Sarah E. Brent Clarke (1853-1930)

Friends and Acquaintances of Emily Sibley Watson:

In an undated letter from January 1893, Elizabeth Sibley writes to her daughter that "Mrs. Ed Clark gives a large Reception in the Clark house this afternoon, Thurs eve—a grand ball, then I suppose we are to take possession, I do not know whether the Deeds have been given or not."

Elizabeth Sibley is speaking about the mansion formerly owned by Mr. & Mrs. Freeman Clarke on Alexander Street, which was purchased by the Rochester Homeopathic Hospital in 1893. Mrs. Ed Clarke was the daughter-in-law of Mr. & Mrs. Freeman Clarke. Her husband, Edward Smith Clarke, was a contemporary of Emily Sibley Watson, and a photo of him from 1872 is in an album now in the Memorial Art Gallery archives.

In a later letter, dated 1/23/1893, Elizabeth Sibley grumbles: "The Clarks took everything from the house that they could without taking the walls, gas fixtures even to the little...side lights in the servants rooms, grates, in fact everything, the house looks bare enough."