Notes for William Squire CLARK

Sponsored by American History Press.

Americanhistorypress.com

"Keeping American history alive, one good book at a time!"

Notes for William Squire CLARK

Mr. Clark made a claim of $7,692 on his brother Jonathan's estate on 12 May, 1884.
*********
*****
"CLARK - At his home.on the Alameda. San Jose. November 16. William Squire Clark, aged 82 years, 1 month and 13 days. Interment in Laurel Hill Cemetery from the Southern Pacific Railroad depot, Fourth and Townsend street, this (TUESDAY), morning, at 10
o'clock. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully requested to attend."
[Daily Alta California, Volume 81, Number 142, 19 November 1889]
*****
Mr. Clark was born in Maryland , and his parents moved in his infancy to an area near Cincinatti, Ohio, where he was reared and educated. With an intense interest in the West coast, he traveled as a young man to New York to have an interview with
the Pacific Coast agent of the John Jacob Astor fur company. He learned from him about the Columbia River region, and decided to strike out for the western United States.
In one of the first overland parties he travelled across the plains in 1846, which took nearly six months. [A descendant has the original diary of the trip, entitled "Incidents of the Trip Across the Plains," twenty pages long]. He went first to
Sutter's Fort, and then on to Yerba Buena, the hamlet from which San Francisco grew. At that time there were just a few houses and tents of Spanish fisherman in the area. Mr. Clark obtained considerable land in the area, some of which he retained for
many years. Clark's Point, on the waterfront, was one of these purchases.In 1848 he was a successful miner, but he soon returned to San Francisco. He built the first wharf in the city at the foot of Broadway, and helped build the first schoolhouse as
well. Through his prudent business sense, and keen foresight, he built a large fortune. He never speculated, but made sound business decisions. During the Civil War years he purchased a considerable number of bonds, showing his faith in the U. S.
Government. He became one of the most prominent business leaders of San Francisco, becoming the owner of dozens of city lots. He was a member of the council, president of public meetings, and otherwise active in public affairs. HE was also a member of
the San Francisco Pioneer Association.
In 1870 Mr. Clark and his wife settled in San Jose, where he continued to live for the remainder of his life.
He was a charter member of Calvary Presbyterian Church of San Francisco, and one of its trustees at the time of his death. For some time he resided in San Jose, on Shirley Street on the Alameda. He was buried in San Francisco.
[Condensed from obituary San Francisco "Daily Evening Bulletin" 18 November 1889 and Bancroft's "History of California", pp. 760-1].
*****
"Miss Sarah M. Reed sues William S. Clark of Clark's Point for $50,000 for breach of promise of marriage." [Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 35, Number 5400, 17 July 1868]
*****
"In the suit of Sarah M. Reed against William S. Clark, the defendant is endeavoring to prove the plaintiff unchaste. Should he fail the jury will probably award her heavy damages." [Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 37, Number 5625, 7 April 1869]
*****
"In San Francisco, June I8th, William Squire Clark to Alice Duncan." [Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 35, Number 5378, 22 June 1868]
*****
CLARK--At his home on the Alameda, November 16, 1889, WILLIAM SQUIRE CLARK,
aged 82 years, 1 month and 18 days. Funeral services at the residence on
Monday afternoon at 2:30 oclock. Interment private.
-----
-----
Death of a Wealthy Pioneer of the State
HIS REMARKABLE CAREER
A Wonderful Business Acumen--The Funeral Services and Interment--The Family
W. S. CLARK died yesterday morning at 11 oclock at his residence on the
Alameda, after a lingering illness of over five years.
Mr. CLARK was one of the most remarkable men who aided in making California
what she is today. His success in amassing his large fortune laid in the fact
that he had abounding faith in the prosperity of the state. Not a dime of his
wealth was made in speculation, but it all was the result of remarkable
forethought and business acumen.
WILLIAM SQUIRES CLARK was born in Maryland in 1807, making him at the time of
his death 82 years of age. His grandfather, ABRAHAM CLARK, was a signer of
the Declaration of Independence and with his son, W. S. CLARK's father, was a
firm and unswerving supporter of the cause of the colonies. While a child Mr.
CLARK's parents moved West, settling in Ohio, and he received his education
in a town near Cincinnati.
He first heard of California in 1845 or 1846, and he made every effort to
learn as much as he could concerning the country. Before he left the East he
pinned his faith on the prosperity of a city which would rise on the Bay of
San Francisco, although at that time Monterey was the chief city in the
state. He joined one of the first parties that crossed the plains, during
which time he had to encounter untold difficulties in some form or another,
but in 1847 he reached Sutter's fort. While here he had his cart confiscated
by the troops under the command of the stripling officer who finally became
General William T. Sherman.
Nothing daunted he reached Yerba Buena, now San Francisco, on a barge. Here
he acted upon the conclusion he arrived at before he left home. He squatted
on a large piece of land, known to all as CLARK'S point. He acquired other
property in San Francisco and its value has been increasing all along.
Mr. CLARK was one of the organizers and trustees of Calvary Presbyterian
church, San Francisco, and was also a supporter of the First Presbyterian
church of this city.
The funeral services will be celebrated at his late residence on the Alameda,
at 2:30 o'clock Monday, and on Tuesday morning the remains will be taken to
San Francisco for interment.
*****
Title:
Clark Mansion on The Alameda
Creator:
unknown
Subject:
Mansions--California--San Jose
Clark Family
San Jose (Calif.)--Buildings, structures, etc.
Clark, William Squire 1807-1889
Description:
This mansion was built in 1870 by William Squire Clark. It originally stood at the northeast corner of Ninth and Santa Clara Streets. About 10 years later it was moved to this location on The Alameda between Schiele and Pershing. This house was
demolished shortly after 1920.
Publisher:
San Jose Public Library. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. California Room
Date:
1880-1900
Type:
image
Identifier:
CSJ_124
ARB-B084
Language:
eng
Coverage:
San Jose (Calif.)
Rights:
public domain
Material in the public domain. No restrictions on use.
Collection:
Collection on Santa Clara County’s Agricultural Past
Contributing Institution:
San Jose Public Library. California Room
*****
California Historical Society
CLARK, WILLIAM SQUIRE (1807-89). PAPERS, 1847-91. 11 items, including 4 volumes. Papers of an early San Francisco businessman and landowner, for whom Clark's Point in San Francisco is named. Collection consists of a daybook, journal and ledger,
1836-44, for a business Clark was involved with in Michigan City, Indiana(?); several deeds for property in San Francisco and Santa Clara County; and an abstract of title for a fifty-vara lot in San Francisco owned by Clark. (MS 387, unprocessed)
*****
Bancroft Library, Berkeley, CA:
Collection Title:
Hart-Clark Correspondence and Family Papers, 1869-1903
Collection Number:
BANC MSS C-B 493
Abstract:
Mainly letters of Jerome A. Hart, editor of the Argonaut, and Alice Ann Clark, re: editorial work and San Francisco social life in the 1890's. Some Clark family correspondence, 1869-1873, included.
*****
Humboldt Times
August 25, 1874
A RE-UNION OF FOUR BROTHERS AT SAN JOSE—We quote the following from the San Jose Patriot of the 21st instant, in reference to the meeting at that place of our esteemed townsman Dr. J. CLARK and his three brothers:
On the 20th of the present month at the residence of Mr. Wm. S. CLARK, in this city (San Jose), took place a happy reunion of the surviving members of the CLARK family—Mr. Wm. S. CLARK, of this city, Mr. Jonas CLARK of Kansas, Mr. Alfred CLARK of Napa
City, and Dr. JONATHAN CLARK, of Eureka, Humboldt county. Mr. Wm. S. CLARK was one of the early pioneers, arriving in California, overland in 1846, making his residence in San Francisco for many years thereafter. Dr. Jonathan CLARK, of Eureka arrived,
overland in 1849, making his home, in the spring of 1850, at Eureka, Humboldt county, where he has ever since resided. Mr. Alfred G. CLARK arrived, overland, in 1850, and was for many years an esteemed resident of Napa. Mr. Jonas CLARK, a resident of
Kansas, after a separation of more than a quarter of a century, is now making a visit to his brothers in California. Hence the reunion referred to.

| HOME | SURNAMES |

Sponsored by American History Press.

Americanhistorypress.com

"Keeping American history alive, one good book at a time!"