Walter McKenzie Clark (August 19, 1846 – May 19, 1924) was a

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

politician and attorney who served as an associate justice (1889–1903) and chief justice (1903–1924) of the

North Carolina Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...

Biography

Clark was born in

Halifax County, North Carolina Halifax County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,622. Its county seat is Halifax. Halifax County is part of the Roanoke Rapids, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is a ...

to General David Clark and Anna M. Thorne. He attended the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

where he was a member of the Philanthropic Society. His portrait currently hangs in the chamber of the Philanthropic Society wherein aspiring members are expected to memorize his contributions to North Carolina. He served as an officer in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

, in 1861 as a Lt. with the 22nd and in 1862 as an Adjutant in 35th North Carolina Infantry regiments during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

before enrolling at the

. After graduating first in his class in 1864, he returned to the war as commanding officer (Major) of the 6th Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves. The battalion was quickly integrated into the 1st Junior Reserves Regiment, also known as 70th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, of which he became the lieutenant colonel in 1865. In the 1870s, Clark moved to

Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southe ...

, practiced law, and wrote books on law and history. Clark was married on 27 January 1875 to Susan Washington Graham, daughter of

William Alexander Graham William Alexander Graham (September 5, 1804August 11, 1875) was a United States senator from North Carolina from 1840 to 1843, a senator later in the Confederate States Senate from 1864 to 1865, the 30th governor of North Carolina from 1845 to ...

. In April 1885, Governor

Alfred M. Scales Alfred Moore Scales (November 26, 1827 – February 9, 1892) was a North Carolina state legislator, Confederate States Army, Confederate General officer, general in the American Civil War, and the List of Governors of North Carolina, 45th G ...

appointed Clark a judge of the superior court, and in 1889, Gov. Daniel G. Fowle elevated him to the state Supreme Court. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 1890, and in 1894, was re-elected with the support of not only his own

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

, but also that of the Republicans and

Populists Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...

. Clark was elected chief justice in 1902 and re-elected several times. In 1912, he unsuccessfully ran for the

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 ...

as a liberal reformer against fellow Democrat Furnifold Simmons. Clark died in office in Raleigh on May 19, 1924. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery.

Legacy

Clark's five children attended North Carolina State University. They include Walter Clark, Jr., who is considered to be the youngest person to ever graduate from the university, and David Clark, who later served on the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

Board of Trustees. Clark Dining Hall and David Clark Labs are named after Walter and David, respectively.

References

External links

Dictionary of North Carolina Biography

North Carolina Historical Marker

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Walter 1846 births 1924 deaths People of North Carolina in the American Civil War University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni People from Halifax County, North Carolina North Carolina Democrats Chief Justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court Politicians from Raleigh, North Carolina Lawyers from Raleigh, North Carolina Confederate States Army officers