Of unknown parents, Jesse Thomas Jackson Clark, known to friends and family as “Tom”, was born on March 15, 1863, in Franklin County, Georgia.

Upon examining 1870 U.S. Census for a widow named Christian Adams (age 53), we see “Thomas” (age 7) living with her and her four daughters. However, this census did not request the relationship information. Because the surname of “Clark” did not appear, one might initially assume that “Thomas” was her son, but this is clarified in the 1880 U.S. Census (dated June 19, 1880) where we see “Thomas Clark” (age 17) living with Christian Adams (age 62); and her 18 year old daughter named Nancy A. Adams. Note that in this 1880 U.S. census his mother is listed as having been born in GA.

Interestingly, when examining the 1880 U.S. Census, for Henry Stoval, Jr. & his wife Sarah E. Adams-Stovall (the daughter of Jesse & Christian Adams) in Gum Log Georgia (dated June 9, 1880), we find Jesse T.J. Clark living with them as well. In this census we find that Jesse T.J. Clark (age 17) was an orphan; where he worked on Henry & Sarah Stoval's farm. In this entry his mother is listed as having been born in VA.

Considering that Jesse T.J. Clark was an orphan, and that Christian Adams' son, Mead Anderson Adams had served in the Confederate 24th Georgia Infantry (as a Corporal in Companies H & A), perhaps he had served in the war with Jesse T.J. Clark's father. Upon reviewing the roster for the 24th Georgia Infantry, there were indeed several soldiers named “Clark” in Company H:

• Piesant G. Clark
• J.T. Clark
• J. W. Clark
• James A. Clark
• W. G. M. Clarke
• T. Clark
• J. A. Clarke

This becomes even more interesting when we see that the neighbor of Christian Adams (in the 1880 U.S. Census) is Mead Anderson Adams (her son)¹⁾. A few years later, Jesse T.J. Clark will marry Christian Adams's granddaughter (Mead's daughter), Sallie Tallulah Adams.

Over the years, we will see continued inconsistencies in the U.S. Census records over where Jesse T.J. Clark's parents were born.

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On March 13, 1883,²⁾ Jesse T.J. Clark (age 20) married Sallie Tallulah Adams (age 17) in Franklin County, Georgia.³⁾ They had the following children:

1. Fannie Lee Clark (born in January 1884 in Lavonia, Georgia - died on June 15, 1958, in DeKalb County, Georgia)
2. William Farmer Clark (born in July 1886 in Georgia). On April 4 (or 19th), 1906, William Farmer Clarke (age 19) married Gertrude Randall (at age 19).
3. Ollie C. Clark (born on March 2, 1889)
4. Infant son - born on April 17, 1890 and died upon birth
5. Viola L. Clark (born in December 1893 in Georgia)
6. Sallie Osteen Clark (born on August 27, 1896, in Franklin County, Georgia - died on May 28, 1980, in Hendersonville, North Carolina)
7. Meade Dewey Clark (born on March 28, 1901 - March 5, 1932, in Springs, Georgia, at the age of 30)

Sallie Tallulah Adams was known to friends and family as “Lula”.

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As was the family tradition, to the grandchildren, Sallie was known as “Mama Clarke” and Jesse T.J. Clark was known as “Papa Clarke”.

Jesse Thomas Jackson Clark passed away on April 10, 1942, in Toccoa, Georgia, at the age of 79. They had been married 59 years.

Sallie Tallulah Adams-Clark died on March 11, 1952, in Toccoa (Stephens County), Georgia, when she was 85 years old. (December 4, 1866 - March 11, 1952)