BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 525-526


WILLIAM CLARK, of Martin's Ferry, an old resident of that place and 
vicinity, is a native of Scotland, born at Kirkrubert, August 13, 1820.
His father, Hugh Clark, came to America with his family in 1822, and for
five years resided in Washington county, Penn., being then engaged in
brewing. In 1827 he came to Wheeling, and became a partner of Henry
Moore, for many years a prominent business man of that city. In 1842
he dissolved this partnership, having some time before acquired a tract
of land on the island, where hee then engaged in gardening until 1852,
when he turned over the business to his eldest son, William, and made
a trip to Scotland. Returning in 1854, he died December 25, 1856. By
his marriage to Mary Manson, a native of Scotland, and a descendant of
John Maitland, one of the conclave who adopted the confession of faith,
together with shorter and larger cathecisms, and all the solemn leagues
which have successfully governed the great Presbyterian church all these
years, since the sixteenth century. He had six children, three of whom
survive. The mother died about 1867. The subject of this sketch was edu-
cated at Wheeling, and then aided his father until as has been stated he
took entire charge of the gardening business on Wheeling Island. This
he conducted until 1859 when he come to Martin's Ferry, and farmed and
gardened until 1874. In that year he and others organized the Ohio City
Nail company, of which he was elected president. To this enterprise he
donated twenty acres of ground, the present site of the nail works, also
gave 100 acres of coal in return for stock. About three years later the
company made an assignment, and the works were afterward bought by the
Laughlin Nail company. Mr. Clark was one of the greatest losers in the
old company, to the amount of about $120,000. He has throughout life been
enterprising and liberal in his relations to the public. In 1873 he
donated to the county the land on which the Ohio valley free pike was
built, and to the old Wheeling steel company, of which he was a director,
he gave eight acres, now the site of the Elson Glass works. In 1872 he
made an addition to the town, known as Clark's addition, now mostly built
up. He has also been interested in banking, and with George H. Jenkins,
John Armstrong and others, organized the Ohio City bank, now known as the
Exchange bank, of which he was vice president. For several years Mr.
Clark has led a retired life. Of the Presbyterian church he is an active
member, has been elder for several years, was superintendent of the
Sunday-school of the First church of Wheeling some time, and actively
engaged in other Sunday-school work, and for many years superintended
a mission school and almost entirely supported it financially and
otherwise, and in 1883 was a commissioner to the general assembly of the
church at Saratoga. In politics he is a republican. Mr. Clark was married
September 26, 1849, to Margaret G. Culbertson, who died in May, 1870. To
this union eight children were born, of whom there are living: Clara G.,
Mary M., Sarah A., Thomas C., who is now a minister of the gospel of a
Presbyterian church near Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Martha A., and Phoebe R.
In 1875 Mr. Clark was married to Annie E., daughter of Edward Mansfield,
of Jefferson county, Ohio.