Rush Clark

As printed in 1883

RUSH CLARK, of Iowa City, was born at Schellsburg, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1834; received a common school education at his birth-place, attended the academy at Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and was a student at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, graduating there in 1853; studied law, was admitted to the bar at Iowa City in the fall of 1853, and commenced practice there; was a member of the general assembly of Iowa, 1860-'64, serving the last two years as Speaker of the House; was on the staff of the Governor of Iowa in 1861 and '62, aiding in the organization of volunteers from Iowa; was a member of the board of trustees of the Iowa State University 1862-'66; was re-elected to the general assembly of 1876; and was elected to the forty-fifth congress as a republican, receiving 19,274 votes against 11,154 votes for N. Worley, democrat, and 1,200 for G. W. Rutherford, greenbacker. He was re-elected in 1878, the following being the vote in the district: for Clark, republican, 14,205; Carter, democrat, 12,011; Brown, greenbacker, 697. [It is proper here to explain that Rush Clark was not related to Ezekiel Clarke, as many have supposed, (they spelled their names differently, and hence he was not a relative of Gov. Kirkwood, although very highly esteemed by him.] — Historian.

Mr. Clark died at Washington City, very suddenly. One of his eulogists remarked, "The going down of the sun on the evening of the 27th of April, 1879, found him busy with the cares and activities of this life. The setting of the sun on the evening of the next day found him a dweller in the spirit land."

Memorial addresses were delivered in Congress, by Congressmen Price, of Iowa; Coffrath, of Pennsylvania; Sapp, of Iowa; Manning, of Mississippi; Neal, of Ohio; Thompson, of Iowa; Bennett, of Dakota; Carpenter, of Iowa; Henderson, of Illinois; and Senators Allison and Kirkwood, of Iowa; Hereford, of West Virginia, and Piatt, of Connecticut. A joint committee, of seven Representatives and three Senators was appointed to take charge of the funeral and accompany* the remains for the burial at his home, Iowa City. This committee consisted of Representatives Hiram Price, of Iowa; John H. Reagan, of Texas; Wm. H. Hatch, of Missouri; Henry S. Neal, of Ohio; Thos. J. Henderson, of Illinois: Mark H. Dunnell, of Minnesota, and Philip Cook, of Georgia; and Senators Kirkwood, Piatt and Hereford. Nine thousand copies were ordered printed of the memorial proceedings and eulogics in Congress.

Mr. Coftrath represented the district in Pennsylvania where Rush Clark was born, and knew the family when Rush was a boy. In his remarks Mr. Coftrath said:

His father, John Clark, was of Scotch-Irish family, and was born in Cumberland county Pennsylvania. His mother was born near the line between the States of Pennsylvania and Mar34and, opposite Hancock. His parents were among the early settlers of the lovely valley in which Rush was born, and they were universally respected and beloved far and near by all who knew them, for their hospitality and upright Christian walk.

Rush Clark was the sixth son of John and Mary Clark. His deep and fervent love for his father and mother made him linger long around the threshold of his childhood's home. '" '"* * * *

A relative, who loved him and knew him well, writes me, " If I were called upon to pass a eulogium ever so brief, it would be that Rush Clark loved his. mothc7\ and lived for the good he might do to others.'''* What more need be said in praise of our deceased brother? He will live in the memory of all those who knew him.

Congressman Manning, of Mississippi, in the course of his eloquent and touching address, said:

Those who knew him upon this floor knew how faithfully and promptly he responded to every duty that devolved upon him, and it is not strange that his generous impulses, strong mental faculties, pure private and public character, and love of country's honor and welfare, secured for him a warm place in the hearts of his constituency, whose interests he ever guarded and protected with so much zealand efficiency. An exalted pubhc spirit ever animated his breast; and every movement, whether originated in the legislative halls, or elsewhere, which in his judgment tended to the benefit of the country in large or small degree, and might bring peace and fraternal relations to the whole people, received his utmost aid.

Now that his life is finished testimony is cheerfully borne by all who knew him, without regard to party affiliations, that he left to his family, friends and country a name without a stain.

As printed in History of Johnson County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and its townships, cities and villages from 1836 to 1882. Together with biographical sketches .. (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.