The Clarks, along with Clark descendent Mary Jo Cobb-Bond, at right, visit the Clarkston News building on Main Street during their tour of town. Photos by Phil Custodio

BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
When Nelson and Jeremiah Clark III left New York with their father Jeremiah Jr. to eventually settle in Michigan and get a town named after them, they left some of their family behind.
Descendants of those New York Clarks took the trip to the Mitten State via Canada to see what their distant cousins have built.
“This is a cute little town you live in,” said Doug Clark, visiting with his father Dave Clark and their wives, who are both named Diane Clark but are otherwise unrelated. “It’s like the town I live in (East Aurora, outside Buffalo, population of about 12,000), except smaller.”
Dale Bond of Clarkston made the connection, with help from a cousin, also named Dale Bond but who lives in Alaska.
The New Yorkers, who were descended from Jeremiah Jr.’s brother Henry Clark, decided to visit about a year ago. They and Bond have been planning the trip for about a month.
Diane Clark of Clarkston, wife of the late Bart Clark, was also there to welcome them.
“I know Bart would have really enjoyed experiencing this day,” Diane said. “This is really interesting.”
Mary Jo Cobb-Bond, great-great-granddaughter of Jeremiah, was also on hand.
“This is very interesting,” Cobb-Bond said. “It’s very nice to meet them.”
Bond arranged a day of touring the site of the Clark’s old mill and the rest of the City of the Village of Clarkston, presented them with a map of 1860 Clarkston he drew up himself, and presented lots of other historical information about the area.
“My great grandfather was in the lumber mill business and had a mill, too,” Dave said. “A lot of people were in the lumber business, I guess.”