Jesse DeLoss Clark was born on 7 February 1890, in Winona, Minnesota. His parents were Charles Henry Clark and Etta Bell Gage. Jesse was a strikingly handsome man, tall with black hair, blue eyes, and beautiful teeth, which were unusual in those pre-orthodontal days. He produced a brood of handsome children and attracted and enjoyed the admiration of many women in his day.

On Christmas Day in 1911, Jesse, then 21, married Christina Anderson, the granddaughter of Norwegian immigrants. The young couple took up a homestead north of Terry, Montana, on Cherry Creek near the Powder River. All his life, Jesse was known as "Cherry Creek Jess." Christina gave Jesse two children: a son, Lyle, whom he fondly called "Bo," and a lovely daughter, Iva.

But an onslaught of storms, grasshoppers, and draughts discouraged the young family. Christina's sudden death of a brain embolism in 1915, leaving Jesse with two small children, was almost more than a man could bear.

Iva went to live with the Andersons and Lyle with Charles and Etta Clark. With determination and support from his family, Jesse was able to maintain his Powder River home until the early 20s. He was soon in a position to bring Iva and Lyle home.
When Jesse went to town (Terry) from the homestead, he stayed at the boarding house owned by the Lewis family, who had emigrated from Texas. The town of London, Texas, was named after the family patriarch, London Lender Lewis. The Lewis' also owned several houses, town buildings, and the local millinery shop. Often working at the boarding house switchboard or wherever she was needed was young Coralee Chamberland, the Lewis' granddaughter. In 1920, the pretty 18-year-old girl and the charming 30-year-old widower were married. Jesse and Coralee had four girls and three boys: Loma, Joy, Pansy, Betty, Charles, Jay DeLoss and Richard.

In 1924, Jesse rejoined his brothers in North Dakota where he worked in his brother Clifford's farm implement business. In 1929, the family moved to Molton near the Montana border, but the depression years caused them to move once again to Beach, ND.

Traditional religious values lent strength to the family. They attended the United Brethren Church, a Quaker offshoot.

Jesse took what work he could during the depression. He cleaned sewers, water lines, chicken coops-anything that would turn a dollar. He worked in grain elevators, harvested other men's crops, and was a foreman on WPA projects building bridges and schools.

The winds of World War II were blowing over the country. Jesse set out with several of his friends to find work that would help the war effort. The entire nation began gearing up for what would surely be a severe test of the country's strength and resolve.

Jesse worked for awhile in Idaho, near where Iva was teaching school. With the help of a loan from her, he was able to buy a home in Beach.

Midway through the war, Jesse relocated his family to Tacoma, Washington, one of the main centers of the defense industry. He worked in the shipyards and as a Pinkerton security guard. All of Jesse's boys spent time in the service of their country; his youngest, Dick, gave his life.

Jesse's lifetime spanned the leap from a rural, agrarian economy and lifestyle to the technology revolution of the 20th century. He transferred his love of horses to automobiles and was every bit as adept with the latter as he was famous for the former.

After the war, the Beach home was sold and the proceeds applied to the purchase of a small fruit farm near Rainier. There, Jesse finished his mortal sojourn as he had begun it, working the land he loved.

Jesse Clark died in 1954. He was 64. He is buried in Tacoma.