MRS. HELEN V. HARTMAN is a representative of an honored pioneer family living a short distance east of Denison. Her father, John S. Clark, was born in Ohio in 1790 and on leaving that state removed to Missouri when a young man. There he was married to Miss Nancy Johnston and after his marriage went to Arkansas, whence he subsequently came to Texas, arriving in this state in 1846. He settled first in Denton county at what was then called Peter’s Colony, where remained for a short time. He next came to Grayson county, where his death occurred soon afterward in the year 1849. In his family were eleven children, but Mrs. Hartman, who is the youngest, is also the only one now living. Mr. Clark became one of the early settlers of Grayson county, Texas, and not only witnessed but experienced many of the hardships and trying ordeals incident to pioneer life when even existence was precarious, requiring constant watchfulness and depredations of the red men. There were also difficulties to be borne incident to the reclamation of the wilderness for the use of civilization. Mr. Clark took an active and helpful part in the early pioneer development and progress of this section of the state and commanded the respect of all by upright life and his effective labor for the general welfare. He was the father of eleven children, but only three left descendants. Sarah C. became the wife of Lee Lankford and died leaving one child. Lodoski W. married Fountain Morris and had six children. Martha became the wife of William Lankford and had one child, who yet survives, James Lankford, who is residing upon the old homestead in Grayson county.
In her parents’ home Mrs. Hartman spent her girlhood days, and after reaching womanhood she gave her hand in marriage to Merrit S. Sutherland. There were no children by that union. On the 14th of January, 1877, she became the wife of Charles G. Hartman, who was born in 1840 and died on the 25th day of May, 1888. Mr. Hartman was a Federal soldier in the Civil war, serving with an Iowa regiment attached to what was called Merrilee’s Horse Brigade. Mrs. Hartman has spent almost her entire life in this county and is familiar with its history from an early day down to the present time, her memory forming a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. She now owns and occupies a pleasant home east of Denison and in this community she is held in the highest esteem, while the hospitality of the best homes if freely accorded her.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. I, p. 629.