MEAFORD EXPRESS (1930) - Dr. John Gardiner Clarke died at his home, Trowbridge street, at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday morning. Dr. Clarke had been in poor health for some time but his condition did not become serious until a couple of weeks ago. He died peacefully and in his last illness had no suffering.
   The death of Dr. Clarke removes a leading citizen of Meaford and the dean of the medical profession in the county of Grey. Dr. Clarke had practiced medicine in Meaford for 50 years all but for a few months. He was ranked high in his profession and had given service to Meaford in a public way that was outstanding.
    Dr. Clarke was a son of the parsonage having been born at St. John, Quebec, a son of the Rev. Richard Clarke, prominent in his church in Eastern Ontario and Quebec. Dr. Clarke was the oldest of the family which included four doctors, one druggist and one merchant. The only survivor now is Dr. Adam Clarke of Winnipeg, the youngest of the family. Dr. Clarke visited his brother here last week and only returned to the West a few days ago. The mother was Fanny Gardiner of Kingston. 
   Dr. Clarke received his early education in various schools in the towns in which his father happened to be stationed. He graduated from Queen's University in 1880. He spent a few months in a New York Hospital and a summer in Meaford with Doctors Parson, Mclean and Hall. He decided to locate here and in 1881 started to practice and has continued ever since.
   Dr. Clarke was associate coroner of the county of Grey, having been appointed during the regime of sir James Whitney.
   He was medical health officer of Meaford for several years and health officer of St. Vincent township to the time of his death. Dr. Clarke's municipal career was quite lengthy. He served in the Meaford Council for 17 years and had a part in many of the important works done during the last 40 years of the town's history. He was Mayor for three years from 1910 to 1913. In his younger days he was an ardent sportsman and an enthusiastic supporter of all clean sport. He liked a good horse and years ago owned several gray hounds which were a familiar sight to the people of the time as they followed the doctor through the surrounding country. Dr. Clarke had a hobby of collecting pictures of prominent men and his office is hung with pictures of men prominent in the life of Canada and the world since Sir John MacDonald's time.
   Dr. Clarke was a staunch Conservative who gave strong support and service to his party. A few years ago he was made an honorary member of the North Grey Conservative Association. In religion he was a member of the United Church. In 1877 he was married to Harriet Frances Mouck, daughter of Mr. Wm. Mouck of Sarawak township, near Presquele Isle. Besides his widow, three sons, Frank Gardiner "Sam" Clarke of Meaford; Adam Buchanan Clarke of Windsor; Richard Lewis Clarke of Toronto, and two daughters, Miss Bertha Francis Clarke of Meaford and Mrs. Edward Hackett of Orangeville survive. One son, William, died when he was sixteen years of age.
   The funeral takes place this Thursday afternoon. Out of respect to Dr. Clarke the town hall is closed from 12:30 to 3:30.