Augustine Clarke (c.1780 – June 17, 1841) was a

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

attorney, banker and politician who was a leader of the Anti-Masonic Party and served as

Vermont State Treasurer The State Treasurer's Office is responsible for several administrative and service duties, in accordance with Vermont Statutes. These include: investing state funds; issuing state bonds; serving as the central bank for state agencies; managing the ...

Early life

Details of Clarke's birth are not known for certain. His name is sometimes spelled "Clark" and he appears to have been born in

Richmond, Massachusetts Richmond is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,407 at the 2020 census. History Present day Richmond was first settled by Mica ...

in about 1780. He was baptized in Richmond on March 15, 1786.

Start of career

Clarke moved to Vermont and studied law, although the details of his relocation and studies are unknown. In addition, he was active as a merchant and in other business ventures; in 1815, he received a license permitting him to sell liquor and wine. He was admitted to the bar in Wheelock in 1804. In 1806 he was appointed Wheelock's first Postmaster. In 1806, Clarke was admitted to the bar in Danville. In 1808 he married Sophia Blanchard in Danville.Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, marriage record for Augustine Clarke and Sophia Blanchard, retrieved January 5, 2014 Sophia Blanchard's sister Sarah was the wife of William A. Palmer, who served as

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 ...

and

United States Senator 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 powe ...

. Palmer and Clarke became leaders of Vermont's Anti-Masons. Clarke practiced law in Danville. An adherent of the National Republican Party, he served in local offices including Justice of the Peace. In 1820 he served on the

Vermont Council of Censors The Constitution of the State of Vermont is the fundamental body of law of the U.S. state of Vermont, describing and framing its government. It was adopted in 1793 following Vermont's admission to the Union in 1791 and is largely based upon the ...

, the body which met every seven years to review statutes passed by the

Vermont General Assembly The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...

and ensure their constitutionality. In the 1820s, Clarke also became active in the

American Tract Society The American Tract Society (ATS) is a nonprofit, nonsectarian but evangelical organization founded on May 11, 1825, in New York City for the purpose of publishing and disseminating tracts of Christian literature. ATS traces its lineage back thro ...

. In addition, he was an active member of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He served as Caledonia County Treasurer from 1822 to 1824, and Caledonia County Assistant Judge from 1824 to 1825. In 1826, he was appointed president of the Caledonia National Bank, succeeding Palmer, who had been the bank's first president. Clarke represented Danville in the Vermont House of Representatives in 1824, 1828, 1830, and 1832. In 1830, Clarke was appointed one of Caledonia County's three Commissioners of Jail Delivery. Clarke was named to the Committee to Erect the State House in 1832. He took part in planning and overseeing construction of the Second State House, which was in use from 1833 until it was destroyed by fire in 1856. Clarke was one of the founders of the Anti-Masonic movement. William Wirt carried Vermont as the 1832 presidential candidate of the Anti-Masonic Party. Clarke was one of Vermont's electors, and cast his ballot for Wirt.

Later career

Benjamin Swan Benjamin Swan is a former American state legislator who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and represented the 11th Hampden District from 2009 to 2016. On February 6, 2014, Swan was one of five members of the legislative body ...

had served as Vermont's Treasurer beginning in 1800 and often ran unopposed or with only token opposition. In 1833, Clarke ran as an Anti-Mason and defeated Swan in the election for Treasurer. William A. Palmer had run successfully for

as an Anti-Mason in 1831, and Clarke's victory at the polls was considered additional evidence of the Anti-Masonic Party's viability in Vermont. In September, 1837, Clarke was named to the Anti-Masonic Party's National Committee. Clarke served as Treasurer until running unsuccessfully for reelection in October, 1837. That year Clarke had the highest number of votes, but at 47.3% fell short of the majority required by the

Vermont Constitution The Constitution of the State of Vermont is the fundamental body of law of the U.S. state of Vermont, describing and framing its government. It was adopted in 1793 following Vermont's admission to the Union in 1791 and is largely based upon the ...

. In cases where no candidate receives a majority, the Vermont General Assembly votes. By then the Anti-Masonic Party's popularity was on the wane and the nation was in the midst of the Panic of 1837, and Clarke did not win the legislative election. By 1839, the Anti-Masonic Party had dissolved and Clarke joined the

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 ...

. In July, 1839, he was appointed United States Pension Agent for the State of Vermont.

Later life

Clarke's wife died in 1833. He subsequently moved to Montpelier. In 1839, his daughter Sophia married Samuel L. French, a merchant of

Randolph, Vermont Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,774 at the 2020 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that ...

. In 1840, he married Julia Jewett Hubbard (d. 1881).Research Publication Company
Vermont Marriages
Volume I, 1903, page 29Abby Maria Hemenway
The History of the Town of Montpelier, Including that of the Town of East Montpelier
1888, page 383Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, marriage record for Augustine Clarke and Julia Hubbard, retrieved January 5, 2014

Death and burial

Clarke died in Montpelier on June 17, 1841, and was buried at Montpelier's Elm Street Cemetery.

Abby Maria Hemenway Abby Maria Hemenway (October 7, 1828 – February 24, 1890) was an American teacher, author and historian from the state of Vermont. Early life Abby Hemenway was born in Ludlow, Vermont on October 7, 1828. She attended Black River Academy, af ...

The Vermont Historical Gazetteer: Washington County
1882, page 527.Northeast Kingdom Genealogy

2001Vermont Vital Records, 1720-1908, death record for Augustine Clarke, retrieved January 5, 2014

Notes

References

External links

*, retrieved January 5, 2014

a
Political Graveyard
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Augustine Date of birth unknown 1841 deaths People from Richmond, Massachusetts People from Caledonia County, Vermont People from Danville, Vermont People 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 Burials in Vermont American abolitionists Year of birth uncertain 1780 births 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American businesspeople