Mr. Mark, born in Scotland in 1813, was a highly respected and
prosperous landowner and stockman, a kind and generous man who became
president of the First National Bank of Mt.Carroll. He was riding his
favorite horse home with a package of meat on the stormy night and
apparently was swept under the ice while trying to cross the creek. His
body was located some time later; the horse found the next morning with
a broken leg. At the time of his death, his estate was valued at more
than $90,000 which he and his wife had accumulated by hard work and good
management during the 32 years he had lived in the county.
Mrs. Mark, the former Caroline Wade was born in Virginia of poor
parentage and came to Carroll County as a 16 year old girl in 1836 where
she met and married Mr. Mark 7 years later. The Mark’s had no children
but took 3 little girls to raise which they named Caroline, Gertrude and
Annie in 1866.
Mrs. Mark, a kindly woman, had observed that many elderly women were
left penniless and neglected. She decided to leave the bulk of her
estate inherited from her husband which she had managed wisely and
increased during the 31 years after her husband’s passing for building a
home for needy women.
After she died in 1900 [27 Apr 1900], there were many heirs and
relatives, and the will made out 6 years earlier was the subject of
lengthy litigation. The home, however, was completer late in 1907 and
was ready for occupancy early in 1908 with accommodations for 40 persons.
Oscar F McKinney and Frederick Smith were the first trustees named by
Mrs. Mark. The building is a 2-story structure of fireproof iron, brick,
stone and cement. It stands on a knoll beside an adjoining farm of 120
acres bordering the Waukarusa.
A number of Mr. Mark’s relatives in Scotland including 3 sisters and a
brother followed him to Carroll County. Virginia Craig Sack (Mrs. John
T. Sack) a granddaughter of James Mark’s sister, Jane Mark, living in
Mt. Carroll is James Mark’s closest surviving descendant.”
Above is from "A Goodly Heritage" Pg 99-100
A landmark in Mt Carroll vicinity is the Caroline Mark Home for elderly
women, a short distance north and east of the bridge across Carroll
Creek. The home was built with funds provided for in the will of Mrs.
Mark, a widow. James Mark, a thrifty Scotch immigrant came to Carroll
County in 1837 and by 1846 had acquired some 500 acres of land in
Freedom Township. He bought more land before his untimely death from
drowning the night of 13 Feb 1869 during a raging flood in Carroll Creek
when the bridge had washed out.
Further History & Details - Written by Lori Gilbert
Caroline Wade was born 1820 in Virginia and came to Carroll County about
1836. She married James Mark on 11 May 1843 [Vol.: A Page: 37 License#:
55] in Carroll County. James Mark was born 1813 in Scotland and died Feb
1869 in Carroll County, Illinois.
Caroline Mark drew up a will in 1894 leaving the bulk of her estate in a
trust for the construction, maintenance and operation of a home for aged
women.. At the time of her death on 27 April 1900, she was the
wealthiest woman in the county with an estate valued at $600,000. Her
will left $125,000 to her heirs and the remainder went into the trust.
Her will was heavily contested by the heirs, which delayed the
construction of the home for 6 years. Construction finally began in the
fall of 1906 and was completed in the winter of 1907 with the first
residents moving into the home in 1908. The home was placed on the
National Historic Register in 1984.
Census information does not suggest other adopted children other than
“Carrie” Caroline Mark [ “Carrie” married Lewis E Browing on 16 Jan 1881
in Carroll County, Illinois [Vol.: B Page:56 Certificate#: 2228]]:
1850 Census Freedom, Carroll, IL
1860 Census Freedom, Carroll, IL
1870 Mt Carroll, Carroll County, Illinois
1880 Mt Carroll, Carroll County, Illinois
1910 United States Federal Census Salem Twp, Carroll County, Illinois
[District 6]
1920 CENSUS Salem Twp, Carroll County, Illinois [District 6]
1930 Census Mt Carroll Township, Carroll County, Illinois [District 7]
James Mark 33 Scotland Farmer
Caroline Mark 28 Virginia
Aaron Malarky 28 Ireland Laborer
James Mark 43 1816 Scotland Male Farmer
Caroline Mark 36 1823 Virginia Female
George Pritchard 23 1836 Wales Male Farm Laborer
Caroline Mark 48 Virginia Keeps House
Caroline Mark 6 Illinois
Caroline MARK 56 <1824> Virginia Self Keeping House
Carrie A. L. MARK 16 <1864> ILL Daughter / Student
Grace PRISK 39 <1841> England Boarder/Seamstress
Residents at the Caroline Mark Home_
NAME Relationship Age Birth Place Marital status_
Pauley, Elijah A head 52 Illinois Married
Pauley, Mattie A wife 50 Illinois Married
Pauley, Elsie, E daughter 23 Illinois single
Hamilton, Amelia Inmate 76 New York single
Fletcher, Alice Inmate 73 Rhode Island widow
Arnold, Elizabeth Inmate 70 Illinois single
Thurston, Cornelia Inmate 73 Vermont single
LIST OF RESIDENTS AT THE CAROLINE MARK HOME:_
NAME - RELATIONSHIP AGE MARITAL STAT. PLACE OF BIRTH_
Mills Anna Head 62 M Pennsylvania
Mills Thomas Husband 60 M Pennsylvania
Arnold Elizabeth A. Inmate 79 S Illinois
Ball Cynthia Inmate 96 WD Vermont
Wilde Mary Inmate 79 S New York
Williams Alice E. Inmate 68 WD New York
Whitmore Catherine Inmate 57 S Unreadable
Brown Edna Inmate 80 X Pennsylvania
Villar Emeline Inmate 80 WD Indiana
Eustice Hannah Inmate 77 WD England
Snovet Lucina Inmate 76 WD Pennsylvania
Howard Grectie Inmate 71 S Illinois
Kenttingor Mary Inmate 90 D Germany
Iler Mary Inmate 65 D Pennsylvania
Webb Emma Inmate 77 WD England
Wrigh Nettie Inmate 70 WD Illinois
Williamson Adeline Inmate 71 D Unreadable
Wentz Augusta Inmate 67 WD New York
Rennice Elizabeth Inmate U WD Pennsylvania
Conraddy Julia Inmate 74 WD Illinois
Mitchell Catherine Inmate 79 WD Illinois
Dupeier Mary Inmate 72 WD Wisconsin
Cummings Ella Inmate 70 D Illinois
Wilson Mary Inmate 87 S Pennsylvania
Wilson Martha Inmate 80 S Pennsylvania
Bartholemew Louise Inmate 76 S Indiana
Cleveland Hannah Inmate 73 WD Germany
Sleer Fannie Inmate 83 WD Pennsylvania
Leigh Hannah Inmate 79 WD New Jersey
Kratz Catherine Inmate 78 WD Germany
Funk Loretta Inmate 84 S Maryland
Slifer Mary Inmate 78 WD Illinois
Caroline Mark Home
Jacob W Myers --------born: abt 1865 Pennsylvania Head
Lula L Myers --------born: abt 1879 Wife
Lyle W Myers --------born: abt 1917 Son
Carrie M Miller --------born: abt 1895 Illinois Servant
Florence Poorman --------born: abt 1900 Illinois Servant
Marie Cooley --------born: Illinois Inmate
Anna Gordon --------born: abt 1865 Illinois Inmate
Fannie Lawson --------born: abt 1854 Illinois Inmate
Idesta Dean --------born: abt 1857 Illinois Inmate
Anna Lines --------born: abt 1852 Pennsylvania Inmate
Mary Nodd --------born: abt 1852 Illinois Inmate
Mary Reed --------born: abt 1876 Illinois Inmate
Laura Frazey --------born: abt 1854 New York Inmate
Adell Ellege --------born: abt 1855 Pennsylvania Inmate
Sara J Oneal --------born: abt 1843 Indiana Inmate
Elizabeth Smith --------born: abt 1846 Ohio Inmate
Ada N Petrie --------born: abt 1863 Pennsylvania Inmate
Cathrine Floyhardy --------born: abt 1844 Maryland Inmate
Mazy H Abene --------born: abt 1860 Wisconsin Inmate
Sarah J Haas --------born: abt 1847 Illinois Inmate
Fannie E Hubbard --------born: abt 1845 Illinois Inmate
Caroline Wood --------born: abt 1851 Germany Inmate
Sussan B Smith --------born: abt 1866 Maryland Inmate
Hattie Griswald --------born: abt 1856 Illinois Inmate
Mary Dupuis --------born: abt 1841 Wisconsin Inmate
Nellie Wright --------born: abt 1851 Illinois Inmate
Anna Webb --------born: abt 1843 England Inmate
Emeline Wilbur --------born: abt 1840 Ohio Inmate
Elizabeth Arnold --------born: abt 1840 Illinois Inmate
Jone Davis --------born: abt 1843 Pennsylvania Inmate
Elizabeth Helfriech --------born: abt 1869 Germany Inmate
