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Bayard Clarke (March 17, 1815 – June 20, 1884) was a United States representative from New York.

Biography

Born in New York City on March 17, 1815, Clarke was a member of one of the city's oldest and most prominent families. He graduated from Geneva College in 1835, studied law, and was admitted to the bar.

From 1836 to 1840 he was attaché to Lewis Cass, United States Minister to France. While in France he was a student in the Royal Cavalry School.

Upon returning to the United States, Clarke joined the United States Army, receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in the 8th Infantry in March, 1841. He transferred to the 2nd Dragoons in September, 1841. During his service Clarke took part in the Seminole Wars in Florida.

Clarke resigned from the army in December, 1843 and practiced law in New York City and Westchester County. Also in December, 1843 he married Alletta Remsen Lawrence, a member of another prominent New York family.

He was an unsuccessful Whig candidate for election in 1852 to the Thirty-third Congress. In 1854 he was elected as an Opposition Party candidate to the Thirty-fourth Congress, holding office from March 4, 1855, to March 3, 1857. He declined renomination as a Republican in 1856 and resumed practicing law.

At the start of the American Civil War, Clarke went to Washington, D.C. to offer his services. He was commissioned as a colonel, and was an organizer of the 1st New York Cavalry Regiment (Lincoln Cavalry), which was commanded by Carl Schurz, Clarke, and then Andrew T. McReynolds.

In mid-1861 there were news accounts indicating that Clarke would be commissioned a brigadier general and assigned to command a school for cavalry in Westchester County. This plan does not seem to have been carried out, since there are no further references to Clarke's promotion or the operation of a cavalry school in Westchester County.

In retirement Clarke lived in England for several years. He later resided in Florida during the winter and an island on Schroon Lake, New York during the summer. He died on June 20, 1884, at his summer home, Isola Bella, in Schroon Lake. He was interred in a vault at First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Newtown, New York.

His name sometimes appears as "Clark" in contemporary news accounts and other records.

References

1. Thomas William Herringshaw, Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography, 1909, page 635
2. U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, application for Bayard Clarke, retrieved via Ancestry.com, October 5, 2013
3. New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volumes 28-29, 1897, page 61
4. Rossiter Johnson, John Howard Brown, editors, The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, 1904
5. Chez A. Guyot et Scribe, Almanach National: Annuaire Officiel de la République Française, 1840, page 3
6. John Howard Brown, editor, Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States, 1900, page 36
7. Benjamin Homans, editor, Army and Navy Chronicle, Volumes 12-13, 1841, page 312
8. Francis Colburn Adams, The Story of a Trooper, 1865, page 7
9. U.S. Army Adjutant General, Official Army Register for 1843, 1844, page 52
10. New York Society Library, NYC Marriage & Death Notices 1843-1856, retrieved October 5, 2013
11. New York Times, The Election: The General Result, November 4, 1852
12. New York Times, The State Election: Latest Returns, November 10, 1854
13. New York Times, Letter from Hon. Bayard Clarke Declining a Renomination, October 21, 1856
14. New York Daily Tribune, Volunteer Incidents, April 26, 1861
15. New York Times, The Cavalry Regiment: A Note From Major Bayard Clarke, July 3, 1861
16. John Watts De Peyster, Personal and Military History of Philip Kearny, 1870, page 480
17. New York Times, The Great Rebellion: Important News from Washington, August 4, 1861
18. Galveston Weekly Civilian and Gazette, News by Telegraph, August 13, 1861
19. Shreveport Daily News, News by Telegraph, August 9, 1861
20. New York State Military Museum, Transcript, Civil War Newspapers, Westchester County, New York, retrieved October 5, 2013
21. The Daily Saratogian, Telegraphs, August 5, 1861
22. 1871 England Census, entry for Bayard Clarke, retrieved via Ancestry.com, October 5, 2013
23. Reading Eagle, The Schroon Lake Meteorite, October 5, 1880
24. New York Times, Col. Bayard Clarke Dead, June 22, 1884
25. New York Times, Funeral of Col. Bayard Clarke, June 28, 1884
26. Newtown Register, Funeral notice, Alletta Remsen Lawrence Clarke, May 30, 1878
27. Stephen Z. Starr, The Union Cavalry in the Civil War: From Fort Sumter to Gettysburg, 1861-1863, 1985, page 69
28. Burdick & Allen, War Papers Read Before the Commandery of the State of Wisconsin, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Volume 3, 1903, page 65
29. Thomas Kearny, General Philip Kearny: Battle Soldier of Five Wars, Including the Conquest of the West, 1937, page 170
30. New York Times, Local Military Movements, July 2, 1861

External links

• United States Congress. "Bayard Clarke (id: C000457)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Bayard Clarke at Political Graveyard

• 1815 births
• 1884 deaths
• Politicians from New York City
• New York (state) Whigs
• Opposition Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
• New York (state) Republicans
• New York (state) lawyers
• United States Army officers
• Union army officers
• People of New York (state) in the American Civil War
• Hobart and William Smith Colleges alumni
• 19th-century American lawyers
• 19th-century New York (state) politicians
• 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives