J. V. CLARK passed his early life in Mt. Pleasant township, Washington Co., Penn. receiving his education at the common schools of West Middletown, and at Washington and Jefferson College. On December 8, 1886, he was united in marriage with Mary E., daughter of Rev. Samuel Taggart. Samuel Taggart, a leading clergyman of this county, was born March 26, 1803, in County Antrim, Ireland, son of John Taggart, who was also born in Ireland, and there married Mary B. Connahon, who bore him three sons: James, John and Samuel. John Taggart was an extensive cattle dealer. He died in Ireland and in 1820 the family immigrated to America, landing at Montreal, where James had previously settled and engaged in the shoe business. John and Mrs. Taggart afterward came to Pittsburgh, Penn., where the mother died. John engaged in shoe manufacturing at Pittsburgh, being very successful in that business. He was married to Elizabeth Orr, of Pittsburgh, who bore him the following children: John, Robert, Samuel, William, Mary A., Tillie and Lizzie. He was a Democrat, and in religion a member of the Associate Reformed Church. Samuel Taggart passed his youth in Montreal and Pittsburgh. He first attended the Western University, and then entered the Theological Seminary of Allegheny, from which he graduated in 1834. On July 18, 1839, he was married to Margaret, daughter of Robert McAyeal, who was born in 1784, in Belfast, Ireland, where he was reared and educated. He emigrated when a young man, and coming to Pittsburgh, Penn., engaged in mercantile business. He was there married to Rebecca Matthews, whose family came from Ireland when she was but six years of age, and settled in Wilmington, Del., where the remainder of their lives was passed. Their children were: Margaret (Mrs. Samuel Taggart), Sarah, James, Robert, Rebecca (Mrs. Alexander McKeever), Nancy (wife of Rev. Reed), and Mary (married to Dr. McComey). In politics Mr. McAyeal was at first a Democrat, and then a Republican. He was a member of the Covenanter Church, and died in 1865, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife followed him to the grave May 1, 1889, in her ninety-sixth year. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Taggart had three children, namely: Robert, Samuel A. and Mary E. (Mrs. J. V. Clark). His first charge was at West Middletown and at Mt. Vernon, where he remained fifteen years, then lived in Harmony, Ill., eighteen months, when he returned to West Middletown, where he passed the remainder of his ministerial life, retiring in 1884. He was a Free- Soil man and afterward joined the Republican party. He died October 21, 1885. To the union of J. V. and Mary E. (Taggart) Clark was born one daughter, Margaret. In 1885 Mr. Clark engaged in general mercantile business, in which he has since continued. In politics he is an active member of the Republican party, and he is an energetic and prosperous business man. He is a member of the U. P. Church at West Middletown.

Text taken from page 1328 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1997 on the Washington County, PA pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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