I moved to Moscow, Idaho in August, 1977 to study toward a master's degree at the University of Idaho. In 1978 I graduated with a degree in American History and Museum Studies. We moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin in August, 1978 and became director of Heritage Hill State Park. I have never lived in Maple Hill, Kansas since that time, but our family did make many trips to Maple Hill to visit relatives and attend weddings and funerals.
A few years after I moved away, my maternal Grandmother, Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin-Clark was hosting a family dinner on a Sunday when we were visiting. After lunch, she brought out all of the Corbin, Lemon and McCauley family pictures that she had. She was telling about her grandparents, aunts and uncles. It was obvious that she knew who the people were in the photos, but there was nothing written down about any of them. I said, "Grandma, why don't you take the time to write down the names and anything else you want to recall on the backs of these photos. No one will know anything about them if you're not around." My paternal Grandmother, Mabel Rachel (Jones) Clark and my cousin, Bonnie Lou (Thomas) Mitchell were also present, and both remarked that it was a good idea to do so. I would remind all three as well as my mother, Lucille (Corbin) Clark, when I'd call and visit with them. The next time I visited Maple Hill, everyone reported that they had completed identifying their photos. I was so pleased and didn't think about it anymore until each passed away and I ended up with the majority of the old family photos. It's for that reason, with the help of their identifications and notes, that I able to provide much of the information in this blog. I urge each reader to do the same thing if you haven't already. Identify your photos and provide a little contextual information
In the handwriting of Mabel Rachel (Jones) Clark, mother of John Leander "Tim" Clark, this photo identification reads: "Tim Clark, age nine months.) My father was born on April 19, 1921, the son of James Peter "Jim Pete" and Mabel Rachel (Jones) Clark. My paternal grandparents left the Maple Hill Central Office for two years, from 1920 through 1922. My grandmother Clark told me that grandfather loved to farm and was unhappy about her working at the Central Office, so they agreed to rent the David Steward Farm about l.5 miles southwest of Maple Hill. Grandmother Clark said that they had two years of poor crops and Grandfather decided it would be better to have a steady paycheck coming in, so when the Central Office became available again, in 1922, they moved back and took up residency in the Central Office.
My Grandmother, Mabel Rachel (Jones) Clark, writes the following on the back of this photo: "Tim Clark, age 2.5--Stewart Place. His father didn't like the curls and Tim was always too big for his britches and also his Dad's boots!" My grandmother told a little story about her father, Leander Emory (Lee or Deacon) Jones coming out to the Stewart Place when my dad was not yet two years old. Mill Creek formed the southern boundary of the Stewart Farm and the fishing was very good. Great Grandpa Jones took my dad to Mill Creek where they fished all afternoon. Grandmother said when they returned to the house, Grandpa Jones took a big linen dishtowel out of his pocket. My Grandmother asked why he had the dishtowel and he said, "Why, to tie Tim to a tree so he wouldn't fall in!" Grandfather Jones was my Dad's hero. Grandpa Jones loved to fish and hunt and he generally took my father with him wherever he went. He was the town marshall at Maple Hill and did a lot of interesting things, all of which was a great adventure for my dad.Grandfather Jones gave my Dad his nickname, "Tim." Both my dad and his sister, Thelma Maree (Clark) Hedges were very large children at birth. Aunt Thelma weighed over thirteen pounds when she was born. My dad weighed 10 pounds and 6 ounces. They were born ten years apart. Aunt Thelma in 1911 and my father in 1921. Grandfather Jones had been what people called "a rounder" in those days. He liked to fight. He was a good friend of Joe Willard, the world champion boxer, who was born in Pottawatomie County. He was also acquainted with Tim O'Sullivan, who was a popular Irish boxer of the day.
When Grandfather Jones picked my father up out of his cradle and felt his weight, he said to my Grandparents, "He's a bruiser! We'll have to call him Timmy." That name stuck with my father and he was called Tim Clark from the time he was born until he died.
This photo was labeled: "Tim Clark, four years old." The photo would have been taken in 1925. It is taken in the lawn area between the Maple Hill Central Office and the stone building to the south. Across the street is the old Jimmy Fife Confectionery and Bath. I don't remember the stone building to the south every being a business but my Uncle Wilber "Jack" Herron told me that it was where he started his first barber shop in 1907. During my lifetime I remember Mrs. Hattie E. Look Mullendore, (1872-1959) mother of Mrs. Esther Bronough, and Mrs. Edith BarnhillMy father, John Leander "Tim" Clark, eventually became quite tall for the time. He was 6'3" and loved to play basketball. This picture shows him with a ball in each hand. My Paternal Great Grandfather, Leander Emory "Lee or Deacon" Jones, was very athletic and pitched on one of the very early baseball teams at Maple Hill. My Grandfather, James Peter "Jim Pete" Clark was also a good baseball player and was fielded with Lee Raine, Shorty Raine, and others. My father, John Leader "Tim" Clark, played baseball practically all of his life. He pitched for Maple Hill teams until he was over 50 years old and then he umpired baseball games until his health began to fail in 1981.
This is a photo of my father, John Leander "Tim" Clark, taken in May 1939, the year he graduated from Maple Hill High School in Maple Hill, Kansas. The photo is taken on the north side of the Maple Hill Central Office where his mother was the chief operator for 43 years. I think I'll bring this blog to an end with this photo. Personally, I think it is fair to say that my father lived and breathed all kinds of sports. I can still picture him sitting in his recliner in the living room, a radio tuned in to different games on each shoulder, and watching a third on television. When Dad wasn't personally participating in sports, he was hunting or fishing. I phoned my brother Steven last week on his birthday, January 27, and asked him what he was doing. "Quail hunting," was his reply. I knew he was my father's son! My dad loved quail and pheasant hunting and also took great pride in training his hunting dogs. In the winter, he ran a trapping line and hunted raccoons. In the summer, he was busy fishing and sometimes when to Mill Creek or the Kansas River every night. We always had fish for our family and he literally gave tons of fish away during his lifetime. Some twenty years before his death on April 24, 1982, he initiated the Maple Hill Fish Fry, which is still held on the last Saturday of each August. He and a few relatives and friends would provide all the fish to eat, and everyone attending would bring a covered dish or two to share. The event now includes around 250 people and is held in the Maple Hill City Park Picnic Shelter.
I'll include one more picture, which is rare indeed. It was taken at a Lemon Family Reunion at Gage Park in Topeka, Kansas in 1950. Why do I say it is rare---because my Dad would rather have a tooth pulled than attend a family reunion or any other kind of large gathering. It was just his preference. He didn't like going to public programs, school programs, or to church, or anywhere a lot of people were likely to be gathered. He was happiest by himself or with his sons or one or two relatives or friends, fishing pole in hand or gun over his shoulder hunting. Another exception would have been when his twin sons, Steve and Stan became involved in sports at Alma High School. He loved watching their games, particularly basketball.So before I think of something else to write about, I'll bring this blog to an end. Happy Trails!
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