Barzilla Worth Clark (December 22, 1880 – September 21, 1943) was an American politician from

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...

. He served as the 16th governor of Idaho mayor of

Idaho Falls Idaho Falls (Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: Dembimbosaage) is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is the state's largest city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2020 Un ...

, and was a member of the

Idaho Democratic Party The Idaho Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Idaho. While the party has been in the minority for most of the state's history, it has produced several notable public figures, including former U.S. sena ...

Early life and education

Clark was born in

Hadley, Indiana Hadley (, ) is an unincorporated community in Marion Township, Hendricks County, Indiana. History Hadley was platted in 1872. It was named for the Hadley family of settlers. Geography Hadley is located at . Notable person * Barzilla W. Clark ...

, the son of Eunice (Hadley) and Joseph Addison Clark. Clark made the journey to

eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

Idaho by

narrow-gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structur ...

railroad in 1885 with his family to Eagle Rock (now He attended

Rose Polytechnic Institute A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...

Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

, but left school due to a lung injury during track and field practice.

Career

After leaving school, Clark returned to Idaho and engaged in farming, mining, and cattle raising. On October 26, 1905, he married Ethel Salome Peck, and they had four children. Clark became a licensed engineer in 1905 and worked as a

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...

. His reservoir on the Blackfoot River was purchased by the government and his plan for impounding Lost River was merged into Mackay Dam. After two terms as councilman, he served as mayor of Idaho Falls from 1913 to 1915 and again from 1926 to 1936. During this term, the city built the Municipal Hydroelectric Plant No. 1. Clark's interest turned to Idaho mines until he was again elected mayor of Idaho Falls in 1927 and served until his inauguration as governor on January 4, 1937. During his two-year term, a state tuberculosis hospital was authorized, a judicious pardon and parole system was installed, and junior college districts were created. Clark lost the Democratic primary for a second term to his predecessor,

C. Ben Ross Charles Benjamin Ross (December 27, 1876 – March 31, 1946) was an American politician who served as the first Idaho-born governor from 1931 to 1937. Early life and education One of eight children, Ross was born in the Idaho Territory in ...

, who ran for

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

in 1936 against longtime incumbent

William Borah William Edgar Borah (June 29, 1865 – January 19, 1940) was an outspoken History of the United States Republican Party, Republican United States Senator, one of the best-known figures in History of Idaho, Idaho's history. A Progressivism ...

. Ross lost the general election in 1938 to

C. A. Bottolfsen Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen (October 10, 1891July 18, 1964) was an American publisher and politician from Idaho, a member of the Idaho Republican Party. He served as the state's 17th and 19th governor, from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1943 to 194 ...

; Clark left office on January 2, 1939, and returned to Idaho Falls and his private interests. He chose not to run in 1940 to reclaim the office, which was won by his younger brother Chase Clark (1883–1966). Chase was the father-in-law of

Frank Church Frank Forrester Church III (July 25, 1924 – April 7, 1984) was an Americans, American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Idah ...

(1924–84), a four-term U.S. Senator (1957–81) and presidential candidate in

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

. In turn, Bottolfsen defeated Chase in 1942.

Death

Clark died of complications of lung cancer at age 62 in Idaho Falls he is interred at Rose Hill Cemetery in Idaho Falls.

References

External links

University of Idaho Library
nbsp;– Barzilla Clark (1885–1943), papers 1937–1938
''Gem of the Mountains'', UI annual: 1938
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Barzilla W. 1880 births 1943 deaths Mayors of places in Idaho Democratic Party governors of Idaho People from Idaho Falls, Idaho People from Bonneville County, Idaho People from Hendricks County, Indiana American civil engineers Deaths from lung cancer Methodists from Idaho Deaths from cancer in Idaho 20th-century American politicians