Dewey and Elsa (Dietze) Clark

Sherwood, Clark County, Wisconsin

In November, 1918 three generations of Clarks arrived at Sheldon, from origins in Indiana, Massachusetts (1600's), the Kickapoo region of southern Wisconsin, and Sherwood, and Clark County, Wisconsin. They arrived by way of a homestead at Dunn Center, North Dakota where they had spent five years. They debarked from a train with horses, wagon and meager possessions, at Cumberland, Wisconsin and traveled by horse and wagon to Sheldon, via Ladysmith.

They were: James Clark "a farmer born in Indiana" and a near four year veteran of the 7th Wisconsin Infantry of the Civil War, (his date of birth vague, probably enlisted 1861 at 15 years of age), James' wife Seraphina, their son, John W. and his wife Sarah Janes Clark, John and Sarah's son Charles Dewey Clark. They had been en- couraged by earlier arrivals from Clark County to the Sheldon area, among them, D. L. Pickering, and relative David Janes family.

They stopped at Ladysmith to replenish supplies. Charles Dewey made a purchase at the Bon Ton Grocery and was waited upon by Elsa Dietze, from Sheldon, working in Ladysmith. She apparently was not impressed by the 20 year old lad, although he was. They arrived in Sheldon for Thanksgiving dinner at the D. L. Pickering's.

They settled in Sheldon and a daughter of John and Sarah Mable Clark Moffit and her husband soon followed from North Dakota.

James Clark died in 1925 and his wife Saraphina, in 1929. Both were returned for burial to Gays Mills, Wisconsin, the town of their youth. In their earlier years they had homesteaded in Sherwood Township, Clark County. There the son, John W., courted and eventually eloped with Sarah Janes about 1895. The result of which was a certain antipathy in the families of the two children. Eventually this situation was impetus for the North Dakota sojourn in 1913.

John W. Clark managed a little dray work and was the Constable or peace officer. His wife Sarah managed a small dairy, milking the cows, bottling and separating cream for home churned butter, etc.

John W. passed away in 1937, Sarah lived on until 1968. In addition to her own two children she eventually took a great responsibility in the rearing of the children of her brother David Janes, his wife having passed away at an early age. She is fondly referred to as "Aunt Sarah" by those children and their descendants.

Elsa Dietz returned to Sheldon and again met Charles Dewey Clark and after four years were married. The marriage connected the Clarks to the numerous Dietze families. Subsequent marriages, etc. formed a formidable network of interrelated people in the community who seldom came to agreement on anything but mealtime.

Dewey and Elsa Clark produced three children: Victor Dewey, 1924-1950, Edna Clark Revak, now of Shreveport, La. in 1926 and Charles Harold 1928, now of Minneapolis. Dewey was at times a milk hauler, cattle dealer, mechanic, school bus driver, millwright and carpenter.

Charles Dewey Clark, born 1898, passed away at Sheldon in 1978. Elsa Clark Dietze 1898 lives on the Sheldon place at this writing.

Mable Clark Moffit and Elmer P. Moffit both surviving at this writing raised six children, Marie, Ruby, Lowell, Ethel, (deceased), Donald, (deceased), and Mary Ann. All have departed the Sheldon community over the years. Charles Clark.

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