Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Clark, John (1688-1736)
CLARK, JOHN (1688–1736), writing-master, son of John Clark, a sea captain who was drowned in his own ship on the Goodwin Sands, entered Merchant Taylors' School on 10 March 1696–7, and was subsequently apprenticed to one Snow, a writing-master, under whom he became a proficient in the art of penmanship, which by his treatises on the subject he did much to simplify. He published: 1. ‘The Penman's Diversion in the usual hands of Great Britain in a free and natural manner,’ 1708. 2. ‘Writing improved, or Penmanship made easy in its useful and ornamental parts, with various examples in all the hands,’ 1712, 2nd ed. 1714. 3. ‘Lectures on Accounts, or Bookkeeping after the Italian Method by double entry of debtor and creditor,’ 1732. He died in 1736, and was buried at Hillingdon, near Uxbridge.
[Noble’s Continuation of Granger's Biographical History, ii. 365; Robinson’s Merchant Taylors’ Register, i. 337.]