"The History of Decatur County, Iowa: 1839 - 1970"

by Himena V. Hoffman
Published by Decatur County Historical Society, Leon IA, 1970
 
Part III - "The Era of Business, Politics and Railroads 1865-1900"
Pages 78 - 79
Transcription by Carmelita
 
At the beginning of the period and for some years following the leading businessmen in the county were John Clark, and A. B. Stearns and his brother, Dan.

John Clark was born in Scotland at Paisley, near Glasgow, and came to the United States when his parents migrated here. Before coming to Decatur County he had been engaged in the milling business. Though he had lost heavily in a disastrous fire, he arrived in Decatur County with means to purchase one thousand acres of land in Morgan and Hamilton townships, and to set up a mill brought from Keokuk by ox-drawn wagons. Half of his land was heavily timbered, so lumber was at first his interest, but as has already been recorded in the previous chapter, the Clark mill furnished woolen goods to the Civil War government. Now at the close of the Civil War, he was one of the county's richest men and with two sons to assist him, he expanded his business interests. After 1876 the mill was at Davis City where Mr. Clark had purchased the Davis mill. Brick business houses were built, and dwelling houses for Mr. Clark and his sons. The first bank in the county, The National Bank established in Leon in 1869, had John Clark as its chief stockholder, and he was president of the bank until it was sold to the Decatur County Banking Association.

In a biographical sketch written in 1885 it is stated that Mr. Clark built and owned all but one of the brick business houses in town, as well as the brick mill building erected at the cost of $20,000.

Though Mr. Clark was not a member of any church, he built and gave to Davis City a community church, providing carefully in the terms of the gift for its equal use by different denominations. It was a well constructed church built of brick and had a clock tower. It was completed in 1878. Not only did Mr. Clark in giving this gift become the county's leading philanthropist, but he was a generous man in other ways. It is recalled that during the war, wives and particularly widows of soldiers were helped and that at his flour mill the grain brought by needy widows was ground free of charge. Though a shrewd businessman, Mr. Clark like another Scotchman, Andrew Carnegie, combined thrift with generosity.

John Clark died in 1888, and not many years later his sons left Decatur County. There are, however, descendants of John Clark in the county. His daughter, Elizabeth married James Bolon and his daughter, Grisella, married James McClaran. Their families are still represented in Decatur County. The Union Church which Mr. Clark gave Davis City is still in use and the brick homes he built are still occupied.

If there was no other reason to recall John Clark the beautiful seventeen foot monument in the old cemetery at Davis City should be sufficient. It was brought from Aberdeen, Scotland, and marks the resting place of John Clark and his wife, Margaret, daughter of James Gammill and sister of Captain John Gammill. Mr. Clark's first wife, also a daughter of James Gammill, died in 1835 after one year of marriage. In 1836 he remarried and Margaret cared for her sister's child as she did for her own.

Around the Clark monument are buried other members of his family, including a much loved little granddaughter who died when only three.
 
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