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Thomas M. CLARK
Sergeant, Company D, 7th Kentucky Infantry
By Jim Clark
Thomas M. Clark was the fourth child of Anderson D. Clark and Emily Murphy and was born in
Clay County, Kentucky in the year 1841. He was the grandson of two pioneer families,
Henry and Jane Clark and Henderson and Patsy Murphy.
Thomas grew up on Sextons Creek and answered the call to arms in the summer of 1861, along
with his friends and cousins. Thomas was enlisted as 3d Corporal in Company D, of the
3rd Kentucky Infantry, by his cousin, Captain Andrew H. Clark. His enlistment took
place at Booneville, Kentucky on August 19, 1861. The 3rd was later designated the 7th
Kentucky Infantry. Thomas served with the company and in May of 1862 was detailed to
guard prisoners en route to Lexington. He was then assigned duty at Williamsburg,
Kentucky, guarding commissary supplies, and was later on detached duty working on fortifications
at Cumberland Gap. Like so many of his fellow soldiers, Thomas became sick,
developing a cough and an abcess on his side. In May and June of 1863, he was a patient
in the Army Hospital at Millikens Bend, Louisiana. While in the hospital, Thomas was
promoted from 1st Corporal to 4th Sergeant after David McColum was reduced in ranks. Thomas
returned to duty but was never well after that and was discharged with a disability at Plaquemine,
Louisiana on January 14, 1864.
Thomas returned to Clay County, but was unable to do much manual labor. During the
1870 census, he was listed as a school teacher, and was living with the Dabner Morgan family.
Thomas' health did not improve. He tried working as a clerk for R.G. Potter at, his
store in Manchester for part of 1873 and 1874. In June of 1875, he married Emily
Hibbard. They were married by his brother, John H. Clark. The witnesses were
Stephen Farmer and James Hibbard.
During 1878, Thomas bought a small farm about a mile from the Amos Metcalf place on Sextons
Creek. He farmed for about three years, but returned to Manchester in 1879 and filed for
a Disibility Pension in connection with his war service. In support of his claim, Hampton
Flanery, William Lige, Amos Metcalf, Arthur Hipshire, and J.N. Culton all gave testimony
concerning Thomas' suffering from a cough and an abcess on his side. John Lucas, late Lt.
Col. of the 7th, stated that he had known Thomas since he was a boy and that Thomas was in
good health when they went to war. He recalled telling Dr. Stephens in 1863, that if
Thomas were not discharged and sent home, he would surely die.
Thomas died on March 15, 1880, before his pension could be approved. The mortality
schedule for 1880 lists his cause of death as Consumption, at the age of 39. Following his
death, Emily married Wilson Strong on August 28, 1882. The marriage was witnessed by
Edward Parker and Melville Johnson. John Cotongim of Jackson County, stated that he
cared for Thomas during his last days. During that time, Thomas would cough and spit up
blood. He also complained of a cake in his side, which gave him pain until he died.
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