Biography of W. A. Clark, White County, Arkansas *********************************************************** Submitted by: Bonnie Palmer Date: Jun 1997 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ar/white/white.html *********************************************************** From "A Centennial History of Arkansas", edited by Dallas T. Herndon, the Director of the Dept. of Archives & History, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago-Little Rock, 1922. W. A. CLARK, M. D. Dr. W. A. CLARK, successfully following his profession in Bald Knob, was born in Hardin Co., Tenn., on the 1st of Jan., 1868, and is a representative of one of the old families of that state. His paternal grandfather was also born in TN & devoted his life to the work of the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. He was the father of J. H. CLARK, whose birth likewise occurred in Hardin Co., TN, & who obtained his early education in subscription schools there, while later he continued his studies in the State Normal School at Carbondale, IL, gaining a liberal education for that time. He afterward taught in the rural schools & later was principal of a high school at Henderson, TN, for 3 years. At the outbreak of the Civil War he enlisted under Col. Williams & served throughout the period of hostilities, being wounded at the battle of Shiloh by a gunshot which terminated his military career. He then returned to his home & resumed the profession of teaching. In 1881 he removed to Franklin Co., AR, & taught in the rural districts near Ozark & Lonelm. In Dec., 1888, he removed to Bald Knob & taught in dist. No. 63 during 1889 & 1890. Subsequently he engaged in the hotel business in Bald Knob for several years, after which he returned to his former home in TN, but died in White Co., AR, when on a visit here in 1916, at the age of 75 years. In young manhood he married Harriet ALEXANDER, who was also born in Hardin Co., TN, & was a daughter of John ALEXANDER, whose birth occurred in SC, whence he removed to Hardin Co., TN, where he owned & conducted a large plantation. He was also the owner of 55 slaves at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War & he had extensively & splendidly developed plantation but lost everything during that period of strife. He died in 1877, at the age of 78 years. His daughter, Mrs. CLARK, survived her father only until Jan., 1879, and was but 32 years of age at the time of her demise. By her marriage she had become the mother of 6 children: Jennie, who is the widow of S. H. ROSSEAU and resides in St. Louis; W. A., of this review; R. C., the proprietor of a drug store at Bald Knob; Mollie, the wife of A. L. STOKES of Malden, Missouri; J. F., of Gallup, New Mexico; and Hattie, the wife of W. H. WORSLEY of Paragould, AR, where he is cashier in the Green Co. Bank. After losing his first wife J. H. CLARK was married to Mary E. (ALEXANDER) PICKENS & they had 2 children: Anna, the wife of a Mr. WEBER of St. Louis; and Edna, the wife of S. H. VANDINE of St. Louis. For his third wife Mr. CLARK chose Miss Mary BEARD. He was a lifelong member & supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church & he also belonged to the Masonic fraternity, while his political allegiance was given to the democratic party. Dr. CLARK mastered the branches of learning taught in the country schools of his native state & at the age of 18 years began teaching in the rural schools of Franklin Co., AR, but he regarded this merely as an initial step to other professional labor, as it was his desire to enter upon the practice of medicine & he began reading for that purpose when 19 years of age. He afterward became a student in the MO Medical College & was graduated from the College of Physicians & Surgeons with the class of 1892, winning the M. D. degree. He opened an office at Bald Knob in 1889 & through the intervening years, covering a third of a century, has here continued in the general practice of medicine & surgery, his labors being of marked value & benefit to his fellowmen. He has taken postgraduate work in the Chicago Polyclinic & he is justly accounted a most skilled and able physician. He is extremely careful in the diagnosis of his cases & is seldom, if ever, at fault in his opinion. He devotes practically his entire time & attention to his profession & yet is the owner of farm lands, from which he derives a substantial annual income. Dr. CLARK was married to Miss Ollie LUMPKIN, a native of AR, and they have 2 children: L. C., who is engaged in the confectionery business in Tucson, AZ; & Lucile, the wife of O. J. CLARK, proprietor of a variety store in Bald Knob. Dr. CLARK gives his political endorsement to the democratic party. Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason & is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, South, while his wife is of the Baptist faith & both are held in high esteem throughout the community in which they live. Along strictly professional lines Dr. CLARK is connected with the White Co. & AR State Medical Societies & the Amer. Medical Assc. & thus keeps thoroughly informed concerning advanced professional thought & modern research & investigation.