During your first telephone call last week, I got the impression that you were a descendant of James Stark, eldest son of Christopher, who married Rebecca Pound in Shelby County, Kentucky on August 22, 1800. In the POUND-KESTER FAMILY HISTORY, a well known early publication on genealogy of related families, it was stated that no record of the James Stark-Rebecca Pound branch had been found. Mrs. Shriner and I traced this branch from Shelby County, KY., to Clark County, Indiana, to Scott County, Indiana to Pike County, Illinois. They had a family of eight children, the first four having been named for the grandparents, according to a manuscript left by a grandson, Marion Christopher Stark. These four eldest children were (1) Christopher Stark, born in 1802, named for his Grandfather Christopher Stark; (2) Sarah Stark, born in 1804, and named for her Grandmother Sarah (Martin) Pound; (3) John Pound Stark, born in 1806, and named for his Grandfather John Pound; and (4) Martha Stark in 1810, named for her Grandmother Martha (Vineyard or Venard) Stark.

Members of the early Francis Venard Family used both spellings of the name, Vineyard and Venard. One would surmise that this family was French Huguenot and it is known that they settled in the vicinity of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, prior to the American Revolution. It is almost certain that your Christopher Stark, the Revolutionary Soldier, married Martha Venard about 1772 near Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Christopher Stark and his brother Daniel Stark served with the Virginia Militia prior to 1775 in the Ft. Pitt area under Capt. Joseph Mitchell and Lt. David Enoch as did Stephen Venard. Many of the Stark and Venard families removed to Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1776. Most of the settlers in this section of Washington County, PA, were from Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Many of the Stark and the Venard men served under Capt. Abner Howell in the Washington County Militia from 1778 to 1783. On the tax rolls the Venard name appeared under Vineyard but was spelled Venard on the Militia Rolls. Male descendants of this family still can be found under both spellings of the name. Elizabeth Stark, eldest daughter of Christopher and Martha, married Joseph Pound in Nelson County, KY, on December 18, 1792, and named her first son Vineyard Pound. Stephen Stark, the fifth child of Christopher and wife Martha, named a son Stephen Vineyard Stark, Jr. Christopher Stark, the Revolutionary Soldier, did not sell any land in either Nelson or Henry Counties, KY, until after his wife died, so no record of her first name was found. In the early Church Tith Tax List of Virginia, only the male members of the Venard Family were listed by name. Mrs. Shriner and I were very reluctant to use the name "Martha" because of the name of the famous Martha's Vineyard Island off the coast of New England. Not until we had located the family of James Stark (1773-1853) in Pike County, Illinois, was any real basis for the name of his mother uncovered. Mrs. Shriner and I have done family research for almost forty years and have investigated court records in about every county and state where any of our ancestors had lived. We have done this as a hobby. In our voluminous correspondence with members of the Stark Families, many thought that the name of Christopher's Vineyard wife may have been Margaret or Sarah; and all seemed to shy away from Martha because of the name of Martha's Vineyard Isle. By the way, Mrs. Shriner has some arthritis in her fingers and doesn't do much writing or typing.

We have figured that Martha Venard (alias Vineyard) was born about 1754 near Harpers Ferry, Loudoun County, Virginia. She had six brothers, three older than she and three younger, as follows (1) John Venard born in 1745; (2) Francis Venard, Jr. born in 1748; (3) Stephen Venard, born in 1752; (4) Martha who married Christopher; (5) Thomas Venard, born in 1756; (6) William Venard, born in 1759; and (7) James Venard, born in 1761. Martha would have been about 18 years of age at the time she married Chris. Stark in 1772. William Venard applied for a Revolutionary War Pension from Harrison County, Kentucky, and stated that he was born hear Harpers Ferry, Loudoun County, Virginia; removed to Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1776 within a few miles of where the town of Washington now stands. Thomas Venard also applied for a pension from Warren County, Ohio, where most of the brothers settled after the Revolutionary War, and gave some data regarding his place of birth and date of removal to Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Early in our research into the Stark Family, Mrs. Shriner and I became aware of the William Stark, Sr., who settled and died in Loudoun County, Va., in 1772, leaving a will in which he named his wife Susannah, two sons John and William, Jr., and five daughters. Naturally, we thought that the Stark brothers of Washington County, Pa., who went to Kentucky after the war, were likely sons of John and/or William Jr., and grandsons of William Stark, Sr., who died in 1772 in Loudoun County, Va. We could find no trace of the two sons in Loudoun County Records during the Revolution or after the war. We finally located an old man, William A. Stark, 2770 Observatory Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, who possessed a book on the Stark Genealogy, published by a Stark of Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote that he was a descendant of Col. William Stark, commander of a Tory Regiment, and that his people settled in Kentucky after the war and the Stark men who first settled in Nelson County, Kentucky were not of this family. I would have traveled miles to have glanced through this Stark Genealogy but this old man was not responsive to suggestions. We later found that the early William Stark who settled in Loudoun County, Va., was the son of a James Stark who was founder of the Starks in Stafford County, Virginia. Investigations into the Stafford County, Virginia, Stark Families revealed no connection with our Stark Men.

We noted that you have met a number of Stark Relatives who report a story or tradition that the Stark Brothers who settled in Kentucky from Washington County, Pennsylvania, were possible descendants of Maj. Gen. John Stark of New Hampshire. There is not truth in that bit of wishful thinking at all. Mrs. Shriner and I investigated that story back in the early 1940's and found that a complete "Genealogy of General John Stark" has been published and there is no possibility that our ancestors have descended from that family. General John Stark and his wife Elizabeth Page had eleven children born between 1759 and 1782 and only the eldest son, Caleb Stark, was old enough to serve in the American forces during the Revolution. William Stark Newell, a descendant of the General, sent Mrs. Shriner a complimentary copy of that printed genealogy.

It was Mr. W. Guy Tetwich, Clarksburg Publishing Co., Clarksburg,, West Virginia, after making an extensive search for records of our Stark men in early Kentucky in vain, suggested that it was most likely that they were descendants of the Aaron Stark Family of Groton, Conn. The names used are too similar to those in the Aaron Stark Family to be accidental and the fact that our early Starks were so active in the Baptist Church removes any doubt. There seems to be only two points in the Aaron Stark Family Tree where our Kentucky families join, most readily. One branch was that of Christopher Stark (Christopher, William, Aaron). This Christopher Stark settled in Beekman, Dutchess County, NY, after being born at Groton, Conn., on September 27, 1728. He went with his brothers into Wyoming Valley in 1769 from where he was driven out in the fall of that year, and he and his brother Aaron returned the following year only to be driven out a second time. He does not appear to have made a third attempt but to have remained a resident of Beekman, and a cordwainer by trade. The children listed for him fits to a degree those of our Stark men in Kentucky. The very fact that there were many Weingard Families in Dutchess County at the time made the choice look good. However, the ages of his children were a bit to late (a few years) to fit those of the Kentucky brothers. However, most of the genealogists in the Stark Family Association were ready to accept this placement. They had no record of where the children of this man settled.

Later we found the Nelson County Minute Book A, at Bardstown, Kentucky, which revealed that in August, 1785, Jonathan Stark served as executor of John Sartin, Dec'd. Nelson County was formed from Jefferson County in 1784. He was defendant in a petition suit brought by John Davis and Levin Wilcox. James Stark and Joseph Stark were serving on the Nelson County jury in 1786 and during that same year, Daniel Stark was cited for concealing two tithables. By 1790, Christopher and John Stark had both purchased land on Forman's Creek near the other Stark men. There were three Jonathan Stark's appearing on the Nelson County Tax Lists during the early years and it is quite possible that Jonathan Stark, Sr. was the eldest of the group. I think it is an excellent possibility that our early Kentucky Stark men were sons of the Jonathan Stark, born on December 10, 1712 (William, William, Aaron). This Jonathan Stark had brothers and sisters as follows: Moses Stark, born June 12, 1716, and died about 1797; Elizabeth Stark, born August 26, 1718, and married Williams; Experience Stark, born 1719 and married Dec. 13, 1738, John Larkin [Note: Research has shown this daughter, listed in the Charles R. Stark Text, "Aaron Stark Family, Seven Generations", probably didn't exist. It would appear the Experience Stark who married John Larkin was the widow of William Stark, Jonathan Starks Father. See Volume I, See William Stark, Jr. Timeline. Use Browser "Back" button to return to this page.  Clovis LaFleur, Oct. 2001]; William Stark, born 1723 and died 1798; Obadiah Stark, born 1725-1730 and married Susan Walworth; Zaphaniah Stark, born 1731 or 1738 [Note: Research has shown Zaphaniah had to be born before 1736 for the evidence implies his father was deceased by 1736. Clovis LaFleur, Oct. 2001]; and John Stark, born 1740 [Note: Research has also shown as in the case of Zaphaniah, John had to be born before 1736. Actually, he was most likely born before 1729 for Packet No. 5107; Town of Stonington, New London Probate District shows John Stark/Start petitioning the Court to allow Mr. Richard Wheeler to be his guardian, John "being a Minor undr ye age of 21 years and upwards of 14 years.." This record clearly records John Stark is the son of William Stark/Start. Clovis LaFleur, Oct. 2001]. There was a Larkin Stark in early Nelson County, Kentucky. There was also a Sarah Stark, born June 12, 1752 in Maryland who married William Wood and settled in Mason County, Ky., following the Revolution. They had the following Children 1] Elizabeth, 2] Christopher, 3] Phebe, 4] Sarah, 5] Jesse, 6] Anna, 7] Benjamin 8] Rhoda, 9] Mary, 10] John, 11] Hester, and 12] William. William Wood was a Baptist Minister and organized the Limestone Baptist Church in Mason County, Ky., and an elderly "Sarah Stark" was one of the charter members of that church. This family thinks that this Sarah (Stark) Wood was a sister of the Nelson County Stark men and that the Sarah Stark with the family was the "mother." Genealogists in the Aaron Stark Family Association have been searching for the lost Jonathan Stark, #76, for some time. I think it most possible that he moved down through New Jersey into Maryland. I also figure that he is more apt to be the progenitor of the Kentucky Stark brothers who settled in early Nelson County, KY., than the younger Christopher Stark, #86. Aaron Stark, #8, was the earliest member of the Aaron Stark Family to remove from Connecticut to Roxbury (Flanders), Morris Co., N. J. The Pound and Kester Families were from New Jersey before settling in Kentucky.

Mrs. Shriner and I did not learn of the existence of the Aaron Stark Family Association until early in 1942 through Mr. Howard P. Moore, a very thorough genealogical researcher in New York City. We purchased a copy of the Aaron Stark Family publication that same year. It was a Mr. S. Judson Stark of Pittson, Pa., who in 1875 began collecting data on the Aaron Stark Descendants and who was the chief contributor of data published in the book in 1927 [Note: Charles R. Stark Text, "Aaron Stark Family, Seven Generation." Clovis LaFleur, Oct. 2001]. I am enclosing a copy of an "Aaron Stark Family Account" compiled by the aforementioned S. Judson Stark which gives considerable more data on the various descendants listed than is found in the Book itself. This account gives the lineage of S. Judson Stark and also includes the early section in which our families are most concerned. I would like this copy back after you read it. You may want to make a copy for your own files.

We note that you have a copy of "The Stark Family History", 35 page summary written by Mr. Roy Hardin. Mrs. Shriner and I had never known that Roy Hardin was a descendant of Stephen Stark and his wife Hannah Purcell through their 7th daughter, Permelia Stark, who married Jefferson Burris in Washington County, Ind., on March 7, 1837. Mrs. Shriner is the great granddaughter of Jane Stark, and older sister of Permelia (Stark) Burris. Jane Stark married Thomas Marts in Washington County, Ind., on March 2, 1830 and they moved to Sullivan County, Ind., shortly afterward. In our early research on the Stark Families in Southern Indiana, we had contacted a Mrs. Harvey Morris, President of the Salem Historical Society, Washington County, Indiana, back in 1938. This Mrs. Morris was very much engaged in genealogical research, especially on the early families in Washington County. It was through Mrs. Morris that Mr. Hardin learned that Mrs. Shriner and I were doing research on the early Stark families in Indiana and Kentucky. We first heard from him in January of 1950, about the time that he was retiring from the teaching profession. Since I had been Chairman of the Mathematics Department at Indiana State University for twenty years at that time, we had many professional interests in common. Prior to his retirement around 1950, I do not think Mr. Hardin had done any family research. Since Roy was well known as a school man in Washington County and surrounding counties in Southern Indiana, he was the ideal person to contact older members of the Stark Families still living there and to get them to guide him to many of the old grave yards and early church buildings in those communities. Roy Hardin had actually grown up from boyhood among Stark children of his own age and had known their parents. It was Mrs. Morris of the Historical Society at Salem, County seat of Washington County, who suggested to Mr. Hardin that he write an account of the Stark families in Southern Indiana, especially of those in Washington County. Mrs. Shriner and I urged him to do so since he was the logical man to make that effort, being a native of the community. I am sure that Roy never did any Stark research in Kentucky nor in other states. We did an extensive exchange of correspondence over the years before he died, sending him the results of our court house research (probate records, marriage records, and deed records showing estate settlements, etc.) and collaborated with him in identifying individuals of Stark descent from data gathered from cemeteries, old letters, and court house data. About 1952, Roy began sending me his summary of the Stark Families on the installment basis, 20 pages at a time for comment and correction if necessary. The total Manuscript contained some 80+ pages, written in longhand. He said that he hoped to get the report. I was a bit surprised that he did not send me a mimeographed copy of his manuscript when finished but supposed that he may have only a couple of typed copies - one for the Salem Historical Society and one for himself. We knew what was in the original manuscript so made no further inquiry. I think that Roy Hardin made an outstanding contribution to the Stark Saga in preparing the report. I was a bit surprised to hear he presented the connection with the Aaron Stark Family as being definitely through the Christopher Stark Line. He had a tendency to jump at conclusions before establishing real evidence. I recall that he once wanted to claim James Starke Family of Stafford County, Va., as the progenitors.

Some years ago, we had considerable correspondence with two descendants of your Elisha Stark and his wife Lucretia Stout, and helped them compile data to qualify for membership in the national Society for Daughters of the American Revolution. The two were Mrs. Ralph O. Mathews, 2509 Austin Avenue, Brownwood, Texas and Mrs. C. J. Heatherly, 804 N. 9th Street, Temple, Texas. Mrs. Mathews descended from Elisha and Lucretia (Stout) Stark through the son Simpson Stark. She was also interested in gathering data on the Stout Family. I feel sure that you could profit from getting in contact with these Stark relatives.

The William Stark with wife Mary, both aged 79, as given in the 1850 Census in Spencer County, Indiana, can be identified. William Stark was the eldest son of James Stark and wife Mary, and he married Mary Gonterman in Nelson County, Ky., on April 24, 1792. The 1810 Census for Bullitt County, KY., lists William and Mary, both under 45, with two sons and two daughters. Mary Gonterman was the daughter of Henry Gonterman and wife Catherine, early settlers in Bullitt Co., Ky. The above William Stark was a first cousin of your Elisha Stark.

We can give you a little bit more on your line. James Stark, the second child of Elisha and Lucretia (Stout) Stark, was born in Shelby County, Kentucky in 1806, married Sarah Sowder, daughter of David Sowder, in Washington County, Indiana, on June 24, 1827. James had a older brother, Reuben Stark. James Stark and his bride settled in Spencer County, Indiana, near the Little Pigeon Creek, and the borders of both DuBois County and Warrick County. Adam Stark, the eldest son of James and Sarah (Sowder) Stark, married Nancy Morris in DuBois County, Indiana on December 14, 1846. Adam and Nancy settled on a 40 acre farm in DuBois County, near Little Pigeon Creek, which they sold on April 28, 1856 and removed to Vigo County, Indiana, where most of the Elisha Stark Family had moved as early as 1830. Adam Stark died during the Civil War and in June, Term of Court, 1863, Oliver D. Greggs was made or appointed guardian of John M., Mary J., Rebecca E., Sarah E., Minerva A., James A., and Nancy L. Stark, minor heirs of Adam Stark, late of Vigo County. According to Vigo County Records, Reuben Stark, David Stark, and Elizabeth Stark all came to Vigo County with brother Adam. John Morris Stark, eldest child of Adam and Nancy (Morris) Stark, was married to Minerva Jane Pound in Vigo County, Indiana, on September 13, 1866; the ceremony was performed by Rev. Daniel M. Stark, a first cousin of Adam Stark. In his application for marriage certificate, John Morris Stark Stark stated that he was born in Warrick County, Indiana. This would indicate that Adam Stark may have owned land on both sides of the Little Pigeon Creek.

This seems to have become an extended bit of communication. By the way, Elizabeth Stark, wife of Joseph Pound, was a sister of Elisha Stark, so both your Stark line and Pound line leads back to the common ancestor Christopher Stark, the Revolutionary soldier in early Kentucky.

I note that you state that you have only been actively looking for data on your family for about 3 months. You have had remarkable success. You should be prepared to find a few delays as you attempt to "round out" your data on the children of your immediate or direct ancestors. Mrs. Shriner and I wish you "good Hunting"!

Sincerely,

Walter O. Shriner.