Lark Ancestors from Germany to Pickens County, South Carolina

LARK SURNAME DISTRIBUTION IN THE U.S. (Provided by Hamrick Software)

The color of each state indicates how frequently you will find someone with this surname in each state. For instance, if a state is colored red, then 1 in 100 people (or more) in that state have the surname. Similarly, yellow means approximately 1 in 300 have the surname, green means 1 in 1000, and blue means 1 in 10,000 (or less).

According to fellow researchers MR. DAVID "GAIL" COWART (e-mail: cowartd@worldnet.att.net (2 Mar 1998) and Peggy Koch (typeset999@mail.stlnet.com):

Karl Lark (Lerche) was the father of my husband's ancestor (Henry Augustus Lark (1818-1879).
Henry Augustus Lark was born in Mackensen (Kingdom of Hanover) on June 17, 1818.
Henry's mother by name was not known. They had five children of which there are records of two older brothers who came to America before Henry Augustus. The older brothers were William and Charles Lark. The mother was known as widow Lerche-Bartels, and she died in 1894 In Wolfenbuttel, Germany."
"In those days Germany was a collection of city-states, not one big country. You can find the town on a German map. It is near Hannover. Machensen was unique because many people from Scotland lived there. Back in the 1700s, the British Lords drove many Scotts off their land so the Lords could grow sheep. Cousin Gail says our ancestors had an advantage when they migrated to South Carolina from Germany. They already spoke English! He doesn't know if the family were Scotts but is curious." "H.A. Lark was Henrich Augustus Christian Lerche in the church records. He left his birthplace in Germany of April 9 1839 and arrived in Greenville in June of 1839. He was named after his god parents."

Our branch of the Lark Surname continues down the line with Henry (Henrich) Augustus Lark b: June 17, 1818 as follows:
Henry LARK settled in northwest South Carolina in the early to mid 1800’s in Pickens County, South Carolina.
It appears that Henry had two marriages. The first marriage was to Hariett Southern who was born November 25, 1820 in S.C. She was the daughter of Capt. John Worley Southern and Mary "Elizabeth" Callahan.

Henry and Hariett LARK had the following children:

1. Augustus "Gus" Henry Lark, born September 1, 1844, S.C., married Mary Ann Proctor. They had several children (contact me for further info.)
2. Sophia Lark, born abt. 1846, S.C.
3. Mary A. Lark, born abt. 1848, S.C.
4. Laura E. Lark, born abt. March 1850, S.C.
5. Julius Pringle Lark, born January 1, 1852, S.C., married Cynthia Cornelia Smith.
6. Harriett "Jane" (Jannie?) Lark, born abt. 1855, S.C., married Frank Proctor.

It would appear that Henry remarried a second time to Clarinda P. (maiden name unknown at this time) b. 13 April, 1835; died 13 April 1919. Henry and Clarinda P. Lark's children include:

7. Hannah C. Lark, born abt. 1858, S.C.
8. Charles Lark, born abt. 1862, S.C.
9. James B. Lark, born 1864; died 1924 and is buried in Antioch United Methodist Church in Pickens Co., S.C. near his mother's grave. He married Mary Hammond. (1874-1957)
10. Sarah Lark, born 1867, S.C.
11. Franklin Lark, born 1869, S.C.
12. Alexander Edgar Lark b. 1878 married ?ancestor of Ila Lark (ilark@email.msn.com)

(NOTE: There may have been additional children with Clarinda P.)

Photos of Lark Family

This photo was provided by Ila Lark.
They say this is the original "Lark's Nest" Gus and his family are supposed to be in front.

Henry Augustus Lark
This photo was provided by Ila Lark.

Julius Pringle Lark

Julius P. Lark (born January 1, 1852 in S.C.), the son of Henry and Hariett Lark, married Cynthia C. Smith, (b. April 5, 1859 in S.C.), daughter of H. Glenn Smith and Martha White (no dates).
Julius P. and Cynthia C. Smith LARK had a daughter named Mellie Lark, born Oct. 6, 1886 in Pickens County, S.C. She married John Burel Day, Sr. (1875-1959) and had the following children:

1. Cleo Day, married Marion Lazar.
2. Fred Day, (died about 1922).
3. Marvin Day
4. Ruth Day, married Rudolph Masters.
5. Weldon Day, married Carrie Unknown.
6. John Burel Day, Jr., married Rene Alvarez.
7. LaFoy Day.
8. Clyde Day, married Hazel Keller.
9. Bertie Day, married James Church.
10. Herbert Day, married Jessye Bratcher.
11. Allen Glen Day, Sr. (1904-1986), married Essie Thompson.

These LARK Surnames appeared in the 1850 South Carolina Census Index:

Name County (Page):
Lark, Andrew Newberry Co. (203)
Lark, Charles Pickens Co. (514)
Lark, Cullin Laurens Co. (318)
Lark, Henry Pickens Co. (515)
Lark, James R. Lancaster Co. (132)
Lark, Nancy Anderson Co. (193)

These LARK Surnames appeared in the 1860 Pickens Co. South Carolina Census Index:

Lark, Augustus H. Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Clarinda Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Hannah C. Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Harriet C. Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Henry Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Julius Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Laura E. Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Mary A. Pickens Co. (152)
Lark, Sophia Pickens Co. (152)

These LARK surnames appeared in the 1870 Pickens Co. South Carolina Census Index:

Lark, Allen Pickens Co. - Pickensville Twp. - (Roll 1506, Page 471), age 24, white male, born in S.C.

Lark, Franklin F. Pickens Co. - Salubrity Twp. - (489), age 20, male, white, farm laborer, born in S.C. (worked for Almer O’Dell (age 44), farmer and family).

Lark, Henry Pickens Co. - Pickensville Twp. - (461), age 50, Male, White, Farmer, born in Hanover, Germany.
Clarinda (wife), age 33, female, White, Housekeeper, born in S.C.

Lark, Julia Pickens Co. - Pickens C H Twp. - (434), age 22, white female, Domestic Servant, born in S.C.
(enumerated with this family: Joab Mauldin, Sheriff, age 31, wife Deborah (age 28) and children Vesta (age 9) and Franklin(age 5)).

Lark, Louisa Pickens Co. - Pickensville Twp. - (466), age 14, white female, born in S.C.

Lark, Mary Pickens Co. - Pickensville Twp. - (462), age 22, white female, born in S.C.

Lark, Samuel Pickens Co. - Pickens C H Twp. - (432), age 12, white male, born in S.C.

Lark, W. Pickens Co. - Paris Mtn. Twp. - (726), age 30, white male, born in S.C.

CEMETERY INFO.

(from Lark msg. list #15 - see website below in 'cousins' area)
Antioch Ch. was once named New Hope until 1830, located East of Easley,on Antioch Rd. Pickens Co., SC.
History of church mentions the first members were Lark, Gossett, Hammond and others.
These Lark family members are buried there:

(note: this information also appears as Ashmore-McDaniel Family Cem. (from Lark msg. list #37 - see website below in 'cousins' area)
Cemetery located at Mauldin, SC off Hwy. 276-S.
Lark, Lucia w/o O.M. Ellison b. 1890 d. 1935
Clarinda P. w/o Henry Lark b. April 13, 1835 d. Apr13, 1919
Lark, James B. 1864-1924
Mary H. 1874-1957
Mary Elizabeth Dec. 28 1919 -Feb. 6 1922
Alex E. 1878-1951
Lucia w/o O.M. Ellison 1890-1935
Theressa D. w/o W.B. Perrin 1892-1917

CROSSROADS BAPT. CH. CEM. [ 12 miles nw of Table Rock, Pickens Co. SC:
Lark, W.A. June 27, 1846 - May 1, 1926
Mary Babb Feb. 25, 1828 - March 25, 1894
Mary Wimpey w/o W.R. Lark March 22, 1866 - Jan. 11, 1914

Greenville Cemeteries (from Lark msg. list #38 - see website below in 'cousins' area)
Double Springs Bapt. Ch. Cem.
Lark, W.F. 1880-1932
Mattie Burrell w/o W.F. Lark 1879-1936
Hezzie E. 1872-1955
Ella Bryant w/o Hezzie E. Lark 1872-1925
Standing Springs Bapt. Ch.
Lark, Julius Norwood 1920-1969

LINKS to Cousins

Nov. 1999 (new e-mail March 2000) - (ilark@email.msn.com) Ila Lark of Cumming, GA has info. on her husband's Lark family. Her husband is a descendant of Henry Augustus Lark's son Alexander Edgar Lark. Ila provided some of the pictures you see above. You can also view more photos and information at the following webpage: http://www.angelfire.com/ga/bramblett/.

7 Oct. 1999 - Nancie O'sullivan has a Lark Message List. To go to her webpage and to subscribe or learn more about the message boards go to: http://www.egroups.com/group/lark/. Use the blue arrow to get back to message #1 and subscribe if you wish.

7 May 1999 - Mitch K. (amkeown@mindspring.com) is a Lark cousin most likely a descendant of Henry Lark and Clarinda P. through their son James B. Lark (1864-1924)and Mary Hammond (1874-1957) through a daughter named Theresa Druscilla Lark (1892-1917) who married William Bannister Perrin.

6 Feb 1998 - Peggy Koch (typeset999@mail.stlnet.com) of St. Louis, Missouri is a descendant of Henry Lark (my husband's line). Henry is said to have been born in Machensen, near present day Hannover.
Peggy is a descendant of Augustus H. Lark (son of Henry). "Gus" Lark fought in the Civil War. He met his wife-to-be at Little Rock, SC and they married after the war ended. They farmed in SC for about ten years and had five kids. Then he decided to move to Arkansas...

9 Feb. 1998 - Cindy's Lark Family Page covers the James M. LARK family (James was born 10 April 1828 in Russell County, Virginia; died 28 March 1907, Russell Co., Va.). He served in the 29th Virginia Infantry. You can reach Cindy by e-mail at: CindyHartman@Compuserve.com.

If you would like further information on my husband's Lark line, please contact me through e-mail!

Go back to Laura's Homepage

If you want to send me e-mail......

E-mail to Laura... (laurawg@gmail.com)

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This page was last updated on 1 January 2006