William A. Clark and Elizabeth Aults

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Husband William A. Clark ^{1 2}

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           Born: 25 Mar 1843 - New Wilmington, Lawrence Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1897
         Buried: 

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         Father: George H. Clark (Abt 1812-1866) 4
         Mother: Elizabeth Scott (Abt 1817-1893) 4

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       Marriage: 1865 3

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   Other Spouse: Martha F. Jones (      -      ) 2 3 - 1877 3

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Wife Elizabeth Aults ³

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1874 3
         Buried: 

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         Father: Isaac Aults (      -      ) 3
         Mother: 

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Children

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1 M C. Paul Clark ³

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1897
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary O. Heasley (      -      ) 3

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General Notes: Husband - William A. Clark

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He attended the public schools of his native town, then took a preparatory course and entered Westminster College. Here he soon attained a high standing, both as a good student and as a young man of more than ordinary promise. When the Civil War broke out, he immediately enlisted in Co. B, of the 100th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, an independent regiment which won great renown, and which in army circles was termed the "Round Head Regiment." He spent over three hard years in the service of his country, and made a war record to be proud of. He took part in fourteen pitched battles, and was in an innumerable amount of lesser engagements. He enlisted at the beginning of hostilities as a private, but his services so advanced him that he received his discharge as a sergeant. Returning from the field, he became associated with his father in the mercantile business, and soon familiarized himself with all the many details. At his father's death, he took charge of affairs, but shortly disposed of his mercantile interests, and entered the then fast-developing oil fields. After that time up to 1896 the oil business in one or another of its many branches claimed all of his time, and he became one of the leading factors of the immense industry. He was interested in laying the trunk pipe lines which traversed the oil fields, and convey the oil to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. He long retained holdings in various oil properties, even after he retired from the cares of an active business life.
In 1893 he originated and forced through to organization the borough water-works; a stock company was formed, and nearly the entire burden of financiering and carrying the enterprise to its completion fallen upon him. He built the electric plant in 1896, which his son, William A., Jr., managed until he began his medical studies. His interest in education, as well as his love for his alma mater, is shown by the gift of a well-equipped chemical laboratory to Westminster College. This building was completed in 1896, and bore the name of the William A. Clark Chemical and Art Hall. The massive brick block on Main Street, which bore his name, was completed in 1895; in this structure were located the New Wilmington Bank, the postoffice, the Clark Business College, which the General established in 1896, and a large number of office rooms, store-rooms, etc. General Clark undertook to beautify the property formerly known as the Neshannock Falls property into a handsome summer resort, which he opened to the public about June, 1898. This place was one of the finest in the United States. He also erected a new hotel, four stories high, and equipped with all the modern improvements.
General Clark was a member of all the Masonic bodies from the Blue Lodge up to and including the thirty-second degree. He was also a member in high standing of the I. O. O. F.; B. P. O. E.; A. O. U. W.; G. A. R.; and the U. V. L. In the latter order, he was very prominent, having passed in turn through all the official positions up to that of National Commander, a distinction he bore in 1893-94. In General Clark's possession were two badges which he prized highly, and which speak for the high merit and esteem in which he was held by his comrades. One was a badge given him as National Commander by the members of the Union Veteran Legion; the other was also awarded him to keep, but it was one which had been handed down from the first National Commander from successor to successor until it reached General Clark. Another very handsome piece of work, which showed how his services were appreciated, was a life-size water-color painting of himself, presented him by the U. V. L.
General Clark was a Republican in politics, with his convictions as deeply settled and fixed as his father's ideas of freedom. He believed in true Republicanism, not the party spirit. To the General's mind a free-born American's right of suffrage is his dearest possession. A citizen should vote with a good, clear idea behind his ballot of what he wants that ballot to do. His experience in politics was life-long. He served as president of the borough council, and was ever a prime factor in all civil affairs. In 1897, he was a candidate for the Congressional nomination from his district. Owing to his well-known independent attitude toward the crowd which makes up what was fittingly called the "ring" power, he was deprived of the opportunity at that time of making what would have been a brilliant and certain campaign. By a shrewd but, at the same time, square and honorable maneuver, in which he used his skill to advantage, he overturned the plans of the parties from his own county who tricked him out of the nomination, and gained by their defeat a fair and just revenge.

1 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 510.

2 Aaron L. Hazen, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), Pg 952.

3 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 512.

4 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 511.