Albert W. Clark

As printed in 1905

ALBERT W. CLARK.

Albert V. Clark, the popular jailer at the Butler county bastile, is a native of Venice, Ohio, and a great-grandson of Dr. Benjamin F. Clark, who laid out the village of “Venus” in 1816. Dr. Clark was a native of New York and came to this county in 1814. He selected as a home the present town site of Venice, and there established a hamlet in the wilderness which, because of the natural beauty of the spot, he named “Venus.” He was a man of rare professional skill and well educated. He is described as a tall, sparely-built man, of much physical and mental force. His mission to humanity on the western frontier was well performed, and during the twelve years of his life he was a tireless worker among the sick and distressed. Dr. Clark was a man of broad views and liberal in his consideration of others' rights. He donated one acre of land to the town of “Venus” for burial purposes and was otherwise public spirited and active in the interest of the town and community. He continued in active practice until his death, June 22, 1826, at the age of fifty-seven years. His wife, Elizabeth Clark, died February 15, 1861, at the age of seventy-seven years, and both are interred in the cemetery which the Doctor founded. A son of this early pioneer was also named Benjamin F. and he was the paternal grandfather of Albert W. Clark, of this sketch. Grandfather Clark was twice married, his first wife, who was Rhoda Fuller, being the mother of the subject’s father, Benjamin Allen Clark. There were four children in this family, Benjamin A. and Lavonia, now Mrs. Burch, being the only survivors. The others were named Permilla and Melvina. Benjamin Allen Clark was born at Venice, October 13, 1834. married Miss Elizabeth R. McFeeley, and both are living. Their home has been for many years at the village of Shandon, formerly known as Paddy's Run, near which place they own a valuable farm. They were the parents of nine children, eight of whom are living. The eldest was David Ozro, who died in childhood, in 1860. Frank followed farming until recently, when he removed to Hamilton and engaged in other pursuits., Mrs. Rhoda E. Henry lives on a farm at St. Charles, in this county. Albert W., of this sketch, was the next in order of birth. Mrs. Lillian Bauer resides on a farm near Venice. Ralph W. has exiled himself from home and friends since 1890, and his whereabouts is unknown to his family, an unhappy marriage being the cause of this estrangement. Ernest is operating the home farm. He married Miss Carrie Vogt, and they have one child. Frances E. became the wife of William Robinson, a retired farmer, now operating a hotel at Shandon. Emmazetta G. is the wife of Roger Evans, a brother of Mrs. Albert Clark. Mr. Evans is a mechanic at Shandon.

The subject of this article received a good practical education in the public school at Shandon, and began his business career as a farmer. Fie followed the plow during most of his life and owned and operated a threshing outfit for seventeen seasons. He has been a hard-working, industrious man, seeing but little of the comforts of life except as he took pleasure and comfort in his endless work. He was born on the 2(1 of August, 1862, and, though yet a young man, he is broken down from the effects of a lifetime of persistent toil, from early dawn until late at night. Fortunately, a change came in 1900, when he was selected from numerous applicants as the jailer at the Butler county prison. He served in this capacity during the four-years term of Peter Bisdorf, as sheriff, and was re-appointed in 1904 by Sheriff Luke Brannon. Mr. Clark has official charge of the jail, and inmates and appurtenances, under direction of the sheriff. In his official capacity Mr. Clark has witnessed some touching scenes and has had charge of some of the most hardened criminals. Among these are murderers, thieves, burglars and others, guilty of minor crimes. The notorious stranger, Alfred Knapp, now awaiting electrocution for wife-murder, was one of his most “distinguished” guests for many months. The Butler county jail is a massive stone structure, erected in 1848, with due consideration for the character of its occupants. It is fitted with twenty-four steel cells, which, with the impenetrable stone walls and the watchful vigilance of the jailer, render escape impossible.

Mr. Clark was married on the 31st of January, 1884, when he those for his companion in life’s journey Miss Alice Evans, who was born at Shandon, Butler county, and is a representative of a numerous and prominent old family in the county. Her parents were Robert N. and Margaret (Davis) Evans, both descendants of Welsh ancestors. John Evans, the paternal grandfather, a native of Wales, established a home on Paddy’s Run in 1818. He reached Cincinnati with the modest sum of twenty-nine cents as the nucleus, to which he in later years added a large fortune. He was reputed to be very wealthy and made liberal provisions for all of his children. But as he neared the end of life’s journey, a trusted friend who handled a large part of his fortune proved unfaithful and the doing old man was defrauded in the sum of several thousand dollars. He died possessed of about a hundred thousand dollars, mostly in real estate and stock.

The happy union of Mr. and Mrs. Clark has been blessed with eleven children, nine of whom are now living. The eldest of these was Wayne Ozra, a promising youth who met a tragic death at the dawn of bright young manhood. On the 15th of July, 1904, while bathing in the reservoir near Hamilton, hd was drowned. This calamity was a severe blow to the family and elicited the sympathy of the entire city, where the young man was well and favorably known. At the time of his death Wayne was a trusted employe of the T. V. Howell & Son Dry Goods Company, where he was held in high esteem by his employers and associates.* He was a most exemplary young man, whose correct habits of life and conduct never gave his loving parents a moment’s trouble. The body was buried in the family lot at Venice, where four generations of the name are represented. Wayne was but two months past his twentieth year. The other children,- with the exception of Albert A., who died in early infancy in August, 1900, are still under the parental roof. They are Arline, Keith, Bryce, Ruth, Virginia. Rowland, Miriam, Rowena and

Robert Chetwyn. Albert was next to the youngest. Mr. Clark is prominently identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He-is a past grand of Ros. Lodge, No. 482, and a member of Butler Encampment, No. 7. He also holds a membership in Butler Court, Tribe of Ben Hur.

In political affiliations Mr. Clark has been a lifelong Democrat, and has always taken an active interest in the success of his party. He never aspired to public office other than his present position. The family is well known and highly esteemed in the county with which both the Clark and Evans families have been identified for nearly a century..

As printed in Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.