Sidney Clarke (October 16, 1831 – June 18, 1909) was a U.S. Representative from Kansas, a Kansas state speaker of the house, and an Oklahoma territorial legislator. He was a part of the Oklahoma statehood movement.[1]

Sidney Clarke
Member of the Oklahoma Territorial Council for the 6th district
In office
1888–1902
Preceded byJ. W. Johnson
Succeeded byHerbert H. Champlin
2nd Mayor of Oklahoma City
In office
November 11, 1889 – November 12, 1889
Preceded byWilliam Couch
Succeeded byAndrew Jackson Beale
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's at-large district
In office
March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1871
Preceded byA. Carter Wilder
Succeeded byDavid P. Lowe
Personal details
Born(1831-10-16)October 16, 1831
Southbridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJune 18, 1909(1909-06-18) (aged 77)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Resting placeFairlawn Cemetery
Political partyRepublican
Signature

Early life

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Born in Southbridge, Massachusetts, Clarke attended the public schools. He was publisher of the Southbridge Press in 1854, and settled in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1859. Clarke enlisted as a volunteer during the Civil War, and was appointed assistant adjutant general of Volunteers by President Lincoln February 9, 1863. He served as captain and assistant provost marshal general for Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Dakota.

Congressional career

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Clarke was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-ninth, Fortieth, and Forty-first Congresses (March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1871). He served as chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs (Forty-first Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1870 for reelection to the Forty-second Congress.

Later life

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Clarke served in the Kansas state house of representatives in 1879 as an independent and was elected speaker.[1] He moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1889 and engaged in railroad building.[1] He served as chairman of the statehood executive committee in 1891, and as member of the Territorial council from 1898 to 1902. He also served on the Oklahoma City Council and as the second provisional mayor.[1] He died in Oklahoma City, and was interred in Fairlawn Cemetery.

References

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  • United States Congress. "Sidney Clarke (id: C000470)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  1. ^ a b c d O'Dell, Larry, "Clarke, Sidney Archived 2010-07-20 at the Wayback Machine," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived 2009-04-16 at the Wayback Machine (accessed May 19, 2010).
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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's at-large congressional district

1865–1871
Succeeded by