Rush Clark (October 1, 1834 – April 29, 1879) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer from

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, who died on the floor of

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

in 1879.

Biography

Born in

Schellsburg, Pennsylvania Schellsburg is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 329 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History Schellsburg was so named after John Schel ...

, Clark attended common schools and a local academy in

Ligonier, Pennsylvania Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,513 at the 2020 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in t ...

as a child. He graduated from Jefferson College in 1853, studied law and was admitted to the bar the same year, commencing practice in

Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...

. He was a member of the

Iowa House of Representatives The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...

from 1860 to 1864, serving as

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

in 1863 and 1864, served on the staff of

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Samuel J. Kirkwood Samuel Jordan Kirkwood (December 20, 1813 – September 1, 1894) was an American politician who twice served as governor of Iowa, twice as a U.S. Senator from Iowa, and as the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Early life and career Samuel Jordan ...

in 1861 and 1862 and aided in the organization of volunteer regiments from

during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. Clark was a trustee of the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...

from 1862 to 1866, was again a member of the Iowa House of Representatives in 1876. In 1876, he was elected as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

to represent

Iowa's 5th congressional district Iowa's 5th congressional district is an obsolete congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa. It was last represented by Republican Steve King in 2013, who continued to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives after the district's obsoles ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

. He was re-elected two years later. However, on April 29, 1879, near the beginning of the first session of his second term, he died suddenly on the floor of the House, reportedly suffering an attack of

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, headache, and neck stiffness. Other symptoms include confusion or ...

.Obituary,
The Hon. Rush Clark
" New York Times, 1879-04-29 at p. 4. He was interred in Oakland Cemetery in Iowa City.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Rush 1834 births 1879 deaths Iowa lawyers Washington & Jefferson College alumni Politicians from Iowa City, Iowa People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania People of Iowa in the American Civil War Speakers of the Iowa House of Representatives Union (American Civil War) political leaders Deaths from meningitis Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Iowa 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American lawyers Neurological disease deaths in Washington, D.C. Infectious disease deaths in Washington, D.C.

Biography

See also

References

External links