Biography of Samuel P. Clark of Berlin Township, Illinois

George Clark, father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, March 1811. In 1835 he came to Berlin Township in this county, buying his farm from the Government. He was the first to settle on the prairie near Dover, and as he was told that the wind would blow him away, he anchored his house by setting the corner posts in the ground and mortising the sides to them. The siding and shingles he split and then dressed them by hand. He resided on his farm for forty years, when he removed to Dover and retired from active life. For a number of years before leaving the farm he dealt principally in lands, and was one of the most successful men of the county. Of late years he has put most of his money at interest, although he still owns 700 acres in Bureau County. He was married in Belmont County, Ohio, to Miss Nancy Matson, a daughter of Enos Matson and sister of N. Matson. (See sketch) Mr. and Mrs. Clark are both living at Dover. They are the parents of four children: Enos, of St. Louis, Missouri, a prominent attorney and Judge for many years; Samuel P., Josephus S., of Princeton, money loaner; Mary Ann, wife of Jacob Warfield of Princeton.

Samuel P. Clark was born April 29, 1837. He was reared on the farm and educated at Mt. Morris, Illinois He has given his attention chiefly to stock-raising in all its features, buying, shipping, growing, etc. For eighteen years he was one of the prominent breeders of short-horn cattle. In 1881 he made his first importation of thoroughbred Clydesdale and English draft horses, and in 1883 he visited Europe and made other purchases. Since beginning in 1881 he has made seven importation and landed sixty-eight head. When Mr. Clark started in life his father gave him $10, and he has since depended on his own resources. He now owns 302 acres of land in Section 24 and 13.

January 1, 1860, he was married in this county to Miss Ann Poole, a sister of W. Poole, of Dover. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have three children: Grace, Enos and Hattie.

Mr. Clark is republican in politics, but does not take any active part.

Source: History of Bureau County, Illinois, H. C. Bradsby, Editor. World Publishing Company Chicago 1885

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