Demarcus Franklin Lack	Clarinda Taylor
1869 - 1921	1871 -1936

  Demarcus Franklin Lack was born on the Lack homestead October 27, 1869, of pioneer parents, Demarcus Franklin Lack Sr., of Lack Creek, a Supervisor of the 5th District, and Mary Jane McDonald Lack. The Lack homestead was located 3.5 miles north of Hwy 44 and Hwy 17 W. (aka Dersch Rd.)  on Lack Creek.

Clarinda (Clara) Isabel Taylor was born June 12, 1871, on Bear Creek near Inwood, California, of pioneer parents, Thomas Benton Taylor and Sarah Adaline Adams Taylor. Hiram Z. Taylor was among the first settlers in the Millville section. He was the father of John Jr., Louis, Harvey, William, Harry, and Thomas, Clara's father. Clara's parents came to California and settled in the Shingletown mountains on what was called Adams Flats. There is nothing there now but a spring. Her grandparents, George W. and Elizabeth Ann Adams, homesteaded and raised their family there. Their daughter, Adaline, married Thomas B. Taylor, they were married three years when Adaline passed away leaving two year old Clara. Clara was raised by Thomas' mother. Clara had a lonely childhood. Throughout her life, she enjoyed her hobby of doing intricate embroidery, knitting and tatting. She also loved to go. If someone mentioned going, she would be ready with hat and bag.

Demarcus and Clara were married May 5, 1889. Seven children were born to them:
 
 

Christopher Franklin	b. 1890	d. 1963
Arthur B.	b. 1894	d. 1896
Hazel	b. 1896	d. 1939
Dean E.	b. 1898	d. 1974
Alfred Harry	b. 1901	d. 1953
Vernon Taylor	b. 1907
Lyda May	b. 1911

  
The Lack's raised Angora goats, cattle, pigs and chickens on several ranches in the Stillwater and South Cow Creek areas. Lack had a reputation as a skilled butcher. Among Lack's customers were workmen on the Coleman powerhouse project and a crew of Greek railroad workers in Kennett, a town now submerged by Shasta Lake.  The last three years,  Lack was a partner of Peter Hoff in the cattle business.

Their children and grandchildren grew up to have busy and successful careers in private and public  enterprise.

Demarcus died November 3, 1921, age 52 years, in a Redding hospital. The services were
conducted by the Millville Lodge of Odd Fellows of which he was a member. His obituary included these lines: "D. F. Lack was a hard working mam. He was conscientious in all his dealings - a worthy citizen and a husband and father; devoted to his family."

Clara died December 26, 1936, at the Richmond, California, home of their son, Christopher.
They are both buried in the Parkville Cemetery, with their infant son, Arthur.

Source:  Shasta Historical Society