Benjamin S. W. Clark
Encyclopedia
Benjamin S. W. Clark was an American merchant and politician from New York
. He was the first New York State Superintendent of Public Works.
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.
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.
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
.
Around 1900 he was a New York State Bank Examiner.
He died on October 19, 1912 and was buried at the Morningside Cemetery
in Malone.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was the first New York State Superintendent of Public Works.
Biography
He was born on May 27, 1829 in Franklin County, New YorkFranklin County, New York
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 51,599. It is named in honor of American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin...
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.
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
Samuel J. Tilden
Samuel Jones Tilden was the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency in the disputed election of 1876, one of the most controversial American elections of the 19th century. He was the 25th Governor of New York...
an Inspector of State Prisons
New York State Prison Inspector
The Inspector of State Prisons was a statewide elective office created by the New York State Constitution of 1846. At the New York state election, 1847, three Inspectors were elected and then, upon taking office, so classified that henceforth every year one Inspector would be elected to a...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Moss K. Platt
Moss K. Platt
Moss Kent Platt was an American merchant and politician from New York.-Life:He was the son of William Pitt Platt and Hannah Kent ....
. He was appointed Warden of Sing Sing in 1877.
He was the first New York State Superintendent of Public Works
New York State Department of Public Works
The office of Superintendent of Public Works was created by an 1876 amendment to the New York State Constitution. It abolished the canal commissioners and established that the Department of Public Works execute all laws relating to canal maintenance and navigation except for those functions...
under the State constitutional amendment of 1876, appointed after a year-long struggle between Governor Lucius Robinson
Lucius Robinson
Lucius Robinson was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 26th Governor of New York from 1877 to 1879.-Life:...
and a hostile New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
which had rejected the appointment of Robinson's first three nominees, George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
, Charles S. Fairchild
Charles S. Fairchild
Charles Stebbins Fairchild was a New York businessman and politician.-Biography:Born in Cazenovia, New York, to Sidney and Helen Fairchild, he graduated from Harvard College in 1863 and Harvard Law School in 1865. He was married to Helen Lincklaen in 1871...
and Daniel Magone
Daniel Magone
Daniel Magone was Collector of the Port of New York during the first administration of United States President Grover Cleveland.-Biography:He was born in Oswegatchie, New York in January of 1829....
.
Around 1900 he was a New York State Bank Examiner.
He died on October 19, 1912 and was buried at the Morningside Cemetery
Morningside Cemetery (Malone, New York)
-Burials:*Benjamin S. W. Clark *William Henry Flack *Clarence Evans Kilburn*William Almon Wheeler served as Vice President of the United States under Rutherford Hayes....
in Malone.
External links
- http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~frgen/franklin/malone/morningside/morningside_sectiong.htm Gravestone transcriptions, at RootsWeb