Representative women of New England/Emily L. Clark
EMILY LOUISE CLARK, National Chaplain of the Woman's Relief Corps, was born April 24, 1832, in Becket, Mass., where her girlhood days were passed. Her father was William A. Iline, a native of England, and her mother was Hannah Putnam, daughter of David Putnam.
At the age of eighteen years she was married to Edwin Cook Clark, a native of Northampton, Mass., where, after a few years spent in Jersey City, Brooklyn, and Southampton, they have since lived. When the Civil War began, they had three children, the youngest only eleven months old. While unable to leave her home to engage in work for the soldiers, she resolved to perform her share of duty in the great crisis of the nation. She opened her house as a rendezvous for all who desired to aid the Union cause, and it was continually thronged with people who were zealous in working for the volunteers. Mrs. Clark continued her efforts until the close of the war, and felt, when peace was declared, that the "boys in blue" no longer needed her aid. It was not long, however, before she realized that, though the conflict was ended, the suffering it caused remained. Her patriotic work was continued, and when W. L. Baker Post, No. 86, G. A. R., was organized at Northampton, Mrs. Clark entered heartily into plans for its success. She was the first President of W. L. Baker Relief Corps, auxiliary to Post No. 86, which was instituted May 13, 1885, and she was re-elected two successive years. At the Department Convention in 1887 she was chosen a delegate to the National Convention in St. Louis, and has since participated in several National Conventions. In 1888 she was chosen by the Department Council to fill a vacancy in the office of Department Chaplain, was re-elected to the position by the annual convention in 1889 and again in 1890. On account of severe illness Mrs. Clark retired from active work the following year, but in 1892 accepted the office of Department Senior Vice-President, and upon the expiration of its term was nominated for the highest office in the gift of the convention. Mrs. M. Susie Goodale, Past Department President, presented her name as follows:—
"I have the honor to place in nomination Mrs. Emily L. Clark, who has many qualifications for the position. First of all, she has a heart filled with love for humanity, and very few are the days when some poor wounded soul does not seek and find comfort beneath her sheltering roof. In all this she is seconded by her .soldier husband. Again, she is a pioneer in the order, and has served you faithfully as Department Chaplain and Senior Vice-President. I believe her to be in every way qualified for the position."
Mrs. Clark was unanimously elected, and upon assuming the duties of her office gave special attention to the interests of the corps throughout the State. Though living one hundred miles from Department headquarters in Boston, she was on duty there several days each week. A summary of her work was given in her address to the convention of 1894, over which she presided with grace and ability. During the year she travelled more than twenty thousand miles, and visited seventy-two corps, besides attending many camp-fires, receptions, anniversaries, and fairs. Three corps were instituted during her administration, making a total of one hundred and fifty-nine corps under her charge. She aimed to encourage all in the noble work in which they were engaged. Mrs. Clark issued nine general orders and two circular letters, hundreds of copies of which were mailed to different sections of the country. Referring to her personal work, she said: "I have written more than twelve hundred letters, answered innumerable questions, and endeavored to instruct and encourage all who asked for advice. The many personal letters I have received, expressing appreciation for help given, will be to me a storehouse of pleasure in the coming years, when I shall have leisure to again read these words of commendation."
Mrs. Clark visited the Soldiers' Home in Chelsea several times during her administration, and issued an appeal to corps in general orders to furnish some of the new rooms in the annex. She also expressed an interest in having the Department of Massachusetts creditably represented in the National Woman's Relief Corps exhibit at the World's Fair, and a liberal contribution was sent by her order for this object. In reporting the results of the year's work, she referred to the thousands of callers she had met at headquarters and to the mutual benefits thereby received. Upon retiring from the office of Department President, Mrs. Clark was appointed Councillor on the staff of her successor. She also aided Corps No. 18 of Northampton by accepting an appointment as secretary, and has continued her active interest in the corps. Mrs. Clark served as National Chaplain pro tern, at the National Convention at Boston in 1890, at Indianapolis in 1893, and was unanimously elected to this office at the National Convention at Cleveland, Ohio, September, 1901.
Her kindly interest in the welfare of others and her cheerful manner have made her popular with all classes of people.
Her husband, Edwin C. Clark, was identified with the business interests of Northampton. In April, 1861, he assisted in recruiting Company A of the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts Regiment, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant. He served at Roanoke Islam!, Newbern, and in other campaigns under General Burnside. Lieutenant Clark resigned his commission and returned home in 1862, when he re-enlisted in the Fifty-second Massachusetts Regiment, receiving a commission as First Lieutenant. He subsequently accepted a commission as Quartermaster. This regiment took part in General Banks's expedition, and performed active duty at Baton Rouge, Barry's Landing, and Port Hudson. Captain Clark, who had received this title by brevet, remained with his regiment until it was mustered out of service in the fall of 1863.
He was highly esteemed by the citizens of Northampton, and could have been the first Mayor of the city, had he cared for the office. He was treasurer and superintendent of the Northampton Street Railway Company for several years, and held other positions of trust. His death occurred May 10, 1898.
Captain and Mrs. Clark had two sons and two daughters. Ida B., the eldest child, born July 18, 1852, married Joseph Carhart, president of the State Normal School of North Dakota. They have three sons and seven daughters. Edwin Cook Clark, born January 3, 1856, is suijerintendent of the extensive electric railroatl of Northampton, and receives the largest salary of any superintendent in Massachusetts hokling a similar position. He married Mona Fogel, of Northampton. They have three children. Mary A. Clark, born October 28, 1860, married Emlyn V. Mitchell, of Hartford, Conn. They have four children. William A., born March 2, 1868, a prominent business man of Northampton, in 1897 married Alice R., daughter of the Hon. George W. Johnson, of Brookfield, Mass.