Arabella Toole was born in Tarboro, Edgecombe Co, NC, the 2nd of 4 known children (all daughters) born to Col. Henry Irwin Toole and his wife, Elizabeth Haywood.
She is the paternal grandchild of Lawrence Toole II & Sabra Irwin, one of the "founding fathers" of Tarboro; and gr-grandchild of Lawrence/Laurence Toole I, who built "Shiloh" Plantation in Edgecombe. She was the maternal grandchild of Col. William Henry Haywood Sr., member of the Provincial Congress and who helped author the NC Constitution of 1776), and his wife, Charity Hare.
Arabella had just turned 20 when she married 23-year old James West Clark on January 4, 1802, wealthy planter and businessman from Bertie Co, NC. James & Arabella moved from Bertie where the newlyweds made their home in Walnut Creek, about 9 miles above Tarboro, establishing their plantation with he help of about 39 slaves.
It was here their 4 children were born:
* Henry Toole Clark (1808-1874)
* Maria Toole Clark (1813-1859)
* Laura Placide Clark Cotten (1816-1864)
* Mary Sumner Clark Thomas (1819-1901)
Her husband, a Princeton graduate and son of successful sea captain/merchant Christopher Clark, became quite prominent in North Carolina. He was a member of the State House of Commons (1802, 1803, and 1811); member of the North Carolina Senate (1812-1814); and was elected as a Republican to the Fourteenth Congress (1815-1817). He was appointed chief clerk of the Navy Department by Secretary John Branch and served from 1829 to 1831. He resigned his appointment in protest (as did John Branch) as a result of the Petticoat Affair (or Peggy Eaton affair), which rocked Washington society and the Jackson administration.
In private life, James West Clark was a planter, businessman and slave owner. He owned several hundred acres of lands in North Carolina and at least 5,000 acres in Dyer County, Tennessee. In 1835 he moved the bulk of his male slaves to Livingston, Alabama, where he made a substantial profit in the slave hire business.
About 1830, James West Clark built a substantial home in town at 407 St. Patrick Street, now called the historic "Clark House". It was the childhood home of Gov. Henry Toole Clark, and later the family of actor Joseph Cotten lived in this home.
Arabella was widowed in 1843 when her husband of 40+ years died at the age of 64. Arabella never remarried and survived another 16+ years, passing in 1860 at age 78.
Of her children, eldest son Henry Toole Clark married Mary Weeks Parker, and would manage the family plantations and business interests. He would later become governor of North Carolina during the Civil War from 1861-1862.
Daughter Maria Toole Clark married Matthew Waddell of Tarboro; Laura Placidia married John Whitaker Cotton of Tarboro and had issue; and, Mary Sumner Clark married Dr. William George Thomas and had issue.
She is the paternal grandchild of Lawrence Toole II & Sabra Irwin, one of the "founding fathers" of Tarboro; and gr-grandchild of Lawrence/Laurence Toole I, who built "Shiloh" Plantation in Edgecombe. She was the maternal grandchild of Col. William Henry Haywood Sr., member of the Provincial Congress and who helped author the NC Constitution of 1776), and his wife, Charity Hare.
Arabella had just turned 20 when she married 23-year old James West Clark on January 4, 1802, wealthy planter and businessman from Bertie Co, NC. James & Arabella moved from Bertie where the newlyweds made their home in Walnut Creek, about 9 miles above Tarboro, establishing their plantation with he help of about 39 slaves.
It was here their 4 children were born:
* Henry Toole Clark (1808-1874)
* Maria Toole Clark (1813-1859)
* Laura Placide Clark Cotten (1816-1864)
* Mary Sumner Clark Thomas (1819-1901)
Her husband, a Princeton graduate and son of successful sea captain/merchant Christopher Clark, became quite prominent in North Carolina. He was a member of the State House of Commons (1802, 1803, and 1811); member of the North Carolina Senate (1812-1814); and was elected as a Republican to the Fourteenth Congress (1815-1817). He was appointed chief clerk of the Navy Department by Secretary John Branch and served from 1829 to 1831. He resigned his appointment in protest (as did John Branch) as a result of the Petticoat Affair (or Peggy Eaton affair), which rocked Washington society and the Jackson administration.
In private life, James West Clark was a planter, businessman and slave owner. He owned several hundred acres of lands in North Carolina and at least 5,000 acres in Dyer County, Tennessee. In 1835 he moved the bulk of his male slaves to Livingston, Alabama, where he made a substantial profit in the slave hire business.
About 1830, James West Clark built a substantial home in town at 407 St. Patrick Street, now called the historic "Clark House". It was the childhood home of Gov. Henry Toole Clark, and later the family of actor Joseph Cotten lived in this home.
Arabella was widowed in 1843 when her husband of 40+ years died at the age of 64. Arabella never remarried and survived another 16+ years, passing in 1860 at age 78.
Of her children, eldest son Henry Toole Clark married Mary Weeks Parker, and would manage the family plantations and business interests. He would later become governor of North Carolina during the Civil War from 1861-1862.
Daughter Maria Toole Clark married Matthew Waddell of Tarboro; Laura Placidia married John Whitaker Cotton of Tarboro and had issue; and, Mary Sumner Clark married Dr. William George Thomas and had issue.
Arabella Toole was born in Tarboro, Edgecombe Co, NC, the 2nd of 4 known children (all daughters) born to Col. Henry Irwin Toole and his wife, Elizabeth Haywood.
She is the paternal grandchild of Lawrence Toole II & Sabra Irwin, one of the "founding fathers" of Tarboro; and gr-grandchild of Lawrence/Laurence Toole I, who built "Shiloh" Plantation in Edgecombe. She was the maternal grandchild of Col. William Henry Haywood Sr., member of the Provincial Congress and who helped author the NC Constitution of 1776), and his wife, Charity Hare.
Arabella had just turned 20 when she married 23-year old James West Clark on January 4, 1802, wealthy planter and businessman from Bertie Co, NC. James & Arabella moved from Bertie where the newlyweds made their home in Walnut Creek, about 9 miles above Tarboro, establishing their plantation with he help of about 39 slaves.
It was here their 4 children were born:
* Henry Toole Clark (1808-1874)
* Maria Toole Clark (1813-1859)
* Laura Placide Clark Cotten (1816-1864)
* Mary Sumner Clark Thomas (1819-1901)
Her husband, a Princeton graduate and son of successful sea captain/merchant Christopher Clark, became quite prominent in North Carolina. He was a member of the State House of Commons (1802, 1803, and 1811); member of the North Carolina Senate (1812-1814); and was elected as a Republican to the Fourteenth Congress (1815-1817). He was appointed chief clerk of the Navy Department by Secretary John Branch and served from 1829 to 1831. He resigned his appointment in protest (as did John Branch) as a result of the Petticoat Affair (or Peggy Eaton affair), which rocked Washington society and the Jackson administration.
In private life, James West Clark was a planter, businessman and slave owner. He owned several hundred acres of lands in North Carolina and at least 5,000 acres in Dyer County, Tennessee. In 1835 he moved the bulk of his male slaves to Livingston, Alabama, where he made a substantial profit in the slave hire business.
About 1830, James West Clark built a substantial home in town at 407 St. Patrick Street, now called the historic "Clark House". It was the childhood home of Gov. Henry Toole Clark, and later the family of actor Joseph Cotten lived in this home.
Arabella was widowed in 1843 when her husband of 40+ years died at the age of 64. Arabella never remarried and survived another 16+ years, passing in 1860 at age 78.
Of her children, eldest son Henry Toole Clark married Mary Weeks Parker, and would manage the family plantations and business interests. He would later become governor of North Carolina during the Civil War from 1861-1862.
Daughter Maria Toole Clark married Matthew Waddell of Tarboro; Laura Placidia married John Whitaker Cotton of Tarboro and had issue; and, Mary Sumner Clark married Dr. William George Thomas and had issue.
She is the paternal grandchild of Lawrence Toole II & Sabra Irwin, one of the "founding fathers" of Tarboro; and gr-grandchild of Lawrence/Laurence Toole I, who built "Shiloh" Plantation in Edgecombe. She was the maternal grandchild of Col. William Henry Haywood Sr., member of the Provincial Congress and who helped author the NC Constitution of 1776), and his wife, Charity Hare.
Arabella had just turned 20 when she married 23-year old James West Clark on January 4, 1802, wealthy planter and businessman from Bertie Co, NC. James & Arabella moved from Bertie where the newlyweds made their home in Walnut Creek, about 9 miles above Tarboro, establishing their plantation with he help of about 39 slaves.
It was here their 4 children were born:
* Henry Toole Clark (1808-1874)
* Maria Toole Clark (1813-1859)
* Laura Placide Clark Cotten (1816-1864)
* Mary Sumner Clark Thomas (1819-1901)
Her husband, a Princeton graduate and son of successful sea captain/merchant Christopher Clark, became quite prominent in North Carolina. He was a member of the State House of Commons (1802, 1803, and 1811); member of the North Carolina Senate (1812-1814); and was elected as a Republican to the Fourteenth Congress (1815-1817). He was appointed chief clerk of the Navy Department by Secretary John Branch and served from 1829 to 1831. He resigned his appointment in protest (as did John Branch) as a result of the Petticoat Affair (or Peggy Eaton affair), which rocked Washington society and the Jackson administration.
In private life, James West Clark was a planter, businessman and slave owner. He owned several hundred acres of lands in North Carolina and at least 5,000 acres in Dyer County, Tennessee. In 1835 he moved the bulk of his male slaves to Livingston, Alabama, where he made a substantial profit in the slave hire business.
About 1830, James West Clark built a substantial home in town at 407 St. Patrick Street, now called the historic "Clark House". It was the childhood home of Gov. Henry Toole Clark, and later the family of actor Joseph Cotten lived in this home.
Arabella was widowed in 1843 when her husband of 40+ years died at the age of 64. Arabella never remarried and survived another 16+ years, passing in 1860 at age 78.
Of her children, eldest son Henry Toole Clark married Mary Weeks Parker, and would manage the family plantations and business interests. He would later become governor of North Carolina during the Civil War from 1861-1862.
Daughter Maria Toole Clark married Matthew Waddell of Tarboro; Laura Placidia married John Whitaker Cotton of Tarboro and had issue; and, Mary Sumner Clark married Dr. William George Thomas and had issue.
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970
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North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000
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North Carolina, U.S., Historical Records Survey, Cemetery Inscription Card Index, 1700-2018
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North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998
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1850 United States Federal Census
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