Clark, George W. (1833-1898)

CLARK

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 10/18/2017 at 14:34:00

George W. Clark
(December 26, 1833 – May 22, 1898)

The Courts and Legal Profession of Iowa, vol.2, by Chester C. Cole, 1907, p.1072
Biographical
George W. Clark was born on a farm in Johnson County, Indiana, December 26, 1833, and died in Washington, D.C., May 22, 1898. He spent his young manhood on the farm, and left it at the age of twenty-one to attend college. He attended the county schools, carrying his books to his work in the field, and later he bargained with his father to send him to college in exchange for his share of the family patrimony. He then entered Franklin College, and afterwards Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Ind. In 1856 he removed to Iowa and located in Indianola. He read law and was admitted to practice the year he came to Iowa and soon took high rank among the rising young attorneys of the state. He was engaged in the practice of his profession when the Civil War began, and he was the first man in the county to enlist for the cause of the Union. He assisted in raising company G, Third Iowa Infantry, the first company out of Warren County. He was commissioned first lieutenant, and on the organization of the regiment he was appointed quartermaster which position he held until he was appointed colonel of the Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry in September, 1862. He commanded the regiment in the battles of Chickasaw, Bayou and Arkansas Post. His regiment was also in the Red River campaign under General Banks. During the latter part of the war Col. Clark commanded a brigade. He was prosecuting attorney when the war began. In 1867 he was United States marshal during President Grant’s first administration. July 2, 1869, he was appointed principal examiner of claims and contests in the general land office at Washington, D.C. In politics he was a Republican.