My Genealogy Hound

George P. Clark, liveryman, of Versailles, and a member of the firm of Clark & Williams, has been a resident of the town since 1867, having been born in Summit County, Ohio, in 1835, being a son of Carlos and Matilda (Dilley) Clark, who were born in Vermont and Ohio, respectively. The paternal grandfather was also born in Vermont, and was one of the “Green Mountain Boys” in the Revolutionary War. He was a pioneer of Portage County, Ohio, and laid out the town of Portage. Carlos Clark was a successful physician, and in 1852 removed to Davis County, Iowa, where he resided until his death, in 1876, at the age of seventy-four years. He was a Democrat in politics, and a leader of his party. His wife died in January, 1875, at the age of sixty-eight years. George P. Clark is their third child, and spent his youth working on the farm, and in attending the common schools. At the age of sixteen years he began learning surveying and civil engineering, and followed this occupation in Davis County, Iowa, until 1867, having been county surveyor from 1858 to 1866, and then came to Versailles, where he followed his occupation for six months. He then engaged in mining and smelting lead, and developed a number of mines, among which were those of Rockford and Buffalo. He has done a great deal to develop the mineral resources of the county, and is interested in 2,000 acres of mineral land, besides his own mining property, and considerable town property. He is also engaged in the railroad tie business, in partnership with a Mr. Newton, and besides this has a general store at Proctor, which brings him in a fair annual income. In 1884 he was elected surveyor of the county, serving one term; was bridge commissioner one term of four years; has been a member of the town council, and served one term as mayor of the city. He belongs to the A. F. & A. M. In 1870 he married Miss Sallie Ralston, a native of Kentucky, who died in July, 1871, eight months after her marriage. In 1872 he married his present wife, Carrie T. Coleman, also born in Kentucky, and a daughter of Whitehead Coleman, who was born in Virginia. Mrs. Clark is a consistent member of the Baptist Church. His livery establishment is one of the best in the county, and he keeps a full line of vehicles and seventeen head of horses.