The Coconino sun., 1927-01-14
ASA CLARK DIED FRIDAY:
WAS OLDEST RESIDENT

Flagstaff lost in the death of Asa
Clark on Monday evening one of its
most respected citizens, one whose
life was woven into the beginnings Of
its history. He was probably the old
est man in Flagstaff and his passing
leaves a niche among the sturdy
pioneers whose lives linked the pri-
mitive village beginnings with the
present progressive city.
He died Monday evening at 5:2O at
the family residence Of heart fail
ure His advanced age-he would have
been 81 years old on the thirteenth
of next March-and his gradually
failing vitality since the death of
his younger son, John, less than two
months ago, contributed to his pass
ing. He was confined to his bed for
less than week following a slight
paralytic stroke. With him when he
died was his wife, his faithful COM
panion during the past Is years when
he was totally blind, and the many
preceding years of gradually dimming
sight.
The funeral was held yesterday af-
ternoon at 2:30 from Flagstaff I'm
dertaking parlors. Rev. II. F. Softley
paid the last tribute. Interneent was
in Odd Fellows cemetery, as he was
a five degree Odd Fellow and a char
ter member of the Flagstaff lodge.
Asa Clark, the last of his genera
ton, was born March 13, 1886 in
Jefferson, Me. He and his twin bro
ther, John, who died about four years
ago here, were almost the youngest
children of family of 13. His par
ents were John and Martha Clark of
pioneering strains which penetrated
the Maine wilderness. His father was
a district school teacher and among
maternal forebears was an itinerant
preacher. His boyhood was that of
the average country boy, though in
his young manhood his seeking work
in the lumber camps, and his penetra-
tion of the wilds across the Canadian
border were indications of his desire
for the broader life as found here in
later years. He worked in the manu-
featuring plants in Lowell, Mass,
and finally became boilermaker,
which occupation he followed until
he came to Flagstaff.
He was married October 27, 1867,
in Ripley Ne, to Miss Rosaline Nut
ter, moving at this time to Concord,
N. H., where the family lived for
many years. Their three children
George Albert, who died at the age
of six, John and Charlie, the latter
now of Grand Canyon-were all born
there 1t was here that the accident
happened which injured his eyes and
finally resulted in total blindness. He
had mixed ingredients among which
was corrosive sublimate, which he
used in the curing Of spavins on a
horses leg. This caught fire, went
into his eyes and blinded him for
six weeks. He gradually regained the
use Of his eyes but his sight was nev-
er again good and he ultimately lost
it.
His twin brother, John Clark, had
joined the gold rush to California.
One of his sisters was married to Joe
Goodall, whose husband was '49er
too. Their letters home fed the ad-
venturous strain in Asa and when
John in company with Bill Ashurst,
u. S. Senator Ashurst's father
brought to Flagstaff from California
the first sheep ever on the range
here Asa decided to join him. Accom-
panied by his son, Charlie, he arrived
here in 1883.
Many are the interesting tales he
was wont to tell of the early days
here, of rough and speedy justice, of
CONTINUED on page g.