CUYAHOGA COUNTY OHIO - BIOS: CLARK, Maurice B. (published 1869)
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From Cleveland, Past and Present: its Representative Men: Compromising 
Biographical Sketches of Pioneer Settlers and Prominent Citizens. Cleveland: 
Maurice Joblin, 1869.


M. B. Clark was born in Malm[e]sbury, England, September 6, 1827. From early 
boyhood until he was nearly of age he was employed in all the various 
occupations of an agricultural distrct. About this time the United States, as a 
promising country for the working man, was attracting considerable notice in 
his native village, and young Clark, being favorably impressed with reports 
from America, secretly resolved to husband his means and follow the example of 
those who had recently gone.

In the Spring of 1847, he left home with but barely sufficient means for the 
expenses of the journey. On the 17th of June in that year he landed at Boston, 
amidst martial music and parade of military, celebrating the Battle of Bunker's 
Hill. This, however, was but poor consolation to the English lad, who found 
himself penniless and friendless. He used every effort to find employment 
without success, and in the meantime was obliged to sleep wherever night 
overtook him. At last he obtained work on a farm, in the little town of Dover, 
Massachusetts, at ten dollars per month. He remained in this situation until 
October, when, with the regrets of his employer, he left for the West.
On arriving in Ohio, he first obtained employment at chopping wood and teaming,
in Lorain county. In the following Spring he returned to Cleveland and obtained 
a situation as helper in a hardware store. Here it became apparent to him that 
he was sadly deficient in an educational point of view, and that it offered an 
almost insuperable barrier to his advancement in life. To remedy this, so far 
as possible, he devoted all his leisure hours to study, and on the establishment
of the evening schools the following winter, he availed himself of them, and 
the advantage soon became apparent.

With a view to the improvement of his circumstances, in 1851, he engaged 
himself to Hussey & Sinclair, with whom he remained six years, when he returned 
to his former employers, Otis & Co., and remained with them three years longer.

In 1859, he established himself in the commission business, associating with 
him John D. Rockefeller, the firm name being Clark & Rockefeller; both young 
men of limited means. By strict attention and honorable conduct they soon built 
up a lucrative business. In 1860, G. W. Gardner became a member of the firm, 
and continued as such for two years, when he retired.

In 1863, Mr. Clark's attention was attracted to the manufacture of petroleum 
oils, a business then in its infancy. In connection with his partners, he 
erected a factory on the Newburg road, the capacity of which was about 
fifty-six barrels of crude oil per day. They soon discovered that there was 
money in the enterprise, and before the end of the year they had increased the 
capacity of their works four-fold; and the enterprise of this firm has aided 
materially in making Cleveland what it is to-day, the successful rival of 
Pittsburgh in the manufacture of petroleum oils. In 1865, the manufacturing 
branch was purchased by his partner, and the general commission business was 
continued by Mr. Clark until 1866, when he sold out his interest, remaining 
nominally out of the business until June of that year, when he wearied of 
idleness and sought active business once more. Purchasing the controlling 
interest in another refinery, he set to work, vogorously, enlarging the capacity
of th!e works and bringing capital and energy to bear with such effect upon the 
business of the firm, that it now ranks among the leading oil refining 
establishments of the country.

Mr. Clark has been no niggard with the wealth that has accrued to him from his 
business. During the war he contributed liberally and was active in aiding the 
cause of the government by giving every practical measure his cordial and 
generous support. In other matters he has manifested a like liberal spirit. In 
politics he has acted with the Republicans, and has been active in furthering 
the success of that party. In 1866, he was elected member of the city council 
from the fourth ward, and was re-elected in 1868. In religious matters he has 
always connected himself with the Wesleyan Methodists, and has been a leading 
supporter of that congregation in Cleveland.

Still in the vigor of life, Mr. Clark has the opportunity of doing much more 
for the prosperity of the city by increasing the manufacturing business, and 
this his practical nature leads him to do. 

It will be seen that Mr. Clark has been the architect of his own fortune. His 
sympathies are with the industrial classes, from which he sprang, and in return 
he has the confidence and good will of a large portion of that class.

Mr. Clark was married in 1853, and has a family of five children.





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