James A. Clark, Jr. (December 19, 1918 – August 18, 2006) was the former president of the Maryland State Senate from 1979 to 1983.
James Clark was born in Ellicott City, Maryland. His father was James Clark, Sr, a Circuit Court judge whose family's roots in Howard County, Maryland traced back to 1797. His mother was Alda Hopkins Clark, whose family line traced back to the Ellicott and Hopkins families (she was a relative of the philanthropist Johns Hopkins). James and Alda Hopkins Clark lived at Keewaydin, a farm located near Ellicott City, Maryland, and also owned a nearby farm known as Elioak Farm. They had four sons: John (born in 1914), Samuel (died in 1923), James (born in 1918), and Joseph (born in 1927).
He graduated from Iowa State College in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in animal husbandry. He volunteered for service in the US Army, serving four and a half years in the Army Air Service. During World War II James volunteered to serve in the Glider Pilot Corps, while his brother Joseph was in the Merchant Marine. James’ unit, the 442nd Troop Carrier Group, 303rd Squadron, was sent to Europe in 1944 and he participated in two notable campaigns: Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands in September 1944 and a U.S. airborne mission into Germany, Operation Varsity in 1945. He saw action in Europe during World War II, and was among the forces that helped evacuate survivors of the Dachau concentration camp. James was discharged in late 1945 as a 1st Lieutenant, with life-long friends by his side.
After returning from Europe, James Clark, Jr. and Lillian Hawkins ended their six-year courtship and in 1946 were married. James and Lillian ran the Elioak Farm, raised cattle, started a dairy operation, and began a family in 1950 with the arrival of their first son, Mark Tyson. The Clarks had three more children: Priscilla Phelps (born in 1953; died in 1959), Martha Anne (born in 1954), and James Hawkins, "Jamie" (born in 1963).
Senator Clark retired from political life in 1986 and returned to Elioak Farm to attend to the farm. He remained involved in community issues, frequently giving speeches and attending functions as a former state senator. He was an active member in the National World War II Glider Pilots Association, participating in reunions and trips with other members. Senator and Mrs. Clark visited Holland on more than one occasion to mark the anniversary of Operation Market Garden, including on the fiftieth anniversary in 1994.
Lillian Clark passed away in 2001; James Clark, Jr. died of prostate cancer at his family farm in Ellicott City, Maryland.
In 1958 he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, and in 1962 he was elected to the Maryland State Senate. As a state senator, he served on the legislative council and was vice chairman of the finance committee.
As a legislator, Senator Clark was a champion of a wide range of issues, including civil rights, open space and farm land preservation (especially in his native Howard County, Maryland), and fiscal responsibility. Senator Clark traveled the country lobbying for state legislatures to pass the Balanced Budget Amendment.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Steny Hoyer |
President of the Maryland State Senate 1979—1983 |
Succeeded by Melvin A. Steinberg |