James Ralph Clark and Martha Moore

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Husband James Ralph Clark ^{1 2}

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           Born: 29 Feb 1852 - Keatings Furnace, Richland Twp, Clarion Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1925
         Buried:  - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA

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         Father: Thomas Clark (1830-1911) 2 3 4
         Mother: Leah Boyer (1829-1887) 2 3 4

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       Marriage: 

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   Other Spouse: Emily Berlin (      -Bef 1887) 1

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   Other Spouse: Sarah Gilbert (1853-1909) 5

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Wife Martha Moore ⁵

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           Born: 2 Aug 1871 - Tyler Co, WV 5
     Christened: 
           Died: 1925
         Buried:  - Grove Hill Cemetery, Oil City, Venango Co, PA

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         Father: Richard Moore (      -Bef 1919) 5
         Mother: Jemima Baker (1835-Aft 1919) 5

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   Other Spouse: Van Jones (      -      ) 5

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Children

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General Notes: Husband - James Ralph Clark

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He was educated in the public schools, and at an early age began work in the oil fields, where he was employed over twenty-five years. As early as 1864 he towed boats on Oil creek from Oil City to Tower Farm, Petroleum Center, and about that time was also helping his father at teaming, doing similar work for others as occasion required. In the spring of that year he went to work at the Clapp Farm on Oil creek, where he continued to follow teaming for ten years. In those days bridges over the Allegheny which later made travel so easy were not thought of, and he crossed the river many times on the ice, at fords or on specially constructed pontoon bridges. For eight years he was in the oil district about St. Petersburg, Clarion County; was in Butler County three different times-at Argyle, Thorn Creek and Karns City, during oil excitements; for four years teamed at Rock City, Cattaraugus County, NY; was at Gusher, a new oil city in Warren County, PA, four years; and at Cogley, Clarion County, during the oil excitement. He spent a year at Thorn Creek, Butler County, where a nine-thousand-barrel gusher was discovered.
Having decided to give up teaming, he established himself in the livery business at Salina, Venango County, where he remained four years, in 1891 moving to Oil City, which offered a larger field for enterprise. Here he and his brother, Samuel F. Clark, became asso­ciated as Clark Brothers, entering the livery business on the south side, at a location on State Street, with a comparatively modest equipment. Gen­eral livery service was the leading feature of the business, but Clark Brothers also acquired a large patronage as retail dealers in carriages and implements, building up every department as the years passed, and maintaining a place at the head of the trade in Oil City. Few cities of the size could boast an establishment of the kind so completely equipped. With five seven-passenger limousines and sixteen horses with suitable vehicles, they were able to answer almost any demand of the local trade. His brother died about 1908, but his widow retained his interest in the business, which continued under the name of Clark Brothers.
In the course of a busy life Mr. Clark also found it possible to take part in the af­fairs of the community, though not as a public official. He was long been a sincere worker for the Prohibition Party and its principles, and once was its candidate for representative in the State Legislature. Fraternally he belonged to Latonia Lodge, No. 1018, I. O. O. F., of Oil City, and to the K. O. T. M. at Seneca, PA, and he was a prominent member of the Grace M. E. Church, which he served fifteen years as member of the official board.

1 A. J. Davis, History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania (Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., 1887), Pg v.

2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 1031.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 926.

4 —, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Her People Past and Present (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1914), Pg 669.

5 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 1032.