Bio of CLARK, Captain Orton Skinner (b.1839 d.1921), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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CAPTAIN ORTON SKINNER CLARK - Vol III, pg 338-342
For thirty-seven years Captain Orton Skinner Clark was a resident of Minnesota
and practically the entire time was passed in Minneapolis. He reached the
advanced age of eighty-two years and at the time of his death was one of the few
surviving representatives of the Grand Army of the Republic in this section. His
ancestry was distinctly American in its lineal and collateral lines through many
generations. Among the first of the Clark family to arrive in the new world was
Lieutenant William Clark of the British army, who crossed the Atlantic on the
Mary and John, the second vessel to make the trip following the sailing of the
Mayflower. Throughout the colonial period and since the establishment of the
republic, patriotism has been one of the marked characteristics of the family
and this has been constantly manifest in the ready service of successive
generations in the wars in which the country has engaged. The great­grandfather
of Captain Clark was a commissioned officer under General George Wash­ington in
the Revolution and his grandfather participated in the War of 1812. The captain
himself was a veteran of the Civil war and his sons participated in the
Spanish-American war, while his grandsons aided in defending the rights of
democracy in the World war.
Captain Clark was born in Lancaster, New York, August 8, 1839, and his life
record covered the intervening period to the 10th of November, 1921, when he
passed away in Minneapolis, at the age of eighty-two years. His father removed
with the family to Buffalo, New York, when his son, Orton S., was but five years
of age and the latter made his home in that city until he came to Minneapolis in
1884. He acquired a common school education, but did not have the privilege of
attending high school. Following the inauguration of the Civil war one of his
brothers promptly enlisted and he also desired to join the army but was
restrained by the wishes of his mother for a period. Finally, in 1862, however,
overcoming his mother's objections, he enlisted on the 18th of August, in the
One Hundred and Sixteenth New York Infantry. His record of service is most
creditable. He was mustered in September 3, 1862, as sergeant of Company C, and
was promoted to the rank of sergeant major on the 5th of September, while on the
22d of November he became second lieutenant of Company C. He was again promoted
on the 21st of May, 1863, when he was advanced to the first lieutenancy of
Company A, and on the 24th of July, 1863, he was commissioned captain of Company
H of the same regiment, with which rank he served until July 8, 1865, when he
was mustered out by reason of the close of the war. His regiment had been a part
of the Nineteenth Corps and participated in Banks' campaign in Louisiana in
1863. He was detailed to act as aide-de-camp on the brigade staff and he took
part in the opening engagement at Plain Stone, Louisiana, on the 21st of May,
1863, also the assault on Port Hudson, May 27, and again on the 14th of June. He
was also present at the surrender of Port Hudson, July 8, 1863, and was on duty
at Cox Plain, July 10, at which time he was slightly wounded. He was also at
Sabine Crossroads and Mansura Plains, all in Louisiana, these encounters being a
part of the active service during the retreat of General Banks on the disastrous
Red River cam­paign. At the close of this campaign the Nineteenth Corps was
ordered north, arriving in Washington Just at the time the Confederate general,
J. A. Early, made his assault on Fort Stevens. The corps was then ordered to the
Shenandoah valley and under command of General Sheridan engaged in the following
battles, in which Captain Clark took part: Opequan, September 19; Fishers Hill,
September 21; and Cedar Creek, October 19. He was discharged from the army July
8, 1865, by reason of the close of the war.
Captain Clark was elected an original member of the First Class in the Military
Order of the Loyal Legion, December 11, 1900, insignia 13067. He was elected
recorder of the Commandery, May 14, 1912, serving until the time of his death.
In this, as in the performance of other duties, he was most accurate,
painstaking and prompt. He was of the group of Civil war veterans who asked for
and received a charter for Chapin Post, No. 2, Department of New York, in 1867.
On his becoming a resident of Minne­apolis he joined Morgan Post, No. 4,
transferred to Rawlins Post, No. 126, and again transferred to Bryant Post, No.
119, of which post he was a member until the time of his demise. He was
appointed assistant adjutant general of the Department of Minnesota in 1900 and
was successively reappointed each year until his removal by death.
In 1865, at Buffalo, Captain Clark was married to Miss Catherine L. Clark, who
though of the same name was not related. They became parents of six children,
'three of whom died in infancy, while two sons and a daughter reached adult age,
namely: Myron A., now deceased, who was a noted Y. M. C. A. secretary in Rio de
Janeiro, ,Brazil; Warren S., who was a veteran of the Philippine war and was a
resident of Minneapolis, when called to his final rest; and Mrs. Robert M. Balch
of Minneapolis. The mother passed away August 5, 1877, and in 1879 Captain Clark
was again married, his second union being with Fannie C. Patchin, who still
survives.
Captain Clark became a resident of Minneapolis in 1884 and here continued to
reside until 1920, when he removed to St. Paul in order to be closer to his
office in the Capitol building. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church
of Minne­apolis and continued to worship there throughout an extended period. He
and his wife united with the church in March, 1884, and he became one of its
most active members, entering into every department of the church life and
possessing a sound knowledge of the Bible and deep spiritual experience. He was
superintendent of the Sunday school for a number of years and also acted as
superintendent of the Elim Mission Sabbath School, which later developed into
the Vanderburg Memorial church. For about a quarter of a century he was one of
the church elders and for a number of years led the congregational singing.
Death claimed Captain Clark on the 10th of November, 1921, after a residence of
thirty-seven years in Minneapolis. For him the last taps were sounded and the
flag furled. He had been not only a faithful follower of the nation's starry
banner but had been equally loyal in his support of other convictions at all
times. In a memorial published by the Grand Army of the Republic at the time of
his death, it was written: "It is often said that 'A good man leaveth an
inheritance.' But few are blessed with a husband and father so devoted to his
country, his God and his family, as was Captain Clark and the remembrance of his
kindly deeds and excellent character shall not fade from the hearts and minds of
those whom he loved and with whom he was associated." He was honored and
respected by all who knew him and he was permitted to round out the golden
circlet until his years had numbered eighty-two.