JOHN CLARK
Although more than a quarter
of a century has elapsed since the death of John Clark, his memory is still
enshrined in the hearts of those who knew him and the influence of his work is
still potent. He was one of the earliest
manufacturers of woolen goods in Iowa and was also connected with the development of the
lumber industry in this state. For many
years he resided in Decatur county and was prominently
connected with its industrial and financial growth. His integrity and sense of justice were
equally as well developed as his business sagacity and power of initiative, and
his life was a force for righteousness.
John Clark was born in Paisley, near Glasgow, Scotland, on the 25th of September, 1813, and three years later was brought by his father,
John Clark, to America. The family
landed at Philadelphia and settled on a small river flowing into the Delaware, about ten miles from that city, where the father
conducted a cotton factory. While living
in Scotland he had been a silk weaver. In 1818 removal was made to Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and two years later he took his family and went to New Lisbon, Ohio,
where both he and his wife spent their remaining days. She was a member of the royal family of
Stuarts of Scotland, her father, Charles Edward Stuart, being the prince of Scotland and her grandfather the kind of the united kingdom of England and Scotland. Her demise
occurred when she was but forty-five years of age and her husband also died when
comparatively young, being forty-eight years old at the time of his death. They left four sons and five daughters, all
of whom are now deceased.
John Clark o f this review
resided in Columbiana county, Ohio, until the fall of 1846, when he removed to Jefferson county, Iowa, with his family and engaged in the wool-carding and
cloth-dressing business in connection with the manufacture of lumber. This was the pioneer plant of its kind in Iowa and was farther west than any similar
establishment. In 1843 Mr. Clark lost
the entire mill property by fire but through the assistance of others his
machinery was replaced and he was enabled to resume business. His mill cut the first plank for the first
plank road in Iowa and its history forms a part of the industrial
history of the state. In June, 1856, Mr.
Clark removed to Decatur county and settled in Morgan
township, purchasing a thousand acres of land from the government, half of
which was timbered. He erected a sawmill
upon his holdings and added two burrs for the manufacture of flour and also
carding machinery, while two years later he installed spinning machinery and
looms, manufacturing all kinds of woolen
cloth. During the Civil war the demand
for woolen goods was so great that twelve looms were kept busy and he handled
not less than seventy-five thousand pounds of wool annually. In 1869 the First National Bank of Leon was organized with a capital stock of fifty thousand
dollars and Mr. Clark was elected the first president of the institution,
continuing in that position until it was reorganized as the Farmers &
Traders Bank. In 1870 he, in connection
with his son William, bought the mill property at Davis City and five years later he and his sons erected the
flouring mill which is still in operation at that place. He had the astuteness of mind which enabled
him to recognize opportunities where others saw none and he also possessed the
energy and aggressiveness to formulate and carry into execution plans for the
utilization of such opportunities. These
qualities made him a pioneer in the manufacture of cloth and lumber in Iowa and his connection with the industrial and financial
development of Decatur county resulted in good to
the community as well as in his own material prosperity.
Mr. Clark was married on the 25th
of September, 1834, in
Columbiana county, Ohio, to Miss Grace Gammill, who died September 21,
1835. To them was born a daughter, Elizabeth, now
the widow of James F. Bolon, of Davis City. On the 21st
of September, 1836, Mr. Clark
married Miss Margaret C. Gammill, an older sister of his first wife, both of
whom were daughters of James Gammill, a native of York county, Pennsylvania. To this union
were born two sons and four daughters, of whom two survive, namely: Williams, a resident of Omaha; and Mrs. Caroline Biggs, of Leon. Mrs. Clark
passed away upon her farm near Davis City in 1902.
Mr. Clark was a republican in
his political belief but was never an aspirant for official honors. He never identified himself with any
religious organization but realized that the work done by all the churches of a
community is of great importance in promoting the moral welfare. He also saw the advantage of church unity and
in 1878 erected a good church edifice which he presented to all of the religious
societies of Davis City, representing two branches of the Methodist
denomination and the Presbyterian and Christian churches. The building is still used by the three
congregations and is known as the Union church.
At the time of his death the
Decatur County Journal published the following:
“Deceased died as he had lived, calm, placid and self-possessed, September 4, 1888, aged seventy-five years. Thus ended the live of John
Clark, one of nature’s noblemen, a model man and citizen, a noble and honored
father, a loving and true husband, a friend whose friendship was like the light
of the sun, true and steadfast in its course. The life of Mr. Clark furnishes an example
to the youths of today of what may be accomplished by energy and continued
labor, combined with the honest and noble resolution of benefiting his
fellowmen with a portion of the material results of a successful life. Mr. Clark was fully aware of the seriousness
of his last illness some time prior to his departure and made every arrangement
for his burial. Also in talking over the
matter with his children he state: ‘I
know that my case is a critical one and that no physician can do me any good. I leave my case entirely in the hands of Providence and feel perfectly resigned, let that be as it may,
it’s all right.’ This well balanced and
perfect consciousness was with him when he breathed his last, for, leaning back
into the arms of his son James, surrounded by those he loved, he said to al: ‘I
am going - I will soon be gone.’ “