Abraham Clark (February 15, 1725 – September 15, 1794) was an American
politician and Revolutionary War figure. He was delegate for New Jersey to the
Continental Congress where he signed the Declaration of Independence and later
served in the United States House of Representatives in both the Second and
Third United States Congress, from March 4, 1791, until his death in 1794.
Abraham Clark
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
ABRAHAM CLARK was born in Elizabethtown, NJ on
February 15, 1726 the only child of Thomas Clark, a farmer. He was raised to
follow in his father's footsteps, however, because of his slight build and weak
fortitude, he was inadequate at the laborious tasks of farming. He turned his
attention to surveying, and he conveyed legal advice to landowners on their
rights during boundary disputes. Many believed that he did not have a law degree
and that he studied law on his own. However, as he gave his advice gratuitously,
he was known as "the poor man's counselor". His sharp comments on the
pretensions of lawyers won him enemies but also gained him approval from his
fellow citizens, and he became a champion for their rights.
Clark's love of
study and the generosity of his character rendered him very popular. His opinion
was valued, and often sought even beyond Elizabethtown. In 1749, Clark married
Sarah Hatfield, who was very enterprising. Sarah ran the family farm and reared
their ten children, allowing Clark to enter into public life. He was called to
fill various offices, first as a country sheriff and clerk of the assembly,
where he gained valuable political experience.
Clark was all
for independence, having formed his opinion on the great question very early in
the revolution. He was appointed to the committee of public safety and some time
after was elected by the provincial congress. Because of his enthusiasm for
independence, he was sent to Congress on June 22, 1776, to vote in favor of
it. Clark new full well that fortune and individual safety were at stake,
however personal considerations did not influence his decision. He voted for the
declaration of independence and affixed his name to the document with firm
determination to meet the consequences of his noble but dangerous action.
In November 1776
he was elected to the Continental congress, and was continuously re-elected
until 1783 with the exception of one year, 1779. Two of Clark's sons were
officers in the army during the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately the British
captured them, and they were at one point confined to the notorious prison ship,
Jersey, where they endured extreme suffering. Clark scrupulously avoided calling
the attention of congress to the condition of his sons, as painful as it
personally was, but he did make a single exception. One of his sons, a captain
of the artillery, had been cast into a dungeon, where he received no food other
than that which was forced through a keyhole for him by his fellow
prisoners. Clark conveyed these facts to Congress, which immediately directed a
course of retaliation against the British Officer. Captain Clark's condition was
promptly improved.
Clark was a
member of the New Jersey legislature from 1782 until 1787, and while holding
that office acquired great influence and was responsible for all the important
measures passed during his term of service. Clark attracted the respect and
admiration of the community, by his punctuality, his integrity and his
perseverance. He was a delegate to the convention that framed the Federal
constitution in 1787 and in 1789 was appointed a commissioner to settle the
accounts of New Jersey with the United States. Later he became a member of the
United States Congress, serving from October 24, 1791.
On the
adjournment of congress in June 1794, Clark finally retired from public
life. However, he did not live long enough to enjoy even the limited comforts he
possessed. On September 15, 1794, Clark suffered sunstroke and was dead within
two hours.
Abraham was born in
Elizabethtown,
New
Jersey. His father, Thomas Clark, realized that he had a natural grasp for
math so he hired a tutor to teach Clark surveying. While working as a
surveyor, he taught himself law and went into practice. He became quite
popular and became known as "the poor man's counciler" as he offered to defend
poor men when they couldn't afford a lawyer.
Clark married Sarah Hatfield in 1748, with whom he had 10 children. While
Hatfield raised the children on their farm, Clark was able to enter politics
as a clerk of the Provincial Assembly. Later he became High Sheriff of
Essex County and in 1775 was elected to the Provincial Congress. He was a
member of the Committee of Public Safety.
Early in 1776, the New Jersey delegation to the
Continental Congress was opposed to independence from
Great Britain. As the issue heated up, the state convention replaced all
their delegates with those favoring the separation. Because Clark was highly
vocal on his opinion that the colonies should have their independence, on June
21, 1776, they appointed him, along with
John Hart,
Francis Hopkinson,
Richard Stockton, and
John Witherspoon as new delegates. They arrived in
Philadelphia on June 28, 1776, and signed the Declaration of Independence
in early July.
Two of Clark's sons were officers in the
Continental Army. He refused to speak of them in Congress, even when they
both were captured, tortured, and beaten. However, there was one instance when
Clark did bring them up and that was when one of his sons was put on the
prison ship, Jersey, notorious for its brutality. Captain Clark was
thrown in a dungeon and given no food execept that which was shoved through a
keyhole. Congress was appalled and made a case to the British and his
conditions were improved.
Clark remained in the Continental Congress through 1778. New Jersey
returned him twice more, from 1780 to 1783 and from 1786 to 1788. Clark
retired before the state's
Constitutional Convention in 1794. He died from sunstroke at his home.
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