Clark, Samuel Britton; 1905 Bio, Pitkin County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/pitkin/bios/clarksb.txt --------------------------------------- Donated April 2001 Transcribed by Judy Crook from the book: Progressive Men of Western Colorado Published 1905, A.W. Bowen & Co., Chicago, Ill. --------------------------------------- Samuel Britton Clark With a strong and active mind encased in a body with many frailties, Samuel Britton Clark, of Aspen, has been from his childhood seriously handicapped in the race for supremacy among men, but his native force of character and business capacity added to his persistent energy have enabled him to win a substantial triumph and secure a goodly competence of worldly possessions. He was born at Kalamazoo, Michigan, on August 25, 1856, and is the son of George Jahiel and Antoinette (Ransom) Clark, the former a native of New York and the latter of Massachusetts. They accompanied their parents to Michigan in early life and in that state they were reared, educated and married. In 1858 they located at Fort Scott, Kansas, where the father served a number of years as postmaster. In 1861 he was appointed captain and ordnance commissary in the Union army and served in this capacity until he was mustered out. He next became associated with the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad as traveling passenger agent, with headquarters at Bloomington, Illinois, and continued to be so employed until his death, in August, 1899. His widow now resides at Aspen. He was a Democrat in politics and an Episcopalian in church affiliation. Six children were born in the family, one of whom, Mrs. Bradish P. Morse, is deceased. Those living are William Ransom, Charles, Samuel Britton, Maria (Mrs. Walter Kent) and Frances (Mrs. Addison Rucker). Owing to his poor eyesight Samuel's education was limited. He was reared at Fort Scott and at the age of ten began to help his father in the railroad ticket office. In 1868 he entered the First National Bank of that city as a messenger boy, and at the end of fifteen years was chief bookkeeper and one of the directors of the institution. Then his health began to fail and he was obliged to seek a milder climate. He went first to Arizona and later to California, passing two years in recruiting his vigor. In 1881 he located at Denver, Colorado, and there during the next six years he was engaged in various capacities in one of the express offices. During this period he started a commission business at Aspen, and in the year last named he moved to that town and took active personal charge of his business, the same that he is now conducting. He handles groceries, produce, fruit, hay and grain, and is also interested in real estate and life insurance. He has been unusually successful and is well established in a large and expanding trade with increasing profits. In fraternal life he is connected with the order of Elks, and in politics is Democratic. In January, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Florence Maria Johnson, a native of England who was reared in Utah. She is the daughter of William M. Johnson, of England, who was born in that country on February 4, 1883, and who for a number of years lived in the United States and carried on successful mining operations at Ogden, Utah. He is now an artist and lives at South Kensington, England. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Kibble Showell, was born in London, England, on March 18, 1839, and died at Aspen, this state, on March 11, 1895. They were the parents of six children, two of whom have died, Mrs. Lavina M.A. Christian, at the age of forty-six, and Charles, at that of forty-one. The living children are Mrs. Alice Marian Corria, of Butte, Montana, Mrs. Florence Maria Clark, of Aspen, Colorado, Mrs. Edith Hepzibah Schlageter, of Ogden, Utah, and Mrs. Ada Eliza Lavender, of New York city. They have three adopted children, Florence, Ada and Ethel. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.