Benjamin S. W. Clark

Benjamin S. W. Clark
New York State Prison Inspector
In office
March 2, 1876 – December 31, 1876
Serving with George Wagener
Rodney R. Crowley
Appointed by Samuel J. Tilden
Preceded by Moss K. Platt
Succeeded by Robert H. Anderson
Warden of Sing Sing
In office
1877–1878
Preceded by Charles Davis
Succeeded by Charles Davis
New York State Superintendent of Public Works
In office
January 30, 1878 – January 15, 1880
Appointed by Lucius Robinson
Succeeded by Silas B. Dutcher
Personal details
Born May 27, 1829(1829-05-27)
Franklin County, New York
Died October 19, 1912(1912-10-19) (aged 83)
Malone, New York
Spouse(s) Adaline W. Meigs (m. 1851–1912) «start: (1851)–end+1: (1913)»"Marriage: Adaline W. Meigs to Benjamin S. W. Clark" Location: (linkback:http://localhost../../../../articles/b/e/n/Benjamin_S._W._Clark_fc40.html)

Benjamin S. W. Clark (May 27, 1829 – October 19, 1912) was an American merchant and politician from New York. He was the first New York State Superintendent of Public Works.

Biography

He was born on May 27, 1829 in Franklin County, New York to Samuel Smith Clark (1801-1870) and Jane Ann Clark (1806-1872). Samuel Smith Clark was Franklin County Clerk from 1832 to 1834. Samuel's father was Benjamin Clark who was First Judge of the Franklin County Court from 1825 to 1829. In 1851, Benjamin S. W. Clark married Adaline W. Meigs.[1]

He was for a long time cashier of the Farmers National Bank of Malone, New York. He was Franklin County Treasurer from 1858 to 1860, and later Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Franklin County.

In March 1876, he was appointed by Governor Samuel J. Tilden an Inspector of State Prisons to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Moss K. Platt. He was appointed Warden of Sing Sing in 1877.[2]

He was the first New York State Superintendent of Public Works under the State constitutional amendment of 1876, appointed after a year-long struggle between Governor Lucius Robinson and a hostile New York State Senate which had rejected the appointment of Robinson's first three nominees, George B. McClellan, Charles S. Fairchild and Daniel Magone.[3][4]

Around 1900 he was a New York State Bank Examiner.[5]

He died on October 19, 1912 and was buried at the Morningside Cemetery in Malone.

References

  1. ^ The cemetery has a tombstone for Ann Jeanette Clark, wife of Benjamin W. Clark, died May 5, 1850, Aged 34 years. This may be his first wife and Adaline W. Meigs may be his second wife, married a year after the death of his first wife.
  2. ^ "Warden of Sing Sing". New York Times. February 9, 1878. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70A1EFA3A5B137B93CBA91789D85F4C8784F9. Retrieved 2011-04-18. "... in the place of Benjamin S. W. Clark, appointed Superintendent of Public Works ... to Superintendent Pilsbury as the proper person to succeed Mr. Clark. ..." 
  3. ^ "State Legislative Work. "Dan" Magone Rejected. His Nomination To Be Superintendent Of Public Works Voted Down. Benjamin S.W. Clark Nominated For The Place Immediately After Magone's Rejection". New York Times. January 24, 1878. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F7061FFF3A5B137B93C6AB178AD85F4C8784F9. Retrieved 2011-05-03. 
  4. ^ "Clark's Nomination Confirmed". New York Times. January 31, 1878. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0E1EFC3A5B137B93C3AA178AD85F4C8784F9. Retrieved 2011-05-03. "The nomination of Benjamin S.W. Clark, as Superintendent of Public Works, was confirmed in Executive Session of the Senate today by a unanimous vote. ..." 
  5. ^ "Run on a North Tonawanda Bank". New York Times. January 16, 1900. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20713FB395D12738DDDAF0994D9405B808CF1D3. Retrieved 2011-04-18. "Bank Examiner Clark visited the State Bank last week and found ..." 

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Christopher A. Walrath
Darius A. Ogden
as Canal Commissioners		 Superintendent of Public Works
1878 - 1880		 Succeeded by
Silas B. Dutcher
Gedney • Comstock • Spencer • Wells • D Clark • Angel • Storms • Kirkpatrick • Bowne • Russell • Bailey • Rhodes • Everest • Forrest • Bates • Tappen • Clarke • Barnum • Hammond • Scheu • McNeil • Laflin • Graves • Platt • Wagener • Crowley • B Clark • Anderson
(McClellan) • (Fairchild) • (Magone) • Clark • Dutcher • Shanahan • Hannan • Aldridge • Partridge • Boyd • Franchot • Stevens • Treman • Peck • Wotherspoon • Nixon • Walsh • Cadle • Walsh • Greene • Brandt • Sells • Tallamy • Johnson • McMorran