Augustine Clarke
Augustine Clarke | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1780 Richmond, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | June 17, 1841 (aged 61) Montpelier, Vermont, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, banker, politician |
| Years active | Early 1800s–1841 |
| Known for | Vermont State Treasurer; Anti-Masonic Party leader |
Augustine Clarke (circa 1780 – June 17, 1841) was an attorney, banker, and political figure in Vermont who led the Anti-Masonic Party and held the position of Vermont State Treasurer.
Early life
The precise details of Clarke's birth remain uncertain; his surname is occasionally recorded as "Clark." He was probably born near 1780 in Richmond, Massachusetts, where he was baptized on March 15, 1786. Various sources list his birth year anywhere between 1778 and 1782.
Start of career
Clarke relocated to Vermont to pursue legal studies, although the exact circumstances of his move and legal training are not well documented. By 1815, he had obtained a license to sell liquor and wine, suggesting involvement in commercial ventures alongside his legal work.
He gained admission to the bar in Wheelock in 1804 and became that town’s inaugural Postmaster in 1806. That same year, he was also admitted to practice law in Danville. In 1808, Clarke married Sophia Blanchard from Danville; notably, her sister was married to William A. Palmer, who later served as Vermont Governor and U.S. Senator. Both Palmer and Clarke became prominent leaders within Vermont’s Anti-Masonic movement.
While practicing law in Danville, Clarke was affiliated with the National Republican Party and held local offices such as Justice of the Peace. In 1820, he served on the Vermont Council of Censors, an entity responsible for reviewing legislative compliance with the state constitution. Clarke also participated actively in social reform organizations including the American Tract Society and the American Anti-Slavery Society.
His public service extended to financial and judicial roles: he was Caledonia County Treasurer from 1822 to 1824 and Assistant Judge from 1824 to 1825. In 1826, Clarke succeeded Palmer as president of the Caledonia National Bank. Politically, he represented Danville multiple times in the Vermont House of Representatives between 1824 and 1832.
In 1830, Clarke was appointed as one of Caledonia County’s Commissioners of Jail Delivery, overseeing prisoner management and parole decisions. Additionally, he served on the Committee to Erect the Vermont State House in 1832, supervising construction of the Second State House that remained in use until 1856.
As a key founder of Vermont’s Anti-Masonic movement, Clarke acted as a presidential elector in 1832, casting his vote for William Wirt, the party’s nominee.
Later career
Benjamin Swan had been Vermont’s Treasurer since 1800, often facing no opposition. In 1833, running as an Anti-Mason, Clarke defeated Swan—an important victory for the Anti-Masonic Party following William A. Palmer’s successful gubernatorial campaign in 1831.
Clarke joined the Anti-Masonic Party’s National Committee in September 1837 and continued serving as Treasurer until that October’s election. Although he received a plurality with 47.3% of the vote—falling short of a majority mandated by Vermont’s Constitution—the General Assembly was tasked with selecting the Treasurer. Due to waning Anti-Masonic influence amid the Panic of 1837, Clarke lost this legislative vote.
Following the dissolution of the Anti-Masonic Party by 1839, Clarke aligned himself with the Democratic Party. In July of that year, he was appointed United States Pension Agent for Vermont, shifting into a federal administrative capacity.
Later years
Following the passing of his wife in 1833, Clarke moved to Montpelier. In 1839, his daughter Sophia became the wife of Samuel L. French, a merchant based in Randolph. Clarke entered into a second marriage in 1840 with Julia Jewett Hubbard (who died in 1881).
Passing and interment
Clarke passed away in Montpelier on June 17, 1841, and was laid to rest at Elm Street Cemetery.
External links
- , accessed January 5, 2014
- Augustine Clarke on the Political Graveyard
- Date of birth unknown
- 1841 deaths
- People from Richmond, Massachusetts
- People from Danville, Vermont
- Politicians from Caledonia County, Vermont
- Businesspeople from Montpelier, Vermont
- Politicians from Montpelier, Vermont
- Vermont lawyers
- Members of the Vermont House of Representatives
- Vermont state court judges
- State treasurers of Vermont
- American bankers
- Vermont postmasters
- Vermont National Republicans
- Anti-Masonic Party politicians from Vermont
- Vermont Democrats
- Abolitionists from Vermont
- 1780s births
- 19th-century Vermont state court judges
- 19th-century American lawyers
- 19th-century American businesspeople
- 19th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly