CLARK, Joseph V. - 1890 Bio (1849-1930)

CLARK, CARSON, TOWER, BURTON, GREEN, CARR, FERGUSON, DUDLEY

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/31/2007 at 20:56:35

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 631-632

Joseph V. CLARK, who is engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 27, Liberty Township, Jefferson County, is a native of Van Buren County, born October 29, 1849. His parents, Julius L. and Emeline (CARSON) CLARK were natives of Ohio, and a sketch of their lives is given on another page of this work. The family was founded in America during Colonial days and on both the paternal and maternal sides the grandfather served in the Revolutionary War. The family also had its representatives in the late war.

The subject of this sketch, who was the eldest in a family of nine children, spent his early boyhood days in his native county and at the age of sixteen years accompanied his parents to Jefferson County, where he grew to manhood. He acquired his education in the district schools of the neighborhood, and upon the home farm remained until his marriage, which was celebrated on the 18th of February, 1873, when he was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary Ella TOWER, daughter of Joseph and Philena (BURTON) TOWER. Her father was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1825, and was left fatherless at the age of four, after which he removed with the remainder of the family to Ripley County, Ind. His grandfather served in the earlier wars of this country, and his great-grandfather, who was a native of England, was among the pioneer settlers of this land. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. TOWER took place on the 31st of May, 1849, and unto them have been born a family of eight children: Sybil S., the eldest, born March 18, 1850, is now the wife of F. Marion GREEN, of Des Moines; Mary Ella was born February 24, 1852; Julia Josepine, born May 20, 1854, is the widow of Thomas J. CARR; Frank Burton was born October 2, 1857; William Everett, born January 4, 1860, married Belle FERGUSON, of Van Buren County; Emma Orpha, born August 3, 1864, is now living with her father; and two children died in infancy. Mrs. TOWER who was born December 13, 1828, died December 14, 1867. She was a descendant of the famous DUDLEY family and a daughter of Hiram and Sybil (DUDLEY) BURTON, the latter an authoress of considerable renown, who at the advanced age of eighty-two wrote a reminiscence of early Indiana Methodism, which was published in the "Western Christian Advocate" in 1885. She died in her eighty-sixth year. She was a Methodist, and lived to see the fourth generation. Mrs. CLARK was born in Ripley County, Ind., February 24, 1852. She emigrated with her parents in her third year to Wapello County, Iowa, from which place they removed, in 1865, to Van Buren County. She was educated in the public schools of the county.

The year succeeding their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. CLARK spent in Wayne County, after which they took up their residence in Jefferson County, trading the farm in the former county for eighty acres of land on section 27, Liberty Township. To this has been added a forty-acre tract and now a highly improved farm of one hundred and twenty acres pays tribute to the care and cultivation of its owner. Besides his own land, Mr. CLARK is also operating about two hundred acres of leased land. He has introduced into the county a new variety of oats, known as the "Welcome" which he thinks will rapidly gain public favor. He is regarded as a most successful agriculturist and is also a successful stock-raiser. He makes a specialty of Poland-China hogs, breeding in large numbers and his other stock is of equally good grades. A short time since he sold a Norman gelding, five years old, which weighed seventeen hundred and fifty pounds. As before stated, he takes rank among the leading farmers of the community, and in enterprises of public interest is also found ready to aid with his support and influence in their advancement. For several years he has been a member of the School Board, and to his strong advocacy and untiring efforts is largely due the introduction of the graded system into the schools, a measure which has proved of great advantage. To secure this, however, he had to overcome the influence of an opposing majority, but with ceaseless energy he labored until the desired result was obtained. Politically, he is a Republican and socially is a member of the Temperance Alliance.

To the home of Mr. and Mrs. CLARK have come four children, three of whom are yet living, namely: Clara M., the eldest, who was born January 28, 1874; Lester Tower, born April 1, 1877; Inez Josie, May 18, 1883; the fourth child was born in 1880 and lived but three days.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.