"Spokane and the Spokane Country, Pictorial and Biographical, De Luxe
Supplement."  Vol. 1.  Spokane, Chicago, Philadelphia:  The S. J. Clarke
Publishing Company, 1912. p. 211.
 
JAMES CLARK

     History was formerly a record of wars and conquests but has become a record
of business activity and of man's utilization of natural resources. In this
connection the life work of James dark is notable. He came to America when a
youth in his teens and gradually worked his way upward until he became one of
the conspicuous figures in mining circles in the west and in fact his name was
known throughout the length and breadth of the country. Prosperity did not come
to him as the result of fortunate conditions or circumstances, but because of
his keen sagacity, manifested in judicious investments and the careful conduct
of his business interests.
     He was born in Ireland in 1849 and died on the 8th of August, 1901. Within
that period he accomplished that which would be a credit and honor to the life
of any individual. His parents were James and Mary dark, and while spending his
youthful days in the parental home he pursued his education and thus laid the
foundation for his later advancement. Favorable reports reached him concerning
business conditions in the new world and he was but seventeen years of age when
he with his brother, Patrick dark, came to the United States. They made their
way westward to Butte, Montana, and while Patrick dark became associated with
Marcus Daly as foreman in the development of the Alice mine and later in the
opening and operation of the Anaconda mine, James dark worked as a miner and day
by day added to his knowledge and experience of the business. Later he made his
way to the Coeur d'Alene district where he was also engaged in mining, and
eventually he became interested in mining property at Rossland, British
Columbia, being superintendent of the well known War Eagle mine. He was
afterward one of the original discoverers of Republic camp, locators and owners
of the Republic and other mines there and from its sale realized a handsome
fortune. As the years passed he became recognized as an expert on mining
property and its possibilities, and the soundness of his judgment was proven in
his splendid success, making him one of the wealthy men of the northwest and one
of the best known representatives of mining interests in the entire country.
     Mr. dark was married in Butte, Montana, in 1883, to Mrs. Charlotte
(Willman) Toner, a daughter of Henry and Alicia (Foy) Willman, of Ireland. They
have three children: Agnes, at home; Patrick of the Traders National Bank, in
which institution the estate has large holdings of stock; and Katherine, at
school. The family circle was broken by the hand of death, when on the 8th of
August, 1901, Mr. Clark passed away. His political allegiance was given to the
democratic party and fraternally he was connected  with the Benevolent
Protective Order of Elks. He was a devout adherent of the Roman Catholic church.
His friends found him a very witty man, quick at repartee and a most congenial
and entertaining companion. He possessed the characteristic versatility and
ability of people of his nationality and his record is a credit alike to the
land of his birth and the land of his adoption. In business his associates and
colleagues found him reliable as well as enterprising and progressive, and his
efforts were ever of a character that contributed to the general development and
consequent prosperity of the northwest as well as to his individual success.
 
     
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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in October 2007 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.