John Clarke was a Welshman born on February 17, 1831 on the Isle of Anglesea, an island in the Irish Sea off the northwest coast of Wales. At age fourteen, the future judge and mayor of Wausau left his home and, unaccompanied by his parents, sailed for America. He stayed briefly in Dane County in southern Wisconsin before moving north into the pinery to make his way in the lumber business. He first arrived at Big Bull in November 1845.
For the next six years, this young man rafted the river and rode the wanigans as a cook until he got his chance to run a sawmill in 1851. For the next nine years he split his time between operating a sawmill and piloting rafts on the Wisconsin River. In 1860, he managed to buy a sawmill of his own. It was the second mill built by Charles Stevens, located on the island which forms the center of Wausau, and which came to be known as Clarke's Island.
During his life, he was honored by many offices of trust. In 1859 he was elected sheriff of Marathon County; from 1863-1865 he was chairman of the county board; from 1856-1864 he was clerk of the school board; was a trustee of the village board in 1861; from 1872-1874 he was a member of the city council; in 1876 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention; during the year 1877-1878 he was mayor of the city of Wausau and a member of the assembly in 1882; from 1859-1892 he was municipal judge of Marathon County; in 1893 he was postmaster at Somo, Lincoln County.
Mr. Clarke was one of the survivors of the Newhall House fire horror that occurred on January 10, 1883. He had placed two of his daughters in school at Oconomowoc and was returning to Wausau when he stopped for the night at the Newhall House in Milwaukee. The fire broke out at 4 AM and Mr. Clarke was awakened by the ringing of a fire bell, and when he arose, he found the room full of smoke and the fire roaring in the elevator shaft. From previous observation he noticed a fire escape near his room and remembered that. He dressed and crawled on his hands and knees, to avoid the smoke as much as possible, to the window and kicked the window out. The Madison Square Theatre Company's troupe was staying at the house, and before descending the ladder, he directed members of the company where to find the fire escape. Over seventy people perished in that catastrophe.
Mr. Clarke passed away on December 14, 1906.
For the next six years, this young man rafted the river and rode the wanigans as a cook until he got his chance to run a sawmill in 1851. For the next nine years he split his time between operating a sawmill and piloting rafts on the Wisconsin River. In 1860, he managed to buy a sawmill of his own. It was the second mill built by Charles Stevens, located on the island which forms the center of Wausau, and which came to be known as Clarke's Island.
During his life, he was honored by many offices of trust. In 1859 he was elected sheriff of Marathon County; from 1863-1865 he was chairman of the county board; from 1856-1864 he was clerk of the school board; was a trustee of the village board in 1861; from 1872-1874 he was a member of the city council; in 1876 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention; during the year 1877-1878 he was mayor of the city of Wausau and a member of the assembly in 1882; from 1859-1892 he was municipal judge of Marathon County; in 1893 he was postmaster at Somo, Lincoln County.
Mr. Clarke was one of the survivors of the Newhall House fire horror that occurred on January 10, 1883. He had placed two of his daughters in school at Oconomowoc and was returning to Wausau when he stopped for the night at the Newhall House in Milwaukee. The fire broke out at 4 AM and Mr. Clarke was awakened by the ringing of a fire bell, and when he arose, he found the room full of smoke and the fire roaring in the elevator shaft. From previous observation he noticed a fire escape near his room and remembered that. He dressed and crawled on his hands and knees, to avoid the smoke as much as possible, to the window and kicked the window out. The Madison Square Theatre Company's troupe was staying at the house, and before descending the ladder, he directed members of the company where to find the fire escape. Over seventy people perished in that catastrophe.
Mr. Clarke passed away on December 14, 1906.
John Clarke was a Welshman born on February 17, 1831 on the Isle of Anglesea, an island in the Irish Sea off the northwest coast of Wales. At age fourteen, the future judge and mayor of Wausau left his home and, unaccompanied by his parents, sailed for America. He stayed briefly in Dane County in southern Wisconsin before moving north into the pinery to make his way in the lumber business. He first arrived at Big Bull in November 1845.
For the next six years, this young man rafted the river and rode the wanigans as a cook until he got his chance to run a sawmill in 1851. For the next nine years he split his time between operating a sawmill and piloting rafts on the Wisconsin River. In 1860, he managed to buy a sawmill of his own. It was the second mill built by Charles Stevens, located on the island which forms the center of Wausau, and which came to be known as Clarke's Island.
During his life, he was honored by many offices of trust. In 1859 he was elected sheriff of Marathon County; from 1863-1865 he was chairman of the county board; from 1856-1864 he was clerk of the school board; was a trustee of the village board in 1861; from 1872-1874 he was a member of the city council; in 1876 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention; during the year 1877-1878 he was mayor of the city of Wausau and a member of the assembly in 1882; from 1859-1892 he was municipal judge of Marathon County; in 1893 he was postmaster at Somo, Lincoln County.
Mr. Clarke was one of the survivors of the Newhall House fire horror that occurred on January 10, 1883. He had placed two of his daughters in school at Oconomowoc and was returning to Wausau when he stopped for the night at the Newhall House in Milwaukee. The fire broke out at 4 AM and Mr. Clarke was awakened by the ringing of a fire bell, and when he arose, he found the room full of smoke and the fire roaring in the elevator shaft. From previous observation he noticed a fire escape near his room and remembered that. He dressed and crawled on his hands and knees, to avoid the smoke as much as possible, to the window and kicked the window out. The Madison Square Theatre Company's troupe was staying at the house, and before descending the ladder, he directed members of the company where to find the fire escape. Over seventy people perished in that catastrophe.
Mr. Clarke passed away on December 14, 1906.
For the next six years, this young man rafted the river and rode the wanigans as a cook until he got his chance to run a sawmill in 1851. For the next nine years he split his time between operating a sawmill and piloting rafts on the Wisconsin River. In 1860, he managed to buy a sawmill of his own. It was the second mill built by Charles Stevens, located on the island which forms the center of Wausau, and which came to be known as Clarke's Island.
During his life, he was honored by many offices of trust. In 1859 he was elected sheriff of Marathon County; from 1863-1865 he was chairman of the county board; from 1856-1864 he was clerk of the school board; was a trustee of the village board in 1861; from 1872-1874 he was a member of the city council; in 1876 he was a delegate to the democratic national convention; during the year 1877-1878 he was mayor of the city of Wausau and a member of the assembly in 1882; from 1859-1892 he was municipal judge of Marathon County; in 1893 he was postmaster at Somo, Lincoln County.
Mr. Clarke was one of the survivors of the Newhall House fire horror that occurred on January 10, 1883. He had placed two of his daughters in school at Oconomowoc and was returning to Wausau when he stopped for the night at the Newhall House in Milwaukee. The fire broke out at 4 AM and Mr. Clarke was awakened by the ringing of a fire bell, and when he arose, he found the room full of smoke and the fire roaring in the elevator shaft. From previous observation he noticed a fire escape near his room and remembered that. He dressed and crawled on his hands and knees, to avoid the smoke as much as possible, to the window and kicked the window out. The Madison Square Theatre Company's troupe was staying at the house, and before descending the ladder, he directed members of the company where to find the fire escape. Over seventy people perished in that catastrophe.
Mr. Clarke passed away on December 14, 1906.
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