Albert D. Clark
Albert D. Clark, real estate, insurance and Notary Public, Kent, was born in Kent, April 21, 1842, son of John F. and Eliza (Dunning) Clark. His paternal grandparents were George W. and Martha (Laird) Clark, natives of Pennsylvania, who located in Stark County at an early day, where the father of our subject was born January 13, 1814. George W. was Associate Judge of Stark and Portage Counties at an early day, also one of the first surveyors in this part of Ohio, and laid out the stage road between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. His children were William L., the first Sheriff of Summit County; Robert; James H.; George W., a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a professor at Allegheny College, Meadville, for twenty years; John F.; Jane; Juliette; Martha. John F., the father of our subject, was educated in the academies of Tallmadge and Randolph, and at the age of sixteen went to Hudson and served an apprenticeship of four years at the carpenter's trade, which occupation he has followed all his life. He married in 1839 Eliza Dunning, formerly of New Milford, Conn., by whom he had five children: George F., Albert D., Amelia (Mrs. Lorenzo Fessenden), Almira (Mrs, Anson Pritchard, deceased), and Hattie (Mrs. Charles Coyle). He located in Kent in 1838, where he has resided ever since. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Ambrosia Dunning, one of the first settlers of Ravenna Township. Our subject was reared and educated in Kent. He enlisted April 24, 1861, in Company F, Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and after serving three months as Corporal was honorably discharged. He re-enlisted August 13, 1861, and served as Sergeant in Company A, First Regiment Ohio Light Artillery, and was Acting Orderly over two years, and commanded the Second Section of artilleries over a year. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga (he was recommended for promotion for bravery on the battle field of Chickamauga by Maj. Wilbur F. Goodspeed), and was in many other engagements, and honorably discharged at Chattanooga, Tenn., September 12, 1864, paying a flying visit to friends in Ohio. He then went into the Quartermaster's Department, at Johnsonville, Tenn., serving eighteen months as Assistant Superintendent of laborers of that place, also in the vicinity of Nashville. When Johnsonville, Tenn., was evacuated by the Union forces he went to Nashville, thence to Franklin and Duck River; returning to Nashville took passage on the transport "New York" for Eastport, Miss. On the steamer's arrival at her destination he accepted and filled the position of Chief Receiving Clerk under Lieut. Samuel W. Treat, commanding river and railroad transportation. On resigning this position he returned to Ohio. He then went West and engaged in railroading, visiting all the principal cities of the West. In 1869 he returned to Kent, and accepted a position as foreman in the brass foundry of the A. & G. W. R. R., which he held until 1883, when he embarked in his present business. He was married August 18, 1870, to Sarah J., daughter of Harvey C. and Flora B. Newberry, of Kent. The issue of this union was four children: Lenah, Scottie O., Lewis C. and Ezzie L., of whom two are now living: Lewis C. and Ezzie L. Mr. Clark is a member of the K. of H., and has filled all the chairs of that order. He now holds the ofiice, to which he was appointed by S. S. Bloom, Grand Dictator, K. of H., of Ohio, of District Deputy Grand Dictator in and for the Twenty-fifth District of Ohio, comprising the following counties, to-wit: Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage, Lake and Trumbull. He is C. C. Commander of the K. of P., and a member of the G. A. R. He has served the village of Kent as Councilman two terms. In 1877 he was the Greenback candidate for Representative of Portage County, and ran ahead of his ticket. He was also candidate for Mayor of Kent in the Republican caucus in the spring of 1884. In politics he is independent.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885