John Clark (Delaware governor)

John Clark (February 1, 1761 – August 14, 1821) was an American farmer and politician from Blackbird Hundred in New Castle County, Delaware, near Smyrna. He was a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware.

John Clark
20th Governor of Delaware
In office
January 21, 1817  January 18, 1820
Preceded byDaniel Rodney
Succeeded byJacob Stout
Member of the Delaware House of Representatives
In office
January 2, 1799 – January 7, 1800
Personal details
Born(1761-02-01)February 1, 1761
New Castle County, Delaware Colony
DiedAugust 14, 1821(1821-08-14) (aged 60)
New Castle County, Delaware
Political partyFederalist
Spouse(s)Sarah Cook Corbit
ResidenceNew Castle County, Delaware
OccupationFarmer

Early life and family

Clark was born at "New Bristol" in what is now Blackbird Hundred, New Castle County, just north of Smyrna, Delaware, son of William Clark. In 1784 he married Sarah Cook Corbit, daughter of Governor John Cook, and had a least one child, Mary. They lived at Clearfield Farm in what is now Blackbird Hundred in a house since used as an administrative office for the correctional facility located there. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Political career

Clark was unusual politically in that he was a Federalist and a Presbyterian from New Castle County. The more typical Federalist was an Episcopalian or Methodist and from Kent or Sussex County. The more typical Democratic-Republican was a Presbyterian from New Castle County. Nevertheless, in 1816 he defeated the Federalist candidate, Manaen Bull of Laurel in Sussex County and served as Governor of Delaware from January 21, 1817 until January 18, 1820.

As governor he was one of a succession advocating improvements in public education. Carol Hoffecker in Democracy in Delaware relates how he "argued that Delaware had a special need to educate its people because the state lacked vacant land for an expanding population. Therefore, he said 'much reliance must be placed on the mental talents of our citizens for the support of our power and importance in the Union.'" [1] The General Assembly responded by appropriating a laughable $1,000 to each county for this purpose.

Furthermore, Delaware was stagnating. Medieval sounding punishments, like nailing ears to a pillory post, continued to be meted out in the penal system. The soil was increasingly exhausted and, due to the resulting out migration, Delaware's population in 1820 was roughly the same as in 1810. An immediate, and permanent, consequence was that it lost its second seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Delaware General Assembly
(sessions while Governor)
Year Assembly Senate Majority Speaker House Majority Speaker
1817 41st Federalist Henry Molleston Federalist Nathan Vickers
1818 42nd Federalist Henry Molleston Federalist Nathan Vickers
1819 43rd Federalist Henry Molleston Federalist Nathan Vickers

Death and legacy

Clark died at Smyrna and is buried in the Duck Creek Presbyterian Churchyard, now Holy Hill Cemetery, located south of Smyrna on Lake Como.

Almanac

Elections were held the first Tuesday in October. Members of the Delaware General Assembly took office in the first Tuesday of January. State representatives had a term of one year. The governor takes office the third Tuesday in January, and had a three-year term.

Public Offices
Office Type Location Began office Ended office notes
Sheriff Judiciary New Castle New Castle County
State Treasurer Executive Dover 1794 1799
State Representative Legislature Dover January 2, 1799 January 7, 1800
Governor Executive Dover January 21, 1817 January 18, 1820
Delaware General Assembly service
Dates Assembly Chamber Majority Governor Committees District
1799 23rd State Senate Federalist Richard Bassett New Castle at-large
Election results
Year Office Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
1816 Governor John Clark Federalist 4,008 53% Manaen Bull Democratic-Republican 3,517 47%

Notes

  1. Hoffecker, Carol E. Democracy in Delaware., p. 76 Quotation from the Journal of the House of Representatives (1817), p. 181.

References

  • Conrad, Henry C. (1908). History of the State of Delaware. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Wickersham Company.
  • Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
  • Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
  • Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, DE: Roger A. Martin.
  • Scharf, John Thomas (1888). History of Delaware 1609–1888. 2 vols. Philadelphia: L. J. Richards & Co.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Daniel Rodney
Federalist nominee for Governor of Delaware
1816
Succeeded by
Henry Molleston
Political offices
Preceded by
Daniel Rodney
Governor of Delaware
1817–1820
Succeeded by
Jacob Stout
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