The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-01-18
FRANK CLARK

Clark, representative in congress
from this district
The writer begins his story at the
birth of our congressman, and contin-
ties his interesting history on down to
the present time.
Mr.. Clark was born at Eufaula, Ala,
in 1860. the greatest political year in
cur history which may have had some
fleet in shaping his life in a political
direction.
Eufaula, Mr. Clarks birthplace. has
the unique distinction of having given
birth to three congressman: Mr.. Ke-
hoe of west Florida, Mr. Clafk's col
league; Mr.. Dent of Alabama, and Mr..
Clark, all having been born about the
same time. 1t was a good year for
| congressman
Mr.. Clark's father was an officer in
the Confederate army and died ear
4 in the war of pneumonia.
His mother was left with four chill
dran, and what little worldly posses.
sions she had, except the farm. was
swept away at the surrender.
AS young Clark grew in years he
worked on the farm blowing, picking
| cotton, looking after the stock, etc,
but farm work was not enti1aly CON
genial to him and he longed for Other.
things.
He wanted to see the great, big
world, and having saved some money.
as he grew older he took Horace
Greeley's advice, and went west to
grow up with the country
He landed at Yankton, Dakota. and
still following in the footsteps of Mr.
Greeley, he entered a printing office
Congenial as this work was, he found
the climate too frigid. and retraced
his steps toward Alabama. and fortu-
Eately reached there just in time to
join party of pioneers bound for the
Everglades of Florida.
The party travelled overland in a
wagon, and were several weeks max
ing the trip. They halted only at the
Caloosahatchee.
The first money the young pioneer
made in Florida was in picking and
racking oranges. He was paid forty
cents per thousand and made about
dollar. ~,
Spanish doublOons, the money then
mostly in circulation in Florida
The young pioneer next taught
school. Public schools had not vet
penetrated into that section. He
boarded around" as was the custom.
but he finally found a place that suit
ed him, and he forthwith exercised
the rights of 'squatter sovereignty"
and located
But we shall let the young school
teacher himself tell this part of the
story:
ut was with a family where there
were thirteen children. all alive and
we'll and all at home The father and
mother made fifteen. and |. the school
teacher bOarder. made sixteen at the
table 1t was fine. and we lived high
The hunting was good. and someone
would go out and bring in a deer, so
there was always venison. Then there
were turkeys and> quail-and. of
course, wonderful fish all of the time
to say nothing of the fruit and the
rest of the things that go with good
farm. The house wasn't large. either
IA square frame that hadn't been
painted in years (the barn had never
been painted at aln-but it was
mighty comfortable. and I thoroughly
enjoyed it."
While Seaching school in the dav.
time Mr.. Clark like so many other
distinguished statesmen, studied law
at night and burnt the midnight"
oil
Examinations were not as rigid
then as they are now, and he was
soon admitted to the bar. and as law
yers were not as plentiful he was not
long in winning his way TO the front
He in time became a member OF he
legislature and took a prominent part
in legislation. so much so that a ma.
jority of those living in his district
thought him qualified to represent
them in the>halls OF the national con.
gress, and have been so well satisfied
with his course that they have kept
him there for fourteen years
Mr. Clark's history like SO many
other prominent figures in our ma
tional life. ought to serve as a lesson
and an inspiration to the youth of
our land
Here was boy left fatherless at a
very tender age. and became the "ar-