Myron H. Clark - Autograph card signed -Gov of New York

Description

Gilt edged, scalloped corner card signed, very nice.
19th Governor of New York 1855-1856.
See Wikipedia article below:
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Myron H. Clark
19th
Governor of New York
In office
January 1, 1855 – December 31, 1856
Lieutenant
Henry Jarvis Raymond
Preceded by
Horatio Seymour
Succeeded by
John Alsop King
Member of the
New York State Assembly
from the 29th district
In office
January 1, 1852 – December 31, 1854
Preceded by
Charles Colt
Succeeded by
William H. Goodwin
Personal details
Born
October 23, 1806
Naples, New York
Died
August 23, 1892 (aged 85)
Canandaigua, New York
Political party
Whig
Spouse
Zilpha Watkins
Relations
Clark Williams
(grandson)
Children
Mary Clark Thompson
Myron Holley Clark
(October 23, 1806 – August 23, 1892) was an
American politician
from the U.S. state of New York.
Early life
Clark was born in
Naples
,
Ontario County, New York
on October 23, 1806. He was the eldest son of Maj. Joseph Clark (1782–1840) and Mary (
née
Sutton) Clark (1782–1865). His grandfather, Col. William Clark, had migrated to Ontario County from
Berkshire County, Massachusetts
, in 1790 after the
American Revolution
.
His education was limited and was in the common schools of New York.
Career
He served in the state's militia as a
lieutenant colonel
and then entered politics, first serving as President of the then-village of
Canandaigua, New York
, and eventually becoming
Sheriff of Ontario County, New York
.
He was a member of the
New York State Senate
(29th D.) from 1852 to 1854, sitting in the
75th
,
76th
and
77th New York State Legislatures
. At the
New York state election, 1854
, he was nominated as the
Whig
candidate, and was elected
Governor of New York
in the closest gubernatorial election in New York State history. He served as Governor from January 1, 1855 to December 31, 1856.
As Governor, Clark was noted for his meddling with militia appointments, causing the resignation of the state
Adjutant General
John Watts de Peyster
. In 1862, President
Abraham Lincoln
appointed Clark the first Collector of Internal Revenue of in the Ontario County district.
Clark made several attempts to effect
prohibition
in the state and signed a prohibition law while governor, but the law was declared
unconstitutional
by the
New York Court of Appeals
. His steadfast advocating of temperance led to his nomination on the
Prohibition
ticket to run again for Governor at the
New York state election, 1874
. He finished in third place, behind Democrat
Samuel J. Tilden
and the incumbent Republican Governor
John Adams Dix
.
Personal life
In 1830 Clark was married to Zilpha Watkins (1806–1877), a daughter of Andrew Watkins and Abigail (
née
Stanley) Watkins. Together, they were the parents of five children, one son and four daughters, including:
Lorenzo Elijah Clark (1833–1917), a banker who married Elizabeth Sheley, a daughter of Alanson Sheley.
Zilpha Clark (1834–1915), who married Samuel D. Backus.
Mary Lee Clark
(1835–1923), who married prominent banker
Frederick Ferris Thompson
.
Charlotte Elizabeth Clark (1838–1929), who died unmarried.
[14]
Abigail Stanley Clark (1843–1902), who married banker George Norton Williams, in 1866.
Clark died in
Canandaigua, New York
on August 23, 1892. He is interred at
Woodlawn Cemetery
in Canandaigua.
Legacy
As a memorial to Clark, his daughter
Mary
presented a scenic and geologically significant tract of land to New York State in 1915 that is now part of
Clark Reservation State Park
. Comptroller
Clark Williams
was his grandson.