ralph Roberts (18 Oct 1925-28 Feb 2012) — m. Betty Lou Aaron on 16 Jul 1951

Victor Albert, Sr. (25 Jun 1930-25 Oct 2018) — m. Patsy Gladys Waddell on 25 Jun 1955

Luther was born in Ash Flat, Sharp County, Arkansas, the fifth of eight children of Spencer Leroy Clark and Mary Melina Roberts.

Aurora was born in Gainesville, Greene County, Arkansas, the fifth of six children to Marion E. Corbet and Julia R. Wood, both originally of Jefferson County, Tennessee. She was probably named in memory of Aurora C. Douglass, a much older cousin who died in Gainesville in 1888. Her family moved from Gainesville to Black Rock, Lawrence County in the 1890s.

Luther and Aurora married on 26 Oct 1909 in Craighead County, Arkansas. The 1910 census showed them, ages 21 and 20, living with Luther’s father and four of his sisters in Black Rock. In his 1917 draft registration, Luther was listed as a blacksmith, and a sergeant in the Arkansas National Guard. He was described as tall and slim, with dark hair and blue eyes.

The 1920 census for Black Rock listed Luther (30) and Aurora (29) with sons Chalmers (9), Chester (7), Millard (4), and Lavelle (1). Luther was a shipping clerk at a manufacturing company.

The 1930 census for Black Rock listed Luther (41) and Aurora (40) with six sons Chalmers (19), Chester (17), Millard (14), Lavelle (11), Leroy (8), and Ralph (4); Victor, the youngest, was born a couple of months later. Aurora’s mother Julia Wood Corbet (76) was living with them, although the same census also reported her living with Aurora’s brother Marion.

In the 1940 census, Luther (51) and Aurora (5) were living on 7th Street in Black Rock. Children still at home were Leroy (18), Ralph (14), and Victor (9). Luther was a company foreman for the Coffey Lumber Company. From other sources, he was also recorder and treasurer of the town of Black Rock for 50 years, a Mason, and a member of the KKK. His SSN was reportedly 431-10-7413-A.

Aurora died of a heart attack in 1968, age 78. Those present for her funeral in Black Rock included nephews Warren W. Brinkley from Colorado and Carlos C. Spikes from Kansas, her cousin Marvin Corbett from Marmaduke, Greene County, and Luther’s niece Miriam Clark McAlister from Lead Hill, Boone County. Luther lived until 1983.

Like their parents, Luther and Aurora are buried in Oak Forest Cemetery, Black Rock. Their youngest son, Victor, is buried there as well. Four of their sons are buried in Lawrence Memorial Cemetery in Walnut Ridge.

Aurora Corbet Clark (left) with siblings Marion and Neoma
Aurora Corbet Clark (left) with siblings Marion and Neoma

Children

Luther Chalmers “Chalmers” Clark (1911-1989)

Chalmers married Ramona Priscilla Ponder (8 Dec 1910-27 Oct 1987). They lived in Walnut Ridge. They had one child:

Mona Ponder (20 Oct 1935-28 Mar 2007) — m. Laddie B. Logan in Jan 1955

Chalmers & Ramona are buried in Lawrence Memorial Park, Walnut Ridge.

Mona’s husband, Laddie Logan (1934-2013), was a highly decorated Vietnam veteran. Their children are William Ponder Logan (1955) and Ramona Marie “Mimi” Logan (1960). Laddie and Mona are also buried in Lawrence Memorial.

Chester Alfred Clark (1912-2001)

Chester married Jonnie Magee (26 Sep 1907-1 Apr 2009, born in Franklinton, Louisiana) of Brookhaven, Mississippi in 1936. They adopted two children:

Ernie L. (1945) — m. Mary Fuller

Bette Lynn (1946) — m. Charles W. Dixon

Robert Clark’s account: “Uncle Chester enlisted during WWII as an officer trainee, graduated from Yale during the War, and was a Captain in the Army Air Force, stationed in Europe, at the war’s end. He married well – Aunt Jonnie’s family ran a car dealership in Brookhaven, MS and had some wealth – and Chester was a savvy businessman. He increased their family wealth by buying shares in some oil drilling operations that succeeded. We didn’t see much of Chester, since he lived in Brookhaven. But I owe him much. When I was trying to get into MIT, Chester wrote a letter to his former Yale classmate, B. Alden Thresher, who happened to be the director of admissions at MIT. The letter started, ‘Dear BAT’.”

Chester was also the Clark family genealogist. He kept in touch with the California Clarks, and collected records of ancestors, including letters between his grandfather Spencer and Spencer’s relatives out in Idaho. He died in 2001, and Jonnie in 2009. They’re buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Brookhaven, Mississippi.

Millard Morris Clark (1915-1967)

Millard has his own entry in the family tree.

Sherman Lavelle “Lavelle” Clark (1918-2003)

Lavelle served in the US Army during WWII. He married Frances McCarroll (27 Sep 1923-2 Feb 2012) in 1948. They lived in Walnut Ridge, and later in Portia. They had one child:

Barbara (1949)

Lavelle died in Portia, Lawrence County in 2003. He and Frances are buried in Hope Cemetery, Imboden.

Corbet Leroy “Leroy” Clark (1922-2005)

Leroy married Jay Etta Rowsey (1 Dec 1922-14 Sep 2004) in 1942, and served in the US Army during the war. They lived in Walnut Ridge. Their children:

Corbet Leroy “C. L.”, Jr. (1943) — m. Gail M. Wiederkehr

Philip Rowsey (1945) — m. Victoria R. Hatcher

Rochelle (1946) — m. David F. Greenwood

Carolyn (1948) — m. Jerry Kincade

Leroy died in 2005. He and Jay are buried in Lawrence Memorial Cemetery, Walnut Ridge.

Ralph Roberts Clark (1925-2012)

Ralph served in the US Navy during WWII. He married Betty Lou Aaron (8 Apr 1931-9 Jun 2003) in 1951. They lived in Walnut Ridge, and adopted three children:

Terry Lee (1954) — m. Brenda Mann

Peggy Carol (1955) — m. Rocky Sutton

Billy Gene (1957) — m. Julia Martin

Ralph died in 2012. He and Betty Lou are buried in Lawrence Memorial Cemetery.

Victor Albert Clark (1930-2018)

Victor married Patsy Gladys Waddell (10 Sep 1935-22 Jan 2019) from South Carolina in 1955. They lived in Portia, Lawrence County just west of Walnut Ridge. Their children:

Patricia Rose (1956) — m. Luther Tribble

Vickie Annette (1958) — m. Merle Mitchell

Mary Jannece (1962)

Victor Albert, Jr. (1967) — m. Kelly Husky; m. Judy Everett Hampton Scheller

Victor began working at Clark Lumber Company when he was 15, and retired from the firm that had become Clark General Contractors at age 85. He served on the Portia city council, was a board member and president of the Black Rock School District, and served in the National Guard for eight years. Victor was also a member of the Black Rock Masonic Lodge No. 476, F. & A.M., and a lifetime member of Portia Church of Christ. Victor died in 2018 and is buried in Oak Forest Cemetery, Black Rock. Patsy died three months later, and is buried with him.

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