Here is a brief summary of the biographical information I have found on the four primary individuals I am researching this summer. I wish to thank you for your offer to help me in my genealogical quest to uncover as much information as I can about the members of the Clark family. I tried to be as specific as possible without burying you in unneccessary details about Clark's work. Should you have any questions I am at the archives M-F, eight to four.

Joseph Clark, merchant and architect (?- 1798/04/26)

1. Born in England and trained to his profession there according to letters from Alexander Contee Hanson

2. Married Bell Ferguson (Isabella Ferguson daughter of Alexander Ferguson, staymaker of Londontown and Elizabeth Ferguson. Isabella later writes of her father's Scottish heritage). They have at least four children together. Horation Clark, the firstborn(dies in 1793 at the age of 14 of a putrid throat. He receives honors for his marks while enrolled at St. John's), George Clark (who dies the following year while also in attendance at the school), Jane Clark (who dies as a minor in 1804 according to Chancery case) , and Mary Clark (she claims she is the sole surviving orphan of Clark in her 1829 petition to the General Assembley)

3. Brother of fellow Annapolis resident Stephen Clark, bookseller and stationer.

4. . Rented Lot 27 in Annapolis from Ann Gaither.

5. Involved in chancery cases pertaining to properties "Chance" etc in which his wife's second husband pursues the matter after Clark's death in Baltimore.

6. After completing several public and private works in Annapolis (ie the steeple of St. Anne's, a building for St. John's college, the dome of the state house) he wished to become involved with the building in Washignton DC. He was the grand master of the freemasons of Maryland and belongs to Amanda Lodge 12. He delivered the oration as grand master pro tem of the ceremony at the laying of the cornerstone of the capitol. As an ardent federalist, he wrote letters to George Washington describing potential plans. When L' Enfant is chosen as architect, Clark became involved with Morris, Nicholson, and Greenleaf as a contractual architect in Washington D.C. He lost over 22,000 pounds in his business dealings with the three men.

7. His family moved back to Baltimore in 1796 where he lived at 21 S. High Street, Old Town. He petitioned the general assembley for aid and money owed him from his work on the State House project. His claims are denied by Luther Martin who claims that the statue of limitations for reclaiming his due are past. Clark travels abck to England to regain his health in the winter of 1797. He petitions the Assembley for an act of insolvency in 1797.

8. He dies on April 26, 1798. He is buried in St. Paul's Cemetary in Baltimore. His obituary sites his integrity, honesty, and role as grand master of the Freemasons in the 1798/04/26 BFG.

Isabella Clark Beale nee Ferguson (1760-1804)

1. Daughter of Alexander Ferguson and Elizabeth Ferguson. Her father owns several houses in Annapolis and that is presumably how she met Clark, a merchant at the time. She is the second youngest daughter of seven children. Her family belonged to All Hallow's parish in Anne Arundel and her baptismal record is listed, along with her several brothers and sisters.

2. Her father dies in 1770, making John Hammond and Elizabeth Ferguson his administrator and executrix. Elizabeth writes a letter relinquishing her powers, as she is unfamiliar with business practices.

3. Not much is known about Isabella's life. She writes a letter to Morris, Nicholson, and Greenleaf describing the horrible conditions at Greenleaf's Point. She defends her husband's business practices, details how she had to sell the majority of her furniture and went into debt not for her or her husband's profit but for their business.

4. Her mother dies on May 28, 1799, a year after her husband dies. She moved from the house on High Street to Petticoat Lane, in Fell's Point. Four months later she marries Thomas Keibard Beale.

Thomas Keibard Beale

1. Listed in the 1798 Tax Assessment with property in the precincts. His tax rate is class three and the property for which he is assessed contains 13, 200 sq feet. He marries Isabella Clark in St. Paul's Church September 1799. Several of his other properties are adjacent to Petticoat Lane.

2. Involved in a chancery case in 1803 over property called Chatsworth. Case reveals that the family moves to Washington D.C. and is no longer in MD.

3, Another chancery case claims that Isabella and Jane die in 1804. ( presumably in D.C. because they are not lsited in Anne Arundel Coutny, PG county, or BA county Register of Will/ Inventory papers)

4. Beale is never independently listed in Census Records for Maryland in 1790 or 1800. I do not know his whereabouts, occupation, or death date.

MARY S. Magee

1. sole surviving orphan of Isabella and Joseph Clark according to 1829 petition for pecuniary aid.

In this petition she asks for money to rejoin her husband in Latin America, who she has not received payments from in over four years. He is a Lt. Colonol in the Columbian army (as she claims). She mentions that her father claims he was not paid by Luther Martin. She does not ask for his due but rather asks for help as the orphan child of a man who built several public works in Annapolis. (I enclosed a copy of the petition from Morris Radoff's book on the State House at Annapolis pg 18-19).

2. I also found an ad in the December 24 issue of the MD Gazette announcing Mrs. Magee's invitation to a ball that she was giving. An unknown person sends a letter to the editor describing the poor turnout at Mrs. Magee's last invitation. He or she encourages people to attend this one because of her "situation" which is so well known that he or she did nto need to describe it here. I do not know her husband's first name. I searched marriage records for Maryland and did not find the couple. I would appreciate it if you could uncover any info about Thomas Keibard Beale or Mary S. Magee's whereabouts. Thank you very much for your assistance. In fact, it already paid off. When you mentioned the churches in Baltimore I found out that the family belonged to St. Paul's.

Thank you for your time and efforts.

Sincerely,

Anne M. Tria