Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-21
CHAMP CLARK IS
PART JERSEYMAN
Ancestors Were Residents of
This State and Prominent
in Their Day.
HOUSE SPEAKER OFTEN
VISITED OLD HOMESTEAD
Began Preaching Doctrine of
Democracy in Kentucky When
He Was Young.

There is a rea son why Champ Clark
speaker of the House of Representa-
tives. and candidate for the Democratle
nomination for President. has such a
warm regard for this State. It's true
that he was born in Kentucky, but his
father and grandfather were Jersey
men. This makes Mr.. Clark somewhat
10 a .Iersevman. and enc in this
section he drops in to peep at the OLD
farm and homestead.
lin Southern New Jersey the records
show the Clark family to have been one
,.bicb aid much toward making history
and Mt all times were the members ar
aved on the side of those working Tor
the good of the commonwealth.
sscbamp Clark's father was John Hamp-
H., CLARK. He was born near Little Egg
uarbor. but when still a young man
moved TO Kentucky, where he met, wooed
and won Miss Althea Jane Beauchamp.
Jobn Hampton Clark was the son OF
CAPTAIN Adriel Clark, who married
Elizabeth Archer, a well-known Quaker
belle of the period. AT one time Cap
tain Clark was wealthy. owning many
s~ea-going vessels, and also wal the pro-
nrietor of remunerative glass works. but
died almost in poverty. his vessels being
wrecked by storm and his partner TAX
ing stFrench leave with the profits OF
the glass-biowing industry.
John Hampton Clark was the youngest
of thirteen children and was named for
a halfbrother, who was drowned at sea
while sailing on one. Of his fathers ships
ms captain. John Hampton was an am
bitious young man and wanted to study
for one of the learned professions, but
the poverty of his mother after the
death of her husband deprived him of
an education. AT an early day he was
spprenticed to a wagon and. buggy
maker to learn the trade and Speaker
Clark says that up to the day of his
fathers death he was always vexed to
see a poorly-constructed vehicle.
The young man had no taste for the
trade to which his mother had appren-
ticed him and as soon as he reached
the age of q he removed to Kentucky,
where for several years he followed
his trade In the Blue Grass State and
subsequently, taking up n acquiring
q knowledge of dentistry. which pro-
fession he practised In an itinerant way,
after the fashion of the time.
Father Preached Democracy.
When Champ Clark was a child In IN
6erson county, Kentucky, his father, as
an itinerant dentist. rode around over
four or FIVE counties With a huge pair
Of saddle bags, one end of which was
tiliednf with dental implements and the
otSer with Speeches of Douglas, Brock
enridge and. other Democrats of the
time. He is said to have been a strong
minded man with an intense interest in
the seetblng politics of his day. He was
an old fashioned Democrat with Thomas
Jefferson and andrew Jackson as his
political idols. IL is related that while
on these journeys of mingled doctoring
and speech making all the Wings and
Republicans of his circuit were made
miserable by his arguments for Demo
cratic principles and his numerous quo
tations from the speeches of Brecken-
ridge and Douglas which he ever had al
his tongues end. An old Kentuckian
who knew him well Is quoted as saying
HE would corner them up and argufy
with them until they were dizzy"
In physical appearances John Hamp'
ton Clark was a prepossessing man OF
fine physique. six feet tall. slender and
weighing 165 pounds; his hair was curly
and dark brown In color: his eyes ant
head were peculiarly formed, MS ths
speaker reminiscently puts II. ''one o.
his optics being blue and the othel
black with a massive head, suggestlv,
of a big brain. Old friends of the Clarl
family declare that the regret Of Johr
Hampton Clark's life was tina he wal
not educated in his youth and in his ole
age he mourned that he had not devoted
his time to some intellectual pursuit. HI
possessed but a rudimentary English edu-
cation, but was well informed, being ar
~omniVorous reader, like his distinguish,
son, possessing a wealth of information
upon many subjects. BY nature a teacher
ho found a fine field in the somewha'
crude environment of the Kentucky o
the pioneer days and was eontinuousl,
engaged in teaching some youth in ont
manner or another.
Many men today in kentucky promi
nent more or less in the pulpit, at thu
bar or In the classroom We're in you'll
pupils OF John Hampton Clark. 1t l
said that he was an interesting CONVEX
xationalist. a forcible public speaker an
an excellent reader, as we'll as n o
the best tellers of anecdotes found n
where. It is readily discerned from
whence Champ Clark derived many o
his characteristics.