The undeveloped plot of land at what would be 893 Pine Street was acquired by George A. Watson son of John T. Watson who lived nearby at 125 Chestnut St. in October of 1910 and shortly thereafter built the Greek Revival four-square house that stands there today. In March of 1912, George sold the home to Lewis Herbert Clarke.
Mr. Clarke was born in 1869 to Elijah Lewis Clark and Martha Jane Pattie Cook of Mecklenberg County, Virginia. Mr. Clarke, an electrician by trade, arrived in Danville at the age of 18 and was employed by Danville Traction and Power Company, the enterprise which oversaw the operation of the cable cars. During his time there, he distinguished himself by installing the first electric generator for the company. Later, he worked for the City Electric Department, and he remained in that position for 32 years, becoming its first superintendent. In 1920, he established the Clarke Electric Company, whose location of operation was at the corner of Main Street and Holbrook Avenue. His career ended abruptly however when, on Christmas Day, 1953, he stepped out of his offices and was struck by a car which left him with a fractured skull. He never fully recovered and passed away on February 17, 1958.
At the time of his death, Mr. Clarke owned ten properties in the city of Danville, including four houses on Lee Street, three on Colquohoun St., t*hree on Park Street, one on Overby Street, and one on Holbrook Street. As the house at 893 Pine Street was his primary address, it is likely for the protection of that investment that he had the property put into his wife’s name. Born on the 24th of July, 1876, Grace C. Stokes was the daughter of Allen and Willie Stokes, and was probably the niece of Dr. Thomas Stokes whose Gothic Revival house was situated across the street. When Mrs. Clarke died of pneumonia in 1931, the deed passed to the couple’s daughter, Frances Louise Clarke Heffernan.
Frances was the youngest of the three children (and the only daughter) born to Mr. and Mrs. Clarke. Born in Danville on the 8th of May 1910, Frances married William Patrick Heffernan in October of 1931. While in Danville, Mr. Heffernan was heavily involved in Danville’s (re)emerging classical music scene and was a talented cellist. The couple had two children, and according to them, after leaving Danville, the family moved around quite a bit, eventually ending up in California.
In 1971, the Heffernans sold their home to Otis and Ella Meredith. The couple owned the home for only a short time before selling it to Charles Petty, Jr., who resides in the home today.
Sources:
Census and Vital records found at Familysearch.org
Images and vital information, including biographical sketches found at FindaGrave.com
Death notices and other information found in the Danville Register, Danville Bee and other newspaper archives at Newspapers.com and GenealogyBank.com
Census, Directory, Newspaper, and other information compiled by Paul Liepe
