Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/261

 CLARKSOX

CLARY

Mary (Flower) Clarkson. He received a liberal education and in 1859 engaged in business. In April, 1861, he responded to the call for troops as a member of the 7th regiment, New York state militia and helped to recruit the Ira Harris guard, afterward 6th X.Y. Cavalry, of which he was made major on its organization in November, 1861, resigning in September, 1862. He was com- missioned major in the 12th N.Y. Cavalry in April, 1863, and was appointed a.ssistant in- spector-general on June 14, 1864, commanding at New Bern, N.C. He was brevetted lieutenant- colonel, April 22, 1866. He was president of the Riverside bank; was a member of the New York historical society, of the St. Nicholas club, of the Metropolitan museum of art, of the New York genealogical and biographical society ; of Lafay- ette Post, G.A.R. ; and vice-president of the Society of the sons of the Revolution. He was married in 1857 to Harriet Anna, daughter of John Boskerck of New York city. He died in New York city, Jan. 2, 1894.

CLARKSON, Matthew, soldier, was born in Xew York city, Oct. 17, 1758; son of David and Elizabeth (French) Clarkson; grandson of David and Ann Margaret (Freeman) Clarkson and of Philip and Susanna (Brocholles) French; and great - grandson of Matthew and Catharine Goosense (Van Schayck) Clarkson. His great- grandfather was secretary of the province of New York for thirteen years. In 1775 he enlisted .as a private in a company of fusileers, and in 1777 he joined the northern army and was wounded -at Fort Edward. He was aid to Arnold at Sara- toga and was present at the surrender of General Burgoyne. In 1779 he was appointed aid to Gen- eral Lincoln, took part in the siege of Savannah, participated in the defence of Charleston as major of infantry, and surrendered with the rest of the army He was returned to General Lin- coln's staff in 1781, was present at the surrender ■of Yorktown, and when General Lincoln became secretary of war, Clarkson was his assistant. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel and was major- .general of the state militia for about fourteen years. He served in the state assembly, 1789-91 ; as U.S. marshal, from Aug. 5, 1791 to May 4, 1792; as state senator, 1794-96; as prison com- missioner in 1796; and as regent of the L'niver- -sityof the .state of New York, 1784 and 1787-1825. He was also president of the Bank of New York for twenty-one years; an advocate of free schools ; a member of the board of governors of the New York hospital for thirty years, and for twenty-three years president of the board; one of the vice-presidents and founders of the Amer- ican Bible society; and was interested in the philanthropic movements of his day. He died in New York city, April 25, 1835.

CLARKSON, Robert Harper, first P.E. bishop of Nebraska and 76th in succession in the American episcopate, was born in Gettysburg, Pa., Nov. 19, 1826; son of Michael Cooke and Louisa (Harper) Clarkson ; great-grandson of Dr. Gerardus Clarkson, and seventh in descent from the Rev. David Clarkson. He was graduated at Pennsylvania college in 1844 and became tutor at the College of St. James, Hagerstown, Md., at the same time studying theology. On June 18, 1848, he was ordained deacon in the Prote.stant Episcopal church and in 1849 became rector of St. James' church at Chicago, 111. He was or- dained priest, Jan. 5, 1851, and in 1865 was elected missionary bishop of Nebraska and Dakota, being consecrated in his own church Nov. 15, 1865. In 1868, Nebraska was erected into a diocese and he was unanimously elected its first bishop, retaining missionary jurisdiction in Dakota until 1883, when he was relieved at his own request. He was eminently successful in his work, building fifty churches, founding two schools, and laboring unceasingly for the good of the community. In 1857 he received the degree of D.D. from Pennsylvania and Racine colleges, and in 1872 was the first to receive the degree of LL.D. from the L'niversity of Nebraska. His published writings include Shall Tliis House Lie Waste ? (1850) ; Consider the Years (1859) ; What am I that I should Withstand God ? (1865) ; and Sketch of the Life of Bishop White. He died at Omaha, Neb., March 10, 1884.

CLARY, Robert Emmet, soldier, was born at Ashfield, Mass., March 21, 1805. He was grad- uated from the U.S. military academy. West Point, in 1828, and served on frontier duty in Missouri and Michigan, 1829-31 ; in the explora- tion of Indian territory in "Wisconsin, 1831 ; in the Black Hawk expedition, 1832, and at Fort Howard, Wis., 1833-38. He was promoted first lieutenant, April 1, 1836, and captain on staff of the assistant quartermaster, July 7, 1838. He served in the Florida war, 1841, and was pro- moted captain, 5th infantry, April 3, 1839. In 1860-61 he served as chief quartermaster of the department of Utah, and was made major on staff and quartermaster, May 17, 1861. He was chief quartermaster of the department of West- ern Virginia from November, 1861, to July, 1862, and held the same position in the army of the Shenandoah from July to October, 1862, and in the department of the northwest, 1862-63. On July 5, 1862, he was made colonel on staff and additional aide-de-camp, and was promoted lieu- tenant-colonel on staff and deputy quartermaster- general, April 15, 1864. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general on March 13, 1865, for services during the war, and in 1866 Avas made colonel on staff and assistant quartermas-