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Historical records matching Meriwether Lewis Clark Sr. (Brig. Gen.--CSA
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About Meriwether Lewis Clark Sr. (Brig. Gen.--CSA
Meriwether Lewis Clark, Sr. (January 10, 1809 – October 28, 1881) was an architect, civil engineer, politician, and a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Missouri governor and corps of discovery expedition leader, William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. He was named after his father's friend and associate, Meriwether Lewis.
In 1826, he accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated 23rd of 42 cadets in the Class of 1830. He was brevetted as a second lieutenant in the 6th U.S. Infantry and assigned to Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis. He served as an officer and mapmaker in the Black Hawk War before resigning from the army in 1833.
As a designer-architect, M. L. Clark contributed to the early architecture of St. Louis, including the design of St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church. In 1836, he was elected to the Missouri General Assembly. Four years later, he was named as the city engineer of St. Louis and later was the recorder of the city court.
While on assignment in Louisville, Kentucky, Clark met and courted Abigail Prather Churchill, of the prominent Churchill family. They married in January 1834 and raised seven children before her death in 1852. Their son, Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., would become a prominent member of Louisville society, promoting horse-racing and building, with help from his Churchill relations, the famous racetrack Churchill Downs.
During the Mexican War in 1846, Clark resumed his military career as a major in the Missouri volunteers, serving as the commander of an artillery battalion. He participated in the battle of Sacramento near Chihuahua city under Colonel Alexander Doniphan on February 28, 1847. After the war, Clark returned to St. Louis and was the Federal surveyor general for Missouri and Illinois.
In early 1861, Clark, strongly pro-secessionist in his political views, was appointed by Governor Claiborne F. Jackson to organize recruits from the Ninth District of Missouri. He received an appointment as a brigadier general of the Ninth Division of the Missouri State Guard, but the unit was never formally organized during his tenure, partially because of the very strong pro-Union sentiment in St. Louis. Clark resigned from the Guard in November 1861 and was replaced by Daniel M. Frost.
He then accepted a commission as a major of artillery in the Confederate Army. He was promoted to colonel and assigned to various staff positions before a disagreement with General Braxton Bragg led to his dismissal. He then was in charge of the Ordnance Department in Richmond, Virginia, until November 1864 when he assumed command of an infantry brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. During the Appomattox Campaign, he was taken prisoner at the Battle of Sayler's Creek near Amelia Courthouse, Virginia, on April 5, 1865.
After the war, Clark moved to Louisville, Kentucky, and resumed his engineering career. He married Julia Davidson on December 30, 1865. He was the lead architect on the design and construction of several state buildings in Kentucky. He later was the commander of cadets at the Kentucky Military Institute.
Clark died in Frankfort, Kentucky, in 1881. He is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.
Children of Meriwether Lewis Clark, Sr. and wife Abigail Prather Churchill:
- Mary Eliza Clark (1845-1847), buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri
- Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr. (1846-1899) founder of Churchill Downs, died by self-inflicted gunshot.
Links to additional material:
- http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9318
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriwether_Lewis_Clark,_Sr.
GEDCOM Note
Civil War Confederate Brigadier General, Politician. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he was the son of Missouri Governor and expedition leader William Clark of "Lewis and Clark" historical fame. In 1830, he graduated with an engineering degree from the US Militray Academy at West Point and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th US Infantry. He served as an officer mapmaker in the Black Hawk War, before resigning from the Army in 1833. In 1836, he was elected to the Missouri General Assembly, was named as the city engineer of St. Louis and later was the recorder of the city court. During Mexican-American War, he resumed his military career as a Major serving as the commander of an artillery battalion and participated in the Battle of Sacramento, Chihuahua. After the war, he returned to St. Louis and was the Federal surveyor general for Missouri. With the advent of the Civil War, he was appointed by Governor Claiborne Jackson to organize recruits and was commissioned Brigadier General the 9th Division of the Missouri State Guard. He served in the Mississippi Theater until November 1861, when he resigned from the Guard position to except a commission as Colonel in the Regular Confederate Army. Assigned to various staff positions, he later was in charge of the Ordnance Department in Virginia. In 1864, he assumed command of an infantry brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee and was taken prisoner at the Battle of Sayler's Creek Virginia, on April 5, 1865. After the war, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky, resumed his engineering career, was lead architect on the design of several state buildings and later was commander of cadets at the Kentucky Military Institute. He died at age 72 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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Meriwether Lewis Clark Sr. (Brig. Gen.--CSA's Timeline
| 1809 |
January 10, 1809
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St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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| 1840 |
1840
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MO
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| 1842 |
September 12, 1842
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St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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| 1845 |
1845
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| 1846 |
January 27, 1846
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Louisville, KY
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| 1848 |
July 7, 1848
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St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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| 1850 |
April 19, 1850
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St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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| 1852 |
January 10, 1852
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St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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