Klock and Klock Connected Biographical Reviews

 Biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Madison County, New York
Published 1894, pages 132-133
     Solomon Klock

     Solomon Klock, of whom this interesting sketch is written, was born in 1803, in St. Johnsville, N.Y.   This town was also the birthplace of his father, John Klock whose date was August 17, 1776, and of his grandfather, George, who was born in 1742.  Henry Klock, the great-grandfather of our subject, who was born in Prussia, cam over to America, and settled in St. Johnsville in 1704, when a very young man.  This ancestor of the family was four times married, and had children by three wives, nine of them being sons.  HE was a farmer, and, being a very large land-owner, often remarked the he was “land poor.”  A firm Presbyterian, deeply religious, bringing up his children in that faith, he died in 1760, when quite an old man, in the confident hope a glorious resurrection.  George Klock married Catherine Bellenger, by whom he had twelve children, five sons and seven daughters, who all reached maturity and had large families.
     John Klock, the father of Solomon, married Eve Timmerman.   Sixteen children was born of this marriage, twelve of them reaching adult age.   Only four sons and four daughters are now living:  Solomon was the first born; Simeon, just eighty-five, August 10, 1893, a wealthy farmer of Minden, Montgomery County, N.Y.; Margaret, born August 10, 1812, unmarried; Nancy  (Mrs. Charles Walrath), of Oneida, born 1814,; Reuben, born August 10, 1818, a very wealthy farmer, living in Danube, Herkimer County; Hiram, born in St. Johnsville, 1820, a farmer, and has two sons; Eva Ann, born 1821, wife of Henry Elwood, a farmer of Florentine, Montgomery County, has one son;  Lucy, Mrs. Henry Bellinger, aged sixty-five years, whose family consists of three children.  The mother died in 1852, aged sixty-eight, and the father ten years later, in 1862, when eighty-five years old.  They are buried in their family graveyard with their ancestors.
     Our subject was reared to habits of industry and thrift, and, like many of the finest minds of our country, received his early education in the primitive, unpainted log cabin, with the regulation slab seats, and the writing-desk a plank attached to the wall, resting on pegs.  But, while the comforts and conveniences so familiar to the modern student were not theirs, the elementary education was thorough; and it is a matter of common remark that the “old field” schools have turned out some the greatest statesmen of the land.  When the lad was old enough to work, he had only the opportunity which the winters afforded of attending school; but his natural abilities aided him, and, being observant, Mr. Klock has stored his mind with a fund of information, and even in his advanced age can hold his own with our most skilful mathematicians.  He has always been a great reader, keeping himself thoroughly posted in the currents events of the day, and is especially fond of newspapers, having been a subscriber for the Albany Argus for over twenty years.  His memory for incidents and occurrences is something truly wonderful, recalling readily at a moment’s thought the dates of births, deaths, and marriages in his large family connections, and also in those of his neighbors and friends over a generation. 
     Solomon Klock married Elizabeth Bellenger, June 16, 1831.  Their only child, Irvin, died at the age of fifty-four, having married, and leaving two daughters and one son.  Mrs. Elizabeth Klock died in 1833; and Mr. Klock married second Miss Larry Ann Flanders, daughter of Peter Flanders.  Four children were the fruit of this marriage, namely; Myron, of Canastota, married, and has one daughter; Nancy,  widow of James Weaver, mother of two daughters, at present traveling in Germany, but has her home at East Saginaw, Mich., Theron, living at home; and Iantha, wife of Gideon Stephens, a contractor and farmer, of South Bay, Oneida Lake, who has two children, one son and one daughter.  Mrs. Larry A. Klock died in 1875, at the age of sixty-two, and is buried in that beautiful place of the dead, Mount Hope Cemetery, at Canastota, N.Y.  Mr. Klock has lived for some years whit his son Theron on the farm, and for the last five years has enjoyed with him his present beautiful home. 
     Theron Klock, son of Solomon, was born in the town of Stockbridge in 1837, and, when he was eleven years of age, removed with his father to the excellent farm of one hundred and eighty-six acres near Wampsville, now his home.   He was married December 3, 1862, to Mary E. Stebbins, daughter of John and Fanny (Leach) Stebbins, both of Augusta, Oneida County.   Mr. and Mrs. Klock have one daughter, Laura, wife of James A Gregg, of Oneida.  One daughter, Mabel, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gregg.  Mrs. Klock’s aged mother of seventy-seven years is a widow in Oneida, having buried her husband in October, 1881, at the age of seventy-five years.  Democratic in politics, and Presbyterian in religion, Mr. Solomon Klock and his son preserve the traditions and faith of their ancestors in party and church. 

Additional Information:

     Solomon Klock (John Bellinger, George G., Johanguergh “Old George” and Hendrick Klock)  Solomon Klock was a farmer, age 27, of Oppenheim, N.Y. when he married Elizabeth Bellinger on June 16, 1931.  Elizabeth was 22.  They were married at the home of John F. Bellinger in the town of Oppenheim by Rev. A.H. Myers.  Stephen Klock and Simon Klock, both of Oppenheim were the witnesses at the marriage.--  St. John's Church Record.