d, generally to contain five hundred acres each, but some of the surveys were very carelessly made. The errors, however, were almost invariably on the side of the soldier, as the tracts often over-ran in quantity, and but seldom if ever fell below it.
Historians have been bothered a good deal to identify this William Clark. Some have supposed he was the William Clark, brother of General George Rogers Clark, who afterwards became very prominent in connection with Merriweather Lewis, in making the first exploration to the Pacific, under the auspices of President Jefferson; others have supposed he was the William Clark who was one of the first United States judges of Indiana Territory. He was neither. He was the William Clark heretofore referred to as the son of Benjamin Clark, and was the brother of Marston Green Clark, and cousin of George Rogers Clark. He was decidedly a man of affairs and of fine ability. He probably had more to do in formulating the boundaries and allotting the lands in Clark's Grant than any other one person. The office plat was his work, and, besides being principal surveyor, he was one of the commissioners, and sometimes clerk of the board. He was, in fact, the general utility man of the concern, and acquired a considerable estate in lands. His will has never been published as far as the author has been able to learn, and is given here in full, as it throws considerable light upon the members of his branch of the Clark family. He died in November, or early in December, 1791.
The will of William Clark, the Surveyor.
"In the name of God, amen. I, William Clark, of Jefferson county, and District of Kentucky, late of Clarksville, being of perfect memory and knowing the uncertainty of this life, do make and declare this to be my last will and testament in the manner following. First desiring that my body be decently interred at the discretion of my executors hereafter named. And as for my temporal estate after all my just debts are paid, I give, bequeath and dispose of in the following manner:
"It is my will and desire that the bond payable to William Croghan may be discharged by a certificate now in my possession, the residue of said certificate to be applied as far as it will go to the discharge of a bond given to Richard Morris, and that the balance of said bond be discharged by my executors in the most speedy manner they may devise:
"It is my will and desire and I do hereby give my loving brother Marston Greene Clark a tract containing two hundred and fifty acres of land in Jefferson county and lying on Bear Grass, to him, the said Marston Green, his heirs and assigns.
"It is my will and desire, and I do hereby give to my loving brother Benjamin Wilson Clark and my loving sister Lucy Pool a tract containing nine hundred and thirty acres of land, to them and their heirs and assigns, lying in the lands given by the state of Virginia to the officers and soldiers of the Virginia state line, it being a part of my claim for military services performed the last war, to be equally divided in quantity and quality. And if my brother Benjamin Wilson and sister Lucy can not agree on a division my executors are to have a division made for them.
"It is my will and desire, and do hereby give to my loving brothers Jonathan and Everard Clark, to them, their heirs and assigns, a tract containing one thousand acres of land lying on Russell's creek including a noted burning spring, to be equally divided as above.
"It is my will and desire, and I do hereby give to my loving brother Benjamin Wilson Clark one tract containing four hundred acres in the Illinois Grant, it being part of number thirty-one, to him, his heirs and assigns.
"It is my will and desire, and I do hereby give to my loving brother Jonathan Clark, to him, his heirs and assigns, one tract containing five hundred acres in the Illinois Grant, number twenty-four. It is my will and desire, and I do hereby give to my loving brother Everard Clark, to him, his heirs and assigns a tract containing five hundred aces of land in the Illinois Grant, number ninety-six