bio-Clarke

1882 History of Linn County, Missouri

BIOGRAPHY

ALBERT CHARLES CLARKE Brookfield and Brookfield Township, page 533

Prominently identified with the interest of the city of Brookfield and Linn county is A. C. Clark, Esq. Foremost in every good work and in every landable enterprise, he is well and favorably known not only throughout the county but far and wide in northern Missouri. Mr. Clark was born near Henderson, Jefferson county, New York, January 5, 1817, where he was brought up as a farmer. He lived with his parents until he was fourteen years of age, when his father hired him out as a farm hand until he attained his majority, receiving his wages in the meanwhile. Upon coming of age young Clarke began life for himself as a farmer on rented land. Two years later he purchased forty acres of wild land near Sackett’s Harbor, New York, paying for it by cutting and hauling wood to the Harbor and selling it for $1.25 per cord. This land he improved and lived thereon until 1844, when he engaged in dairying at Houndsfield, New York. The next year he purchased one hundred and ten acres of partially improved land, agreeing to pay therefore his forty acres of land, valued at $600, and $900 in cash. In two years the land had all been paid for, and Mr. Clarke had his head fairly above water and was striking bravely out for the shores of prosperity and competence. After living for twenty-two years on this farm, in 1867 he sold it for $5,000 in cash. Two years later he removed to Missouri, locating in Brookfield. Here he first engaged in business as a money lender, having after years of toil and honest endeavor become the possessor of a liberal share of this world’s goods in general. He purchased one hundred acres of land adjoining the town of Brookfield, which he had surveyed and platted, and which is known as Clarke’s addition to Brookfield, but which has not yet been brought into market. In the near future Clarke’s addition will be a very desirable location for residence lots. Already rows of shade trees line the streets – a very desirable feature, indeed. In 1871 and 1872, Mr. Clarke built the Clarke Block in Brookfield, a substantial and imposing three-story brick structure, containing three well furnished business rooms on the first floor, and a large and convenient hotel on the second and third floors, which together with the hotel furniture cost $35,000. (See history of the city of Brookfield.) Since the completion of this enterprise Mr. Clarke has purchased his “home farm”’ five and one-half miles north of Brookfield in Locust Creek township, containing 1,000 acres of valuable land, and his “grape farm” of 320 acres, containing a six-acre vineyard, in the vicinity of Brookfield. At present he is extensively engaged in general farming. On New Year’s day, 1838, Mr. Clarke was married to Miss Fannie Halloway of Adams, New York. They are the parents of two children living, Climena, wife of Ezra Clark of Henderson, New York, and Helen, wife of R. W. Davis of Linn county. Three of their children have died, Adelia, Ann, and Nellie. The last named died at the age of five years; the others had grown to womanhood.

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