Residence: 1852 Leonardsville, Madison Co., New York
Residence: 1856 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin: Levi Bond farm
Census: 1880 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin: age 52
Residence: 1904 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin

Sherrill Joseph Clarke 1827-1921
"Sabbath Recorder", Vol 91, No 25, p 777,778, 19 Dec 1921.
Sherrill Joseph Clarke was the eldest child born to Alvit and Sarah Davis Clarke. He was born in Plainview, Otsego Co., N. Y., December 8, 1827. At nine-thirty on Wednesday morning, November 9, 1921, while sitting in his easy chair, suddenly and quietly he slipped away into his eternal rest, just as a ripened leaf releases its hold upon the parent stem and silently flutters to its place among those who have fallen. His going was "a beautiful taking off".
He is survived by two sons, Irving Benton of Milton Junction, Judson Dwight, of Milton, and a daughter, Ann Cora of Milton; five grandchildren, Mrs. Alice Crandall, of Los Angeles, Cal.; Howard I. Clarke, of Arlington, Cal.; Roy C. Clarke, of Minneapolis; Harlow and Walton, of Milton; eight great grandchildren, and by two brothers, Wellington, of Milton, and Henry, of Waterloo, Iowa.
Sherrill because he was the eldest of the family of ten children, had to take a big share in the support of the large family. Wages were low, products were cheap and the maintenance of the home required the closest economy and the utmost united efforts of the able-bodied members of the household. Sherrill had an aptitude for mechanics and found employment in shops and sometimes in the old-fashioned upright sawmills. Often he rolled logs into the sluice and tended the saws until long into the night while "the head of the water was on". Because he was so employed and his help was so much needed at home, his schooling was limited to a few terms in the district schools. Before he came west he was employed in the woodworking shops of John Babcock, of Leonardsville, N. Y. 'Twas here, as he used to relate, that he built one thousand and fifty of the revolving wooden horse rakes which were in great demand by the farmers in that vicinity.
On October 13, 1852, Sherrill was married to Miss Harriet Saunders, the eldest daughter of Spicer Saunders, of Plainfield Center, N. Y. This devoted couple began their homemaking in Leonardsville where they lived four years. In 1856 they came to Wisconsin and established a home south-east of Milton on a farm purchased by Deacon Levi Bond, a part of which is now owned by James Bennett. Ten years later they built a home on the farm now owned by their son Dwight. In 1904 they moved to the village of Milton to the home in which each of them died. For more than sixty-four years they lived together, interested in every progressive helpful cause, devoted to each other, their family, to religious and spiritual objects. Mrs. Clarke died January 23, 1917.
Brother Clarke early expressed his determination to live a Christian life. It was during the pastorate of Elder William B. Maxson that he publically professed Christ and became a member of the First Brookfield Seventh Day Baptist Church at Leonardsville. He brought his letter of membership with him when he came to Milton and entered into the activities of the church. Full heartedly and conscientiously he has, in this relationship, honored his God, his Christian profession, and the church to which he was earnestly devoted.
In his youth he was passionately fond of music and was a singer of no mean ability. While he was living in central New York he became one of a male quartet who styled themselves the "New York Harmonians". They were in especial demand for temperance rallies and campaigns. Mr. Clarke was choirister of the Milton church for twenty-five years and helped establish and maintain a high standard of church music.
Politically, for the greater part of his life, he was a staunch supporter of the temperance movement and an ardent uncompromising third-party prohibitionist. He early signed the pledge of the "Washingtonian Movement". "He came to believe that the saloon was a public curse; that to license a public evil by taking money is a weak and nonsensical way to decrease crime and misery and to elevate morally the people of any nation".
Mr. and Mrs. Clarke were loyal supporters of the cause of education. At one time when Milton College was in financial straits they mortgaged their farm to obtain money to help relieve the distress of the college.
Some of the outstanding characteristics of his life were, his self-reliance, his absolute integrity, his honest effort to be on the square with himself, with his family, with his fellow-men and with his God. He showed at all times an unhesitating and an uncompromising hostility towards all forms of evil. He never sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Unswervingly he adhered to the Bible, the Sabbath, truth and righteousness.
Farewell services were held at the church on Sabbath afternoon, November 12, 1921. Elder George W. Burdick spoke of Mr. Clarke's loyalty to principle. Pastor E. D. Van Horn offered prayer. Pastor Jordan read messages from the Scriptures and made a brief address. The songs which the male quartet (C. A. Nelson, Leslie Bennett, Prof. G. Crandall and Prof. A. E. Whitford) sang had years before been selected by Mr. Clarke for the service. Henry N. Jordan

Residence: 1852 Leonardsville, Madison Co., New York
Residence: 1856 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin
Census: 1880 Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin: age 47
Cause of death: Capillary bronchitis, influenza

Harriet (Saunders) Clarke 1832-1917
"Milton Junction Journal-Telephone", Milton, Rock Co., Wisconsin, Thursday, 1 Feb 1917, p 1.
Mrs. Harriet Clarke, Daughter of Spicer Saunders and Harriet Dwight Saunders, was born at Plainfield Center, New York, September 13, 1832, and died at her home in Milton, Wis., January 23, 1917.
She was married on October 13, 1852, to Sherrill J. Clarke. To them were born three children, Irving Benton, Judson Dwight, and Ann Cora Clarke. Mr. and Mrs. Clarke have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren living. Mrs. Clarke has two sisters living. Mrs. Lyman Smith of Ithaca, N. Y., and Mrs. William M. Johnston of River Forest, Ill.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Clarke made their home at Leonardsville, N. Y., for four years and then came to Milton in the fall of 1856, where they have since lived.
When a girl of twelve or fourteen years of age she gave her heart and life to God and was baptized by Elder Rowe at Winfield, N. Y., but she did not unite with a church till after their marriage when she united with the S. D. B. church at Leonardsville, N. Y.
Soon after coming to Milton she united with the Milton church, in the pastorate of the Rev. W. C. Whitford, and for more than sixty years has been a regular attendant at its services; helpful in all its activities, and by her life, words and works has inspired a large circle of acquaintances in this and other communities.
For thirty years or more she was a member of the choir of this church, and probably for a longer period than this she was a teacher in the Sabbath School. She was active in the work of the Ladie's Benevolent Society of the church, and for several years was a member of the Village Improvement Club. From the organization of the W. C. T. U. till her death she was an enthusiastic member, working for the prohibition of the liquor traffic. In the S. D. B. denomination her service has been most helpful in the Woman's Board, with the exception of the first two years, an officer of the Board since its organization in 1884. She served fourteen years as it's President, six years as Honorary president, eight and one half years as First Vice President and two years as Associational Secretary.
Those who have known Mrs. Clarke in these different organizations appreciate the truthfulness of the words of her husband, who has happily enjoyed her companionship for nearly sixty-five years of wedded life, "She was as true to duty as the needle to the North Pole."
Memorial services were held at the church on the afternoon of January 26, and were attended by many relatives and sympathizing friends. The music was by a quartet who sang three pieces that Mr. and Mrs. Clarke had frequently sung at funerals, and that he chose to be sung at this service, and requested that the same should be used at his funeral.
Mrs. A. B. West, President of the Woman's Board, spoke of Mrs. Clarke's long and helpful service as an officer in the Board. Rev. H. N. Jordan made appreciative remarks about her faithfulness in Christian work, and Rev. Willard D. Burdick spoke from the last verses of the 31st chapter of Proverbs, dwelling particularly on the points that she was an industrious woman, a woman of wisdom and kindness, and trustworthy. Interment was made in the Milton Cemetery.
Mrs. Clarke will be greatly missed in the circles which she moved, and particularly in the prayer meeting and Sabbath services of the church.
The relatives from away who attended the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Johnston, W. S. Johnston and John A. Johnston, Chicago; W. H. Clarke, Mr. and Mrs. Theo. A. Clarke and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Clarke, Brodhead; Mrs. C. S. Sayre, Albion; R. W. Clarke, Madison.