William Clark Courting Julia Hancock

December 1806 Fincastle, VA

Clark and York were heading East, along the Great Valley Road, today’s U.S. 11. After 28 months in the wilderness of the West, Clark was intent on courting young Julia Hancock in Fincastle, VA. He would visit with his Army friend Major William Preston and his wife Caroline, the older sister of Julia, during the courtship. Love was in the air during the 1806 Christmas Holidays. In-addition to Clark’s wooing of Julia, a double wedding occurred – Mary Hancock to John Griffin and Harriet Kennerly to John Radford.⁽¹⁾Clark’s courtship with Julia Hancock was successful. George Hancock gave his consent for marriage with the stipulation that the wedding take place the next year. William and Julia were married 5 January 1808.⁽²⁾

A courtship was only part of Clark’s activities while in Fincastle. On 8 January 1807, the citizens of Fincastle arranged a dinner and salute to William Clark and Meriwether Lewis, although Lewis had already arrived in Washington. With a protracted address to the Captains, Fincastle expressed the gratefulness for a successful exploration and record of the expedition. Clark’s response showed his respect for the community, and the safe return of members of the expedition. A portion of Clark’s response is worthy of quoting, “To respect the rights of humanity has and ever will be the leading principal of my life, and no reflection is more pleasing to me than that of effecting the objects we have in view with the effusion of so small a portion of human blood.” ⁽³⁾ Clark assured the citizens of Fincastle that he would deliver their sentiments to Lewis and started to Washington.

Sources:

(1) Jones, Landon, William Clark and the Shaping of the West, Hill and Wang. NY. 2004, page 155.

(2) Marriage Bond and License, William Clark to Judith Hancock, Botetourt, Co. VA, Circuit Court Clerk, Marriage Book 1808.

(3) Jackson, Donald, Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Second printing, University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 1978, Vol. l, page 359.