Clark, William Edward

Submitted by Mike Miller

William Edward Clark, foundryman and machinist, of New Orleans, La., is a representative worker in his line, for he may be said to have been brought up in the business, as he learned his trade in his father's shop, the latter, John Clark, being a very skillful workman. He was born in Yorkshire, England, the largest county of that country, and there learned the machinist's trade in the foundries and machine shops, obtaining a very practical and thorough knowledge of the work, which he put to a most practical use after his removal to America in 1831 or 1832. He took up his residence in New Orleans, and at once secured the position of foreman in Armstrong's foundry, where he was employed until 1857, at which time he formed a partnership with Eager & Stanley, the latter being a near relative of the great African explorer, Henry M. Stanley. After some time this partnership was dissolved, after which Mr. Clark engaged in business for himself. Being a practical machinist and a shrewd and far-seeing business man, he was eminently fitted for an active business life, and as a machinist he was exceptionally successful and soon became well known in business circles. When the great Civil war came up he commenced the manufacture of heavy guns for the confederate government, and while thus engaged he invented an improved a breech-loading gun, which has since been used to a considerable extent. He manufactured six, eight and twelve-pounders, and his guns were on nearly all the principal battlefields during the war. He was, without doubt, one of the most skillful machinists in the South, and as a result succeeded in accumulating considerable means and won a very enviable reputation. He possessed all the pluck, push and perseverance for which the Briton has always been famous and in his vocabulary there was no such word as "fail." Socially he was one of the first members of the Pickwick club and was captain of the Continental guards. He was man-led three times, the mother of the subject of this sketch being Harriet Meadowcroft. He was the youngest child born to his parents and had the good fortune to receive his education in the well-conducted public schools of New Orleans and in the College of Immaculate Conception, graduating from the commercial department of the college of Spring Hill, Ala. in 188-. He was born August 17, 1866, and when a boy of seven years commenced to work in his father's shops, where he learned every branch of the trade under the able instructions of his father. At the latter's death he took charge of the business and has successfully conducted it ever since, in which respect he has been a credit to his teacher. He has also, in behalf of the family, operated the fine sugar plantation in St. Charles parish known as Magnolia plantation. In 1887 Miss Lodiska Schneider, of New Orleans, became his wife and has since presented him with two daughters who are bright and promising little girls. Mr. Clark had the misfortune to loose his foundry by fire recently, hut he is now rebuilding and will, on its completion, make a specialty of marine work. With the enterprise that has ever characterized him, he is also erecting a cotton press, which he expects to operate, and will no doubt do so in a very creditable manner. Every branch of his work is kept up, no detail is neglected and as a result he is prospering, both financially and as a reputable workman.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 2), p. 473. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.