Richard H. Clarke

Richard H. Clarke
Clarke in 1896
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 1st district
In office March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1897
Preceded by	James T. Jones
Succeeded by	George W. Taylor
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
In office 1900-1901
Personal details
Born	James Taylor Jones (1843-02-09)February 9, 1843 Dayton, Alabama
Died	September 26, 1906(1906-09-26) (aged 63) St. Louis, Missouri
Political party	Democratic

Richard Henry Clarke (February 9, 1843 – September 26, 1906) was a politician and U.S. Representative from Alabama.

Biography

Born in Dayton, Alabama, Clarke attended Green Springs Academy. He graduated from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa in July 1861. He soon enlisted in the Confederate States Army, and during the Civil War was a lieutenant in the First Battalion of Alabama Artillery.

After the war, Clarke studied law and passed the bar in 1867; he commenced practice in Dayton, Alabama.

He moved to Demopolis, Alabama, and continued to work as a lawyer. There he was elected as State Solicitor for Marengo County, serving 1872-1876. He was prosecuting attorney of the seventh judicial circuit in 1876 and 1877.

He moved to Mobile, Alabama, where he resumed a law practice.

Helen Gaines Clarke

Mary Morris Clarke

Marriage and family

In 1877 he married Helen Gaines Foot, a native of Mobile. Her father, C. K. Foot, was a native of Vermont, and a descendant of Nathaniel Foot, one of the early settlers of Wethersfield, Connecticut. Her mother was Sarah Lyons, of Mobile, of the distinguished Pendleton and Gaines families. His wife spent her early years in Mobile, but she later attended school in New York City.^[1]

Their daughters, Helen Gaines and Mary Morris Clarke, resembled their mother in face and manner.^[1]

Later political career

Clarke was elected as a Democrat from Alabama's 1st congressional district to the Fifty-first and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1897). He was not a candidate for renomination, as he ran in 1896 for governor. He was not successful.

Clarke resumed the practice of law in Mobile. He was elected to the State House of Representatives in 1900 and 1901.

He died in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 26, 1906. His body was returned to Mobile, where he was buried in Magnolia Cemetery.

References

• United States Congress. "Richard H. Clarke (id: C000469)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Specific

1. Hinman, Ida (1896). The Washington Sketch Book. p. sec. Supplement p. 23. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

External links

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by James T. Jones	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 1st congressional district 1889–1897	Succeeded by George W. Taylor