Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-06-06
DEATH OF nrAssENA CLARK.

Passes Away Yesterday Afternoon I'm
HIS KlghtIeth Year-A Sketch OF the
Life ana Career ozone ofNew Ravens
Most Prominent Men.
It IL with feelings of more that ordinary
sadness that we are called upon to reoord4he
death of Massena Clark, man long one of
our most prominent citizens.
He was born In Delhi, Delaware county,
New York, May 90, 1911. His fsthsr,s man
of brave, adventurous turn and Familiarity
known ~ DR.. Jerry" CLARK, was a son Of
Deacon Lazarus CLARK, whose homestead still
stands ~ one Of the attractions of Wood
bridge.
In 1890 his fathers family removed to
Stockbridas, Mass. where Mr.. CLARK received
instruction of the Rev. David Dudley Field,
assisted BY the famous Mark Hopkins a.
monitors. the teachers famous sons, David
Dudley, the eminent lawyer, and Stephen
johnson, now United States Judge of the
district of California. were bis classmates at
the village school. The training was slight,
but the seed sown fell in no reluctant soil.
Misfortune overtaking the family they were
obliged to remove to West Haven in 1926.
Self reliant as youth and dependent upon
his own exertions, he entered the Wholesale
grocery store of our aged townsman, Mat
thew g. Elliot, az a clerk. He saved his
wages with the strictest economy and at the
end of three years resigned this position to
accept place as principal salesman In the
hardwar store of Smith g. Sherman, where
he remained until the crash of '37 and the
consequent financial depression which caused
the failure of that firm, at which time they
owed Mr.. Clark three Thousand dollars.
Smith & Sherman offered carriages and
hardware for this amount as payment of MI.
Clsrk's services and this was his first mer-
camille venture on his own account.
Prompt, sagacious and possessing resolute
freight, he determined to take these goods
| to the south, and his arrival at Mobile was
not without Its difficulties until fortunately
he met banker named Gindraw, who Offer
ed him q home while he might sell his car
riages.
Like MANY bankers of that time, Mr.. Gin
draw owned q cotton yard and desired Mr..
modestly declined, pleading inexperiencs
want of knowledge and other excuses until
the southerner cut him short by saying
"You are Yankee, and Yankee car
make success of anything he undertakes.
which he conducted to the entire satisfaction
| of all within the Gindraw mansion, he decided
to return to New Haven, where he estab
lished himself in 1910.
| He was always pleased to relate the follow
ing incident of his southern experiences:
A planter, richer Ii negroes than money
wanted q carriage and offered strong, hand
some, we'll built negro, valued at twelve hun
bred dollars, In exchange. The day of de
parture arrived and the slave begged 80 pite
ously not to be sold that he was brough. t,
the north and as faithful porter became on
l OF the fixtures of Clark's store in Custom
/ House Square.
In 1S4l he erected the Maesena Clark blool
In State street, where he remained humble
OF years and conducted the wholesale liquo
business 30 we'll that he amassed large for
tune.
After the war he was largely interested i,
real estate speoulations, in which he wa
remarkably successful, having built ana
| owned over three hundred houses in Thu
city;
loss sincerely" eaid a lifelong FRIEND
yesterday. Msssena Clark never turned away
Q worthy applicant for relief, and many
widow and orphan own their little hornss Z,
his timely assistance.
No one knew the extent of his charities
but his wife and himself, 80 unostentatiout
were they. Like his early friends and neigh
bors, Harmanus Welch, Edward Mitchell
and Ex-Governor English, he was war dom
ocrat. Although never q politician, If h
would he could have occupied honorable pc
sitions In the local government, but he al
ways said he had too much Of his own bust
nsas to attend to-, and therefore did not seel
| political honors. In every matter concern
ing the town or city he took large and liberia
views, and was one of the men in New Ha
ven who could always be relied upon to COM
to the front when the interests of the cit,
were TO be advanced.
In 1910 he married Miss Julia Chatterton
daughter of we'll known merchant tailor o
that day. For years he has dwelt in tn
beautiful mansion which Is one Of the hand
soonest ornaments OF whitney avenue.
l Mr.. CLARK leaves widow and three chill
Tdren, Mrs. John I. Goodrich Of New Haven
Edward n. Clark of New York and Franl
1 P. CLARK of New Haven.
The funeral will be from the residence OF
whitney avenue Monday, june Q, at 8 p. m.
and will be conducted by the Rev. Edwin
Harwoed of Trinity church.
The intermsnt will be In the family plo
In Evarorcon cAunafarv