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

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

attorney, banker and politician who was a leader of the

Anti-Masonic Party The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest Third party (United States), third party in the United States. Formally a Single-issue politics, single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry in the United States. It was active from the late 1820s, ...

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 th ...

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 Mi ...

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 A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

. 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 politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

and

United States Senator The United States Senate consists of 100 members, two from each of the 50 U.S. state, states. This list includes all senators serving in the 119th United States Congress. Party affiliation Independent Senators Angus King of Maine and Berni ...

. Palmer and Clarke became leaders of Vermont's

Anti-Masons The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States. Formally a single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry in the United States. It was active from the late 1820s, especially in the Northeast, and later attempted to ...

. Clarke practiced law in Danville. An adherent of the

National Republican Party The National Republican Party, also known as the Anti-Jacksonian Party or simply Republicans, was a political party in the United States which evolved from a conservative-leaning faction of the Democratic-Republican Party that supported John ...

, 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 The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was an Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist society in the United States. AASS formed in 1833 in response to the nullification crisis and the failures of existing anti-slavery organizations, ...

. He served as

Caledonia County Caledonia County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,233. Its shire town (county seat) is the town of St. Johnsbury. The county was created in 1792 and organi ...

Treasurer from 1822 to 1824, and Caledonia County

Assistant Judge Side judge, or assistant judge, is a judicial position unique to the U.S. state of Vermont. There are two side judges in each of Vermont's 14 counties. Like lay judges, side judges are usually not legal professionals. Duties and responsibilities ...

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 The Vermont House of Representatives is the lower house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The House comprises 150 members, with each member representing around 4,100 citizens. Representatives a ...

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 State House or statehouse may refer to: Buildings *Aso Villa or State House, the official residence of the President of Nigeria *Government House, Dominica or The State House, the official residence of the President of Dominica * State House, Bar ...

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 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 th ...

. 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 The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis in the United States that began a major depression (economics), depression which lasted until the mid-1840s. Profits, prices, and wages dropped, westward expansion was stalled, unemployment rose, and pes ...

, and Clarke did not win the legislative election. By 1839, the Anti-Masonic Party had dissolved and Clarke joined the Democratic Party. 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, writer and historian born in the state of Vermont. Early life Abby Hemenway was born in Ludlow, Vermont on October 7, 1828. She attended Black River Academy ...

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 Danville, Vermont Politicians from Caledonia County, Vermont Businesspeople from Montpelier, Vermont Politicians 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 Abolitionists from Vermont 1780s births 19th-century Vermont state court judges 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American businesspeople 19th-century members of the Vermont General Assembly