Clark, Lincoln, 1800-1886

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Lincoln Clark, jurist, abolitionist, and Democrat legislator. Native of Conway, Franklin County, Mass., he attended the district and private schools and was graduated from Amherst (Mass.) College in 1825. In 1831 he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Pickensville, Pickens County, Ala., moving to Tuscaloosa in 1836. In 1836, he married Julia Annah Smith of Hadley, Mass. Lincoln Clark was member of the State house of representatives in 1834, 1835, and 1845. In 1839 he was elected attorney general by the legislature, and in 1846 appointed by Governor Fitzpatrick circuit judge. Clark's increasing opposition to slavery led him to free his family slaves and move to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1848. He was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress (March 4, 1851-March 3, 1853) and was unsuccessful candidate in 1852 and 1854 for reelection to the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Congresses. After the depression of 1857 (in which Clark suffered serious losses), and the outbreak of the Civil War, the family moved to Chicago where he resumed the practice of law. In 1866 he was appointed United States register in bankruptcy. Lincoln Clark retired from active business and returned to Conway, Mass., in 1869. Judge Clark was member of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church.

Julia Annah Smith Clark worked in the U.S. Sanitary Commission during the Civil War.

From the description of Papers of Lincoln Clark, 1758-1942 (bulk 1850-1860). (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 228732673

Lincoln Clark (1800-1886), a lawer and Democratic legislator. He was born in Conway, Mass., the second child of Elisha Clark (1765-1847) (who had traced his ancestry to the Mayflower), and Lucinda Keith Clark (1774-1858). Lincoln Clark graduated from Amherst College in 1825 and soon left for the South. In 1836, Clark and his new wife Julia Annah Smith Clark moved to Tuscaloosa, Ala. where Clark had established a busy law practice in partnership with E. Woolsey Peck. In 1848, the Clarks moved to Dubuque, Iowa. In 1851, Clark was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress; his relection bids in 1852 and 1853 were unsuccessful. In 1862, the family moved to Chicago where Clark resumed the practice of law. In 1866, he was appointed United States register in bankruptcy. He retired in 1869 and returned to Conway, Mass.

Most of Lincoln Clark's siblings left New England and moved West. Lucinda (b. 1808) and her farmer husband Ralph Ware settled in Grandville, Ill. Hannah (1814-1844) married Cephas Arms (1811-1883) in 1837 and soon left of Knoxville, Ill. Elisha Fessenden Clark (1804-1879), a physician, moved first to Mississippi (1837), then Iowa (1849), and in 1856 Winona, Minn. Abigail Clark (1810 - 1879) married Jared Stone, Professor at Hanover College, Ind. Edward (1817-1879) and his wife Agnes A. Bean (b. 1834) settled to St. Peter, Minn. The only exception was Clark's elder sister Julia (b. 1798) who married Luther White, a Worcester, Mass. machinist and remained in New England.

From the description of Papers of Lincoln Clark : Addenda, 1837-1853. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 701638642

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Clark, Lincoln, 1800-1886. Papers of Lincoln Clark, 1758-1942 (bulk 1850-1860). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Clark, Lincoln, 1800-1886. Letter to A A E Taylor. Chicago, IL. 1865 Feb. 21. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Clark, Lincoln, 1800-1886. Letter to Daniel Webster. Washington, DC. 1852 Apr. 5. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Clark, Lincoln, 1800-1886. Papers of Lincoln Clark : Addenda, 1837-1853. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Lot Clark letters, 1825-1832 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Alabama. Supreme Court. corporateBody
associatedWith Amherst College. corporateBody
associatedWith Amherst College. Class of 1825. corporateBody
correspondedWith Arms, Cephas, 1811-1883 person
associatedWith Arms, Hannah Clark, 1814-1844. person
associatedWith Buchanan, James, 1791-1868. person
associatedWith Clark, Elisha, 1765-1847. person
associatedWith Clark, Julia Annah Smith person
associatedWith Douglas, Martha Martin, 1829-1853. person
associatedWith Emerson, Daniel H. (Daniel Hopkins), 1810-1883. person
associatedWith Sunderland, B. (Byron), 1819-1901. person
associatedWith Taylor, Archibald Alexander Edward, 1834- , person
associatedWith United States. Congress corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congress 1851-1853). House. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Congressn 1851-1853) corporateBody
associatedWith United States Sanitary Commission corporateBody
associatedWith Upham, William, 1792-1853. person
associatedWith Webster, Daniel, 1782-1852, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Iowa
Washington (D.C.)
United States
Illinois
Alabama
Massachusetts
Iowa
Knoxville (Ill.)
Conway (Mass)
New England
Subject
Abolitionists
Financial crises
Migration, Internal
Lawyers
Legilslators
Legislators
Legislators
Presbyterians
Women
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1800-08-09

Death 1886-09-16

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Ark ID: w61s4kw8

SNAC ID: 12121525