California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin 
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from 
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176


 ALBERT B. CLARK. Among the prominent men of Fresno mention belongs to A. B. Clark, who has been 
active for a number of years in the development of the natural resources of this county and the 
upbuilding of its best interests. He was born in Fort Madison, Iowa, October 10, 1858, the descendant 
of an old Maryland family prominent in the history of the country, his grandfather having taken part in 
the war of 1812. His father, John H. Clark, a native of Maryland, went to Indiana when a boy and 
learned the trade of a tanner. When of age he began farming at Rising Sun, and later was a pioneer of 
Fort Madison, Iowa, where he engaged in the manufacture of shoes with the firm of Clark & 
Elschrode. This business he continual for several years, when he removed to the vicinity of West Point, 
Iowa, and again engaged in farming. In the fall of 1870 he removed to Eldorado, Butler county, Kans., 
and homesteaded property, as well as purchasing land, and there followed farming and stock-raising 
until 1882, when he came to California and located in Modesto, Stanislaus county. He made that city 
his home after his retirement from active cares, his death occurring in that locality in 1890, at the age 
of seventy-seven years. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which he had 
been identified throughout his entire life. Following the example of his patriotic ancestors, he enlisted 
for service in an Iowa regiment during the Civil war, but was rejected on account of an injury to his 
shoulder. His wife, formerly Edith E. Emerson, was a native of Ohio, and the daughter of Asa Emerson, 
who died early in life. She still survives and makes her home in Oakdale, Cal. Six children were born of 
this union, four of whom are living. By a former marriage Mr. Clark had four children, one now 
surviving, two sons, Frederick and Emer, having come to California as farmers, where both died in 
1890. 

A. B. Clark was the eldest child born to his parents. He was reared in Lee county, Iowa, on the paternal 
farm, and attended the public schools. In 1870 he went to Kansas and attended Ward's College, at 
Wichita. Deciding to locate on the Pacific coast, he came to California in 1875, and settled near 
Stockton, where he engaged in farming in various parts of San Joaquin county for several years. He 
met with fair returns from his work and finally purchased five hundred acres near Modesto, Stanislaus 
county, renting adjoining land, which gave to him a farming area of three thousand acres. He still owns 
the five hundred acre ranch located six miles west of Ceres, now in the Turlock Irrigation district, a 
twenty-foot ditch running through the entire place. Since 1887 he has rented the land to the same 
tenant. In 1887 he moved to Kings river, three miles south of the present site of Reedley, where he 
rented a farm of five thousand acres and began the raising of grain. He continued in that location until 
1893, and in the meantime set out three hundred and twenty acres of vines on contract, at the end of 
three and a half years becoming the owner of one hundred and sixty acres. Following this he gave his 
attention to his vineyard for two and a half years, after which he once more took up general farming, 
renting two thousand acres northeast of Reedley. Four years later, in September, 1899, he removed 
to Fresno, and in 1901 built the residence which he has since made his home. He sold his large 
vineyard in 1903, but still owns several smaller ones, as well as farming lands near Reedley. and two 
hundred acres two miles south of Parlier, one hundred and sixty acres of which is in orchard and 
vineyard. During his long. period in the work Mr. Clark has improved about six hundred and forty acres 
of vineyards, and has been an important factor in the development of that industry. 

In Modesto. Stanislaus county, Cal., Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Susie Crispin, a native of 
Oskaloosa, Iowa, and the daughter of Frank Crispin, a farmer, who settled in Modesto in 1883. He was 
associated with the Society of Friends. Two children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Clark, 
Georgia and Eva. Mr. Clark is prominent fraternally, having been made a Mason in Reedley and now 
belongs to Los Palmas Lodge, of Fresno, and Trigo Chapter, R. A. M. ; Fresno Commandery No. 29, K. 
T., of which he was eminent commander in 1903 and '04 ; Islam Temple, N. M. S., of San Francisco; 
Fresno Lodge of Perfection, and Rose Croix Chapter. Both himself and wife are members of the Order 
of the Eastern Star, of which Mrs. Clark is past matron. Politically Mr. Clark is an advocate of the 
principles of the Republican party.