Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry Vol 1.djvu/39

BURKE'S COLONIAL GENTRY. 19 II. Ethel Maud, b. 12 July, 1867. Sir William to. secondly, 21st January, 1873, Janet Marian, eldest daughter of tlie late Peter Snodgrass, Esq., member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, son of Colonel Snodgrass, and by her has issue, III. Clive Snodgrass, b. 20th October, 1873. IT. William Lionel Russell, b. 31st March, 1876. V. Francis Grenville, b. 14th March, 1879. VI. Reginald Hastings, b. 26th October, 1880. III. Mary Janet, b. 24th December, 1874. IV. Agnes Petrea Josephine, b. 3rd September, 1877. Hon. Sir W. J. Clarke arrived in Victoria in 1850, and devoted himself to sheep-farming. Sir William vras for a time manager of the Woodlands station on the Wimmera, afterwards, conjointly with his brother Joseph, rented the Norton Mandeville station, Tasmania, and subsequently returned to Victoria. During his residence in the latter colony, he was chairman of the Braybrook Road Board, and a member of the Melton Shire Council. In 1878 he was returned to the Legislative Council as one of the representatives of the Southern Province, and in the following year was appointed president of the Melbourne International Exhibition. Sir William is now president of the West Bourke Agricultural Association, and president of the Victoria Coursing Club. His large donations towards the Cathedral Fund of the Church of England, and the Indian Famine Fund, and his many other liberal benefactions, should not be left unrecorded. HiiuagE. The paternal ancestors of the Hon. Sir W. J. ClAEKE, Bart, of Rupertswood, in Victoria, were from a very early period resident in the neighbourhood of Wells, co. Somerset, England. They were at first settled in the- manor of Greinton, and subsequently at Middlezoy and Weston Zoyland in that vicinity. The descent of Sir William is deduced step by step from one of the name resident at Grreinton in the time of Queen Elizabeth. His widow, Joane, was a benefactress as well of her own church at Greinton as of the neighbouring cathedral of Wells, as shown by her will, dated 30th January, 1628, and proved at Wells, 9th August, lfi33, at which time she had living a daughter, m. to Robert Cooke, Esq., and an only son, William Claeke, of Greinton, whose will, dated 8th December, 16Y1, was proved 80th November by Joane, his wife, who sur- vived him. He left three children, I. William, of whom hereafter. II. John, d. 1686, leaving by Joane, his wife, a daughter, m. her cousin, William, son of Gabriel Clarke, Esq. of Greinton. I. Joane, a legatee of her mother. William Clarke d. 1671 ; his eldest son, William Claeke, of Greinton, was pos- sessed of the lands of Catcott Heath, in the parish of Moorlinch, adjoining Weston Zoy- land. His will, dated 6th December, 1685, was proved at Wells, 6th November, 1686. By Elizabeth, his wife, he left two sons, I. William, of whom hereafter. II. Thomas, to whom his father be- queathed lands at Aller Moor, in the same county. William Clarke d. 1685- His eldest William Claeke, of Greinton, proved his father's will, s. his father in his lands of Catcott Heath, and made his will, 8th January, 1709, which was proved by his daughter at Wells, 18t-h May, the same year. By Mary, his wife, who survived him, he left one son and three daugliters, I. Philip, of whom hereafter. I. Hannah, m. Mr. Sturman. II. Elizabeth, proved her father's will. III. Jane, m. John Hart, Esq. William Clarke d. 1709. His son, Philip Clarke, of Willake in Middlezoy, was in possession in 1700 of his father's holding of Catcott Heath ; he settled at Weston Zoyland in 1714, and served the office of churchwarden 1737. He was m. three times. By his first wife, Jane, daughter of Mrs. Joan Daunton, widow (who, by her will, dated 8th December, 1720, bequeathed c 2