William Clark

As printed in 1907

WILLIAM CLARK, SR.

William Clark. Sr., for many yearclosely associated with important agricultural and stock-raising interests in Pottawattamie county and now living in Oakland, from which town In1-uperintends his investment-, was born in Pennsylvania, March 1,.1837. Eis father. Charles Clark, was also a native of the Keystone state and was of Irish lineage. He was a farmer Inoccupation and continued to live in Pennsylvania until 1850, when lie removed with his family to Illinois, locating in Mercer county, where he purchased land and engaged in its operation until the spring of 1860. He then went to Kansas by teams, but this being the year of the great brought everything was burned up, and after living in their covered wagons throughout the summer the family came to Pottawattamie county, Iowa, in the fall. Here the father purchased eighty acreof land from the original settler and moved into a log cabin of one room built by the Mormons, making that his home for a few years. This house was the only improvement upon the place, but as time passed he broke the land, erected buildings and continued the cultivation of his land throughout the remainder of his active life. For a few years before his death, however, he lived retired at the home of our subject, where he died on the 12th of September, 1884, at the age of eighty-four years. He possessed good business ability and keen discrimination and prospered in his undertakings. For long years he was connected with the Presbyterian church but at a later date became a member of the Baptist church and at all times was interested in Christian and charitable work. His political views accorded with the principles of the republican party. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah McCreary, was born in Pennsylvania and died February 26, 1905, at the age of ninety-two years. She, too, was a member of the Presbyterian church.

In their family were twelve children, all of whom reached mature years, namely: Elizabeth, now deceased; Margaret E., the wife of Andrew Laughlin, a farmer of Nebraska; Uriah, a retired farmer and a veteran of the Civil war, living at Woodbine, Iowa; William, of this review; Samuel, who died on the 13th of July, 1907; Mrs. Martha White, of Oakland; John Calvin, who served as a soldier of the Union army and has now passed away; Katherine, who is the widow of William Huff and lives in Nebraska; James, Harriet, Frank and Mary, all now deceased.

William Clark, Sr., was reared on the old homestead farm and early became familiar with the tasks of plowing, planting and harvesting. He attended the country schools as opportunity offered and throughout his entire life has been connected with agricultural interests. In 1860 he came to Iowa, settling about two and a half miles south of Oakland in Pottawattamie county, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, giving in exchange for this tract one horse, two cows, two yearling steers, one hog and a wagon box. Only fifteen acres of the land had been broken and upon the place he erected a log cabin of one room, sixteen by eighteen feet. The year after his arrival here he returned to Illinois and was married, bringing his bride to her new home in a covered wagon and driving a cow the entire distance. Money was very scarce in those days and for six months she was unable to write home as she could not buy a stamp for the letter. Game was very plentiful and Indians often visited the locality on their hunting trips. Mr. Clark had to do his trading in Council Bluffs, which was then the nearest market, and he has sold dressed hogs for two dollars and a quarter per hundred and wheat for twenty-five cents a bushel. He used oxen in breaking his land. In 1873 he removed from his first farm to one in Valley township, where he remained until 1901, and then took up his above in Oakland, where he is now occupying an attractive modern residence that constitutes one of the best homes of the town. He has been very successful in his business affairs, is the owner of four hundred acres of valuable land in Valley township and twelve and a half acres where he now resides. He has raised cattle for the market and in all his business ventures has manifested an aptitude for successful management that has made him one of the substantial residents of his adopted county.

On the ist of October, 1861, Mr. Clark was married to Miss Martha Humbert, who was born in Indiana, November 16. 1842. Thev became the parents of eight children, of whom four are living: Sarah, the wife of George Huff, a plumber of Oakland; Carrie, the wife of Pardin White, a farmer of Valley township; William, living on the old homestead; and Ruby, the wife of Robert Anderson, a farmer of Center township. Those deceased are Fred, Emanuel, Mattie and Lula.

The parents are members of the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Clark has served as an officer. He has been a life-long republican and has held a number of township offices, to which he has been called by his fellow townsmen who recognize his worth and ability. He has made his home in this county for forty-seven years and has therefore largely witnessed its growth and development, nothing the changes that have occurred and aiding in the work that has been done to transform the district from a wild prairie region into fertile farms.

As printed in History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, from the earliest historic times to 1907 (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.