Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/247

 CLARK

CLARK

A. Oakey Hall. Incessant application to work brought on a disease of the optic nerves and in 1888 Mr. Clark became totally blind. He imme- diately learned to use the typewriter, and contin- ued his journalistic work, keeping himself informed on the events of the day by hearing the jiapers read to him and by conversation with his fellow workers. He was elected a member of the New York Press club and originated the famous Thirteen club.

CLARK, Myron Holly, governor of New York, was born in Naples, N.Y., Oct. 23, 1806; grandson of Col. William Clark, who removed to Ontario county from Berkshire, Mass., in 1790. Myron received a district school education and was employed for some years as a cabinet maker. He was sheriff of Ontario county, 1838-41. He removed to Canandaigua, of which village he was president, 1850-51. He was a member of the state senate in 1852, and was instrumental in secur- ing the passage of a prohibitory law, and other legislation in opposition to the railroad conces- sions, and to the liquor traffic. In 1854 he was elected governor of New York by a small major- ity, receiving his support from disaffected Whigs and Democrats and from temperance and anti- slavery advocates. His administration was di- rected against the interest of manufacturers and dealers in intoxicating liquors, and a prohi- bition law passed by the legislature and signed by him was decided unconstitutional by the court of appeals. He was collector of internal revenue, 1862-68. He died at Canandaigua, N.Y., Aug. 23, 1892.

CLARK, Nathaniel George, clergyman, was born at Calais, Vt., Jan. 18, 1825; son of Dr. Charles and Clarissa (Boyden) Clark. His pre- paratory education was received at the Mont- pelier (Vt.) academy, and he was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1845. He taught in academies at Keene, N.H., andMontpelier, Vt., until 1848, when he began to study theology at Andover, Mass., remaining there two years and completing his course at Auburn, N.Y., in 1852. He then went abroad, for study in the universi- ties at Halle and Berlin, returning in the spring of 1853 to accept the chair of Latin and English literature in the University of Vermont, where he remained until 1863. In that year he became professor of English literature, rhetoric and logic in Union college, and in 1865 was elected a secre- tary of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions, retaining the office until his re- tirement in 1894. He also served as trustee of several institutions, including Mount Holyoke seminary, Welleslej' college, and the mission col- leges at Harpoot and Aintab in Turkey, and Jaffna in Ceylon. He was trustee of Wellesley from its foundation, and for the last five years of

his connection with it, was president of the board of trustees. He was also a member of the American oriental society and of the Victoria institute. He received the degree of D.D. from Union college in 1865, and that of LL.D. from the University of Vermont in 1875. He published several essays on the,subject of missions, and also The Elements of the English Languarje (1863). He died in Boston, Mass., Jan. 3. 1896.

CLARK, Nathaniel Walling, educator, was born at Plattsburg, N.Y., Feb. 12, 1859; son of George L. and Ja-ann (Walling) Clark, grandson of Nathaniel Clark of West Chazy, N.Y., and a descendant of Samuel Clark of Weathersfield, Conn., a soldier of the Revolution, who served under Washington at Valley Forge. He was graduated from Wesleyan university A.B. in 1879, A.M., 1882, and from Drew theological sem- inary, B.D. in 1883, entering the Philadelphia conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was transferred to the Newark conference in 1885 and to the Germany conference in 1889. He was professor in the Martin mission institute, Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, 1889-93 and in 1893 was transferred to the Italy conference, be- coming president of the ^lethodist theological college at Rome, Italy. He was a reserve dele- gate to the General conference of 1896. He was married, Aug. 22, 1883, to Felicia H., daughter of the Rev. Henry A. Buttz, D.D., of Madison, N.J. He was elected a member of the British and American archaeological society.

CLARK, Orrin Benner, educator, was born in Warsaw, Ind., Jan. 11, 1850; son of Samuel B. and Hester (Benner) Clark ; grandson of Andrew- Clark ; great-grandson of Henry Clark ; and a di- rect descendant of Abram Clark of New Jersey, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and of James and Mary Benner of Pennsylvania. He was gi'aduated from the University of Chicago in 1872, attended the Chicago medical college, 1873-74, and afterward the Baptist union theolog- ical seminary. He was principal of the Win- natka institute (affiliated to the University of Chicago) 1872-73, principal of the preparatory department of the University of Chicago, 1874-75, and professor of English in Antioch college, Ohio, 1870-78. He was professor of Greek in Indiana university, 1878-80, and professor of the English language and literature, 1880-94. He spent the year 1885-86 at Harvard university as a graduate student, holding the Morgan fellowship. He was especially intei-ested in the study of Shakespeare and at the time of his death was engaged in pre- paring a comprehensive and valuable Shakespear- ian dictionary. He was married Dec. 31, 1874, to Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Isaiah Jones and Rachel (Barnes) Morris of Warsaw, Ind. The degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by the