Myron Holley Clark was an American politician

Politics of the United States

The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...

 from the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of New York

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...

.

Biography

Clark was born in Naples

Naples, New York

Naples may refer to two municipalities in Ontario County, New York in the United States:*Naples , New York*Naples , New York, located entirely within the town...

, Ontario County, New York

Ontario County, New York

As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...

 on October 23, 1806. He served in the state's militia as a lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...

 and then entered politics, first serving as President of the then-village of Canandaigua, New York

Canandaigua (city), New York

Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...

, and eventually becoming sheriff of Ontario County. He served as a member of the 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...

 from 1852 to 1854 and was elected the 19th Governor of New York in 1854 the closest gubernatorial election in New York State history. He served as governor from 1855 to 1856.

As Governor, Clark was noted for his meddling with militia appointments, causing the resignation of the state Adjutant General

Adjutant general

An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...

 John Watts de Peyster

John Watts de Peyster

John Watts de Peyster, Sr. was an author on the art of war, philanthropist, and early Adjutant General of the New York National Guard. He served in the New York State Militia during the Mexican-American War and American Civil War...

.

Clark made several attempts to force prohibition

Prohibition

Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...

 in the state and signed a prohibition law while governor, but the law was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals

New York Court of Appeals

The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...

 after a short time. His steadfast advocating of temperance led to his nomination on the Prohibition

Prohibition Party

The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement...

 ticket to run again for Governor in 1874.

He was also involved in railroad consolidation, but kept the fares low.

Clark died in Canandaigua, New York

Canandaigua (city), New York

Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...

 on August 23, 1892. He is interred at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Mary Clark Thompson

Mary Clark Thompson

Mary Clark Thompson , born Mary Lee Clark, was a noted philanthropist and wife of banker Frederick Ferris Thompson.-Early years:Mary Lee Clark was born in Naples, New York in 1835 to Myron Holley and Zilpha Watkins Clark...

 was his daughter; as a memorial to Clark, in 1915 she presented a scenic and geologically significant tract of land to New York State that is now part of Clark Reservation State Park

Clark Reservation State Park

Clark Reservation State Park is a state park in Onondaga County, New York. The park is in the Town of DeWitt, south of Syracuse. It was the site of a large waterfall at the end of the last Ice Age; the plunge basin at the base of the old falls is now a small lake...

. Comptroller Clark Williams

Clark Williams

Myron Clark Williams was an American banker and politician.-Life:...

was his grandson.