*He moved to Le Claire Iowa later in life and is Buried in his back yard in Le Claire Iowa not Buffalo, even though he is the founder of Buffalo Iowa
IN MEMORY
Born on his father's farm in Wythe Co, VA in 1791, per Davenport Past and Present by Franc B Wilkie, published 1858. Actual burial is on the Clark Homestead at Buffalo Iowa.
Founder of Clark's Landing
UNCLE
The first township organized in Scott county was that of Buffalo, which was effected in 1833. Buffalo township was first settled by Captain Benjamin W. Clark in December, 1833, and the first town, that of Buffalo, named in honor of Buffalo, N.Y. was laid out in 1826 at the time of the Incorporation of Davenport.
Among the early settlers of Buffalo township were Captain Benjamin W. Clark; Smith Mounts, Andrew Moats, James M. Bowling, S.R. Baker, Henry B. Blackley, Mr. Lyon, Wm. H. Baker, Orange Babbitt, Dr. A.C. Donaldson (Davenport's first resident physician), Joseph Mounts, Matthias Mounts, Elias Moore, Andrew W. Campbell, James Wilkinson, John L. Sry, James E.Burnside, Wallace Pence, Michael Shelley, Wm. H. Gabbert, Mr. Sprout, Captain LeRoy Dodge, John P. Cooper and others.
In the summer of 1833 Captain Clark broke 10 acres of ground on the lower end of the farm still owned by his son, Captain W.L. Clark, of Buffalo; 40 acres on the site of the present town of Buffalo; 10 acres north of where the present C.R.I. & P. depot now stands, and 40 acres above the present Cook county house on this side of Buffalo, formerly the Captain Dodge estate. This was the first sod turned in Scott county.
The village of Buffalo, which like the township, is named after Buffalo, N.Y., and not from the noble American bison, was originally laid out two years before the incorporation of the city of Davenport in 1836. Clark (Benj. W.), E.A. Mix and Pillsbury, and uncle of Mr. Mix, platted the hamlet and opened a general store in which Erastus H. Bassett was installed as manager. Mr. Bassett was the first school teacher in Scott county as we shall learn later.
In 1834 a Mr. Lynde, then living in Rock Island and the progenitor of the partner in the Mitchell and Lynde bank of that city, began the sale of goods at Buffalo. He thus became not only the first merchant in Buffalo, but also the pioneer merchant in Scott county.
Captain Clark, father of W.L. Clark, of Buffalo today, was the first white settler in Scott county, as also the plotter of the oldest town in the township, which in turn is the pioneer among her other 16 sisters in this commonwealth of Scott.
Muscatine, Iowa Wednesday, May 6
IOWA OLDEST SETTLER
BUFFALO, Iowa, May 4, 1891
Editor NEWS-TRIBUNE: I read your article from the Burlington Hawkeye, written by A. B. DOWELL, saying he has been in Iowa 55 years the 11th of April and asks if there is any other person now living, who has lived here so long as he. I answer, “Yes.” My father settled here in 1833. I was 11 years old. My brother, D. N. Clark, now living at Osceola, Clark county, Iowa, was born here April 21, 1834. John N. Suiter came to this Scott county, in 1835. James E. Burnside came April 1, 1836. James P. Cooper and Perkins Pace came the spring of 1836, and I could name many others, of other counties. I think Burlington, Dubuque, Fort Madison and Keokuk have some earlier than 1836. Capt. James Campbell is one, at Fort Madison.
Davis & Haskel built a grist mill on Cedar creek, six miles above Davenport, in 1835. B. W. Clark built a saw mill on Duck creek, 5 miles above Davenport, same year.
I think I am the only person now living that took a claim on the river, between Burlington and Dubuque, in the spring of 1833, and have owned it all these 58 years without a change of title.
I also think I am now the oldest actual settler of Iowa.
I am sorry to take up so much of your space in answering Mr. Dowell’s questions.
Yours truly,--- W. L. CLARK.
We are able to confirm Capt. Clark’s statements by the following clippings from the Davenport Democrat, the first being from the Democrat’s issue of Nov. 25, 1889, and the latter of the same year:
Capt. W. L. Clark, of Buffalo, the oldest of the Old Settlers of Scott county, celebrated his 67th birthday anniversary Thursday, and has been a prominent and prosperous citizen of Scott county for 56 years. He helped build the first dwelling house (log cabin) in the county, helped break the first land and raise the first white-man’s crop raised in the county, and is yet a strong, clear-headed prosperous citizen, counting on a goodly number yet of years of usefulness. And may he have this hope fulfilled abundantly.
IN MEMORY
Born on his father's farm in Wythe Co, VA in 1791, per Davenport Past and Present by Franc B Wilkie, published 1858. Actual burial is on the Clark Homestead at Buffalo Iowa.
Founder of Clark's Landing
UNCLE
The first township organized in Scott county was that of Buffalo, which was effected in 1833. Buffalo township was first settled by Captain Benjamin W. Clark in December, 1833, and the first town, that of Buffalo, named in honor of Buffalo, N.Y. was laid out in 1826 at the time of the Incorporation of Davenport.
Among the early settlers of Buffalo township were Captain Benjamin W. Clark; Smith Mounts, Andrew Moats, James M. Bowling, S.R. Baker, Henry B. Blackley, Mr. Lyon, Wm. H. Baker, Orange Babbitt, Dr. A.C. Donaldson (Davenport's first resident physician), Joseph Mounts, Matthias Mounts, Elias Moore, Andrew W. Campbell, James Wilkinson, John L. Sry, James E.Burnside, Wallace Pence, Michael Shelley, Wm. H. Gabbert, Mr. Sprout, Captain LeRoy Dodge, John P. Cooper and others.
In the summer of 1833 Captain Clark broke 10 acres of ground on the lower end of the farm still owned by his son, Captain W.L. Clark, of Buffalo; 40 acres on the site of the present town of Buffalo; 10 acres north of where the present C.R.I. & P. depot now stands, and 40 acres above the present Cook county house on this side of Buffalo, formerly the Captain Dodge estate. This was the first sod turned in Scott county.
The village of Buffalo, which like the township, is named after Buffalo, N.Y., and not from the noble American bison, was originally laid out two years before the incorporation of the city of Davenport in 1836. Clark (Benj. W.), E.A. Mix and Pillsbury, and uncle of Mr. Mix, platted the hamlet and opened a general store in which Erastus H. Bassett was installed as manager. Mr. Bassett was the first school teacher in Scott county as we shall learn later.
In 1834 a Mr. Lynde, then living in Rock Island and the progenitor of the partner in the Mitchell and Lynde bank of that city, began the sale of goods at Buffalo. He thus became not only the first merchant in Buffalo, but also the pioneer merchant in Scott county.
Captain Clark, father of W.L. Clark, of Buffalo today, was the first white settler in Scott county, as also the plotter of the oldest town in the township, which in turn is the pioneer among her other 16 sisters in this commonwealth of Scott.
Muscatine, Iowa Wednesday, May 6
IOWA OLDEST SETTLER
BUFFALO, Iowa, May 4, 1891
Editor NEWS-TRIBUNE: I read your article from the Burlington Hawkeye, written by A. B. DOWELL, saying he has been in Iowa 55 years the 11th of April and asks if there is any other person now living, who has lived here so long as he. I answer, “Yes.” My father settled here in 1833. I was 11 years old. My brother, D. N. Clark, now living at Osceola, Clark county, Iowa, was born here April 21, 1834. John N. Suiter came to this Scott county, in 1835. James E. Burnside came April 1, 1836. James P. Cooper and Perkins Pace came the spring of 1836, and I could name many others, of other counties. I think Burlington, Dubuque, Fort Madison and Keokuk have some earlier than 1836. Capt. James Campbell is one, at Fort Madison.
Davis & Haskel built a grist mill on Cedar creek, six miles above Davenport, in 1835. B. W. Clark built a saw mill on Duck creek, 5 miles above Davenport, same year.
I think I am the only person now living that took a claim on the river, between Burlington and Dubuque, in the spring of 1833, and have owned it all these 58 years without a change of title.
I also think I am now the oldest actual settler of Iowa.
I am sorry to take up so much of your space in answering Mr. Dowell’s questions.
Yours truly,--- W. L. CLARK.
We are able to confirm Capt. Clark’s statements by the following clippings from the Davenport Democrat, the first being from the Democrat’s issue of Nov. 25, 1889, and the latter of the same year:
Capt. W. L. Clark, of Buffalo, the oldest of the Old Settlers of Scott county, celebrated his 67th birthday anniversary Thursday, and has been a prominent and prosperous citizen of Scott county for 56 years. He helped build the first dwelling house (log cabin) in the county, helped break the first land and raise the first white-man’s crop raised in the county, and is yet a strong, clear-headed prosperous citizen, counting on a goodly number yet of years of usefulness. And may he have this hope fulfilled abundantly.
*He moved to Le Claire Iowa later in life and is Buried in his back yard in Le Claire Iowa not Buffalo, even though he is the founder of Buffalo Iowa
IN MEMORY
Born on his father's farm in Wythe Co, VA in 1791, per Davenport Past and Present by Franc B Wilkie, published 1858. Actual burial is on the Clark Homestead at Buffalo Iowa.
Founder of Clark's Landing
UNCLE
The first township organized in Scott county was that of Buffalo, which was effected in 1833. Buffalo township was first settled by Captain Benjamin W. Clark in December, 1833, and the first town, that of Buffalo, named in honor of Buffalo, N.Y. was laid out in 1826 at the time of the Incorporation of Davenport.
Among the early settlers of Buffalo township were Captain Benjamin W. Clark; Smith Mounts, Andrew Moats, James M. Bowling, S.R. Baker, Henry B. Blackley, Mr. Lyon, Wm. H. Baker, Orange Babbitt, Dr. A.C. Donaldson (Davenport's first resident physician), Joseph Mounts, Matthias Mounts, Elias Moore, Andrew W. Campbell, James Wilkinson, John L. Sry, James E.Burnside, Wallace Pence, Michael Shelley, Wm. H. Gabbert, Mr. Sprout, Captain LeRoy Dodge, John P. Cooper and others.
In the summer of 1833 Captain Clark broke 10 acres of ground on the lower end of the farm still owned by his son, Captain W.L. Clark, of Buffalo; 40 acres on the site of the present town of Buffalo; 10 acres north of where the present C.R.I. & P. depot now stands, and 40 acres above the present Cook county house on this side of Buffalo, formerly the Captain Dodge estate. This was the first sod turned in Scott county.
The village of Buffalo, which like the township, is named after Buffalo, N.Y., and not from the noble American bison, was originally laid out two years before the incorporation of the city of Davenport in 1836. Clark (Benj. W.), E.A. Mix and Pillsbury, and uncle of Mr. Mix, platted the hamlet and opened a general store in which Erastus H. Bassett was installed as manager. Mr. Bassett was the first school teacher in Scott county as we shall learn later.
In 1834 a Mr. Lynde, then living in Rock Island and the progenitor of the partner in the Mitchell and Lynde bank of that city, began the sale of goods at Buffalo. He thus became not only the first merchant in Buffalo, but also the pioneer merchant in Scott county.
Captain Clark, father of W.L. Clark, of Buffalo today, was the first white settler in Scott county, as also the plotter of the oldest town in the township, which in turn is the pioneer among her other 16 sisters in this commonwealth of Scott.
Muscatine, Iowa Wednesday, May 6
IOWA OLDEST SETTLER
BUFFALO, Iowa, May 4, 1891
Editor NEWS-TRIBUNE: I read your article from the Burlington Hawkeye, written by A. B. DOWELL, saying he has been in Iowa 55 years the 11th of April and asks if there is any other person now living, who has lived here so long as he. I answer, “Yes.” My father settled here in 1833. I was 11 years old. My brother, D. N. Clark, now living at Osceola, Clark county, Iowa, was born here April 21, 1834. John N. Suiter came to this Scott county, in 1835. James E. Burnside came April 1, 1836. James P. Cooper and Perkins Pace came the spring of 1836, and I could name many others, of other counties. I think Burlington, Dubuque, Fort Madison and Keokuk have some earlier than 1836. Capt. James Campbell is one, at Fort Madison.
Davis & Haskel built a grist mill on Cedar creek, six miles above Davenport, in 1835. B. W. Clark built a saw mill on Duck creek, 5 miles above Davenport, same year.
I think I am the only person now living that took a claim on the river, between Burlington and Dubuque, in the spring of 1833, and have owned it all these 58 years without a change of title.
I also think I am now the oldest actual settler of Iowa.
I am sorry to take up so much of your space in answering Mr. Dowell’s questions.
Yours truly,--- W. L. CLARK.
We are able to confirm Capt. Clark’s statements by the following clippings from the Davenport Democrat, the first being from the Democrat’s issue of Nov. 25, 1889, and the latter of the same year:
Capt. W. L. Clark, of Buffalo, the oldest of the Old Settlers of Scott county, celebrated his 67th birthday anniversary Thursday, and has been a prominent and prosperous citizen of Scott county for 56 years. He helped build the first dwelling house (log cabin) in the county, helped break the first land and raise the first white-man’s crop raised in the county, and is yet a strong, clear-headed prosperous citizen, counting on a goodly number yet of years of usefulness. And may he have this hope fulfilled abundantly.
IN MEMORY
Born on his father's farm in Wythe Co, VA in 1791, per Davenport Past and Present by Franc B Wilkie, published 1858. Actual burial is on the Clark Homestead at Buffalo Iowa.
Founder of Clark's Landing
UNCLE
The first township organized in Scott county was that of Buffalo, which was effected in 1833. Buffalo township was first settled by Captain Benjamin W. Clark in December, 1833, and the first town, that of Buffalo, named in honor of Buffalo, N.Y. was laid out in 1826 at the time of the Incorporation of Davenport.
Among the early settlers of Buffalo township were Captain Benjamin W. Clark; Smith Mounts, Andrew Moats, James M. Bowling, S.R. Baker, Henry B. Blackley, Mr. Lyon, Wm. H. Baker, Orange Babbitt, Dr. A.C. Donaldson (Davenport's first resident physician), Joseph Mounts, Matthias Mounts, Elias Moore, Andrew W. Campbell, James Wilkinson, John L. Sry, James E.Burnside, Wallace Pence, Michael Shelley, Wm. H. Gabbert, Mr. Sprout, Captain LeRoy Dodge, John P. Cooper and others.
In the summer of 1833 Captain Clark broke 10 acres of ground on the lower end of the farm still owned by his son, Captain W.L. Clark, of Buffalo; 40 acres on the site of the present town of Buffalo; 10 acres north of where the present C.R.I. & P. depot now stands, and 40 acres above the present Cook county house on this side of Buffalo, formerly the Captain Dodge estate. This was the first sod turned in Scott county.
The village of Buffalo, which like the township, is named after Buffalo, N.Y., and not from the noble American bison, was originally laid out two years before the incorporation of the city of Davenport in 1836. Clark (Benj. W.), E.A. Mix and Pillsbury, and uncle of Mr. Mix, platted the hamlet and opened a general store in which Erastus H. Bassett was installed as manager. Mr. Bassett was the first school teacher in Scott county as we shall learn later.
In 1834 a Mr. Lynde, then living in Rock Island and the progenitor of the partner in the Mitchell and Lynde bank of that city, began the sale of goods at Buffalo. He thus became not only the first merchant in Buffalo, but also the pioneer merchant in Scott county.
Captain Clark, father of W.L. Clark, of Buffalo today, was the first white settler in Scott county, as also the plotter of the oldest town in the township, which in turn is the pioneer among her other 16 sisters in this commonwealth of Scott.
Muscatine, Iowa Wednesday, May 6
IOWA OLDEST SETTLER
BUFFALO, Iowa, May 4, 1891
Editor NEWS-TRIBUNE: I read your article from the Burlington Hawkeye, written by A. B. DOWELL, saying he has been in Iowa 55 years the 11th of April and asks if there is any other person now living, who has lived here so long as he. I answer, “Yes.” My father settled here in 1833. I was 11 years old. My brother, D. N. Clark, now living at Osceola, Clark county, Iowa, was born here April 21, 1834. John N. Suiter came to this Scott county, in 1835. James E. Burnside came April 1, 1836. James P. Cooper and Perkins Pace came the spring of 1836, and I could name many others, of other counties. I think Burlington, Dubuque, Fort Madison and Keokuk have some earlier than 1836. Capt. James Campbell is one, at Fort Madison.
Davis & Haskel built a grist mill on Cedar creek, six miles above Davenport, in 1835. B. W. Clark built a saw mill on Duck creek, 5 miles above Davenport, same year.
I think I am the only person now living that took a claim on the river, between Burlington and Dubuque, in the spring of 1833, and have owned it all these 58 years without a change of title.
I also think I am now the oldest actual settler of Iowa.
I am sorry to take up so much of your space in answering Mr. Dowell’s questions.
Yours truly,--- W. L. CLARK.
We are able to confirm Capt. Clark’s statements by the following clippings from the Davenport Democrat, the first being from the Democrat’s issue of Nov. 25, 1889, and the latter of the same year:
Capt. W. L. Clark, of Buffalo, the oldest of the Old Settlers of Scott county, celebrated his 67th birthday anniversary Thursday, and has been a prominent and prosperous citizen of Scott county for 56 years. He helped build the first dwelling house (log cabin) in the county, helped break the first land and raise the first white-man’s crop raised in the county, and is yet a strong, clear-headed prosperous citizen, counting on a goodly number yet of years of usefulness. And may he have this hope fulfilled abundantly.
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