05/15/2026
Capt. Warner Lewis Clark - Circa 1881
Warner Lewis Clark was born on the Wabash River near Mount Carmel, Wabash County, Illinois, on November 14, 1822, a son of Benjamin Warren Clark, of Virginia, and Mary (Beard) Clark, of Kentucky. Sadly, his mother died giving him birth and he was then cared for by his Grandmother Beard.
During the year 1824 his father married Miss Celia Gabbert, of Kentucky, and Warner returned to his father's home. The family soon afterwards removed to Fort Edwards, Hancock County, Illinois, there being no settlement outside the fort. Mr. Clark bought an interest in a herd of cattle, which was pastured in the bottoms opposite Quincy, Illinois. Col. George Davenport, the Indian trader at Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, learned of Mr. Clark and engaged him to come up the river and cut some wild hay. So, in the summer of 1827, Mr. Clark indulged Mr. Davenport and brought his family with him on the trip. Young Warner Clark remembered distinctly when his father carried him from the gang plank of the small river steamer on which they made the trip and placed him down on shore in the midst of a crowd of 100 Indians who had gathered to see the boat land.
Well, once here, the family never left! The Clark family settled on the banks of the (Sylvan) slough, near where a wagon bridge was later built, in the area now known as the city of Rock Island. Warner recalled that in the fall, the Sacs and Foxes, before starting out on their hunting expeditions, would bring their canoes from Rock River to the slough and fill them with stones and sink them near the Clark cabin. This was done to hide them so that the Winnebagos, a thieving tribe, could not find them and take them away. The canoes were usually made of walnut logs hollowed out by fire, although occasionally a birch bark canoe from the north was found among them. It was also necessary for the Indians to hide their precious supplies of corn and beans from the Winnebagos. To do this, they were placed into sacks woven from the bark of the linden or basswood tree and placed in holes they dug that were four or five feet deep. Leaves were placed in the bottom of the holes, then the sacks, then more leaves, brush and grass to keep the water from reaching the grain. Finally, a fine layer of earth was spread over the top and more leaves to present a natural landscape appearance. However, sometimes even these measures did not keep the Winnebagos from discovering and confiscating what wasn't theirs.
In those days, mail was obtained from Galena, Illinois, about 90 miles away, by sending two soldiers from the fort on foot. The news of President Jackson's election in August of 1828 was not received until late December.
The first paleface that Warner remembers seeing, outside his own family, was that of Col. George Davenport, the Indian trader. There were three families named Davenport living at Fort Armstrong on Rock Island at that time, none of them related to each other. The others being George Marmaduke Davenport and Col. William Davenport.
Warner recalled that in 1828, trade was opened with the Indians on the Iowa side of the Mississippi. Soon a buck crossed over wanting to sell a pony. Warner's father, being interested, went to the Iowa side and negotiated the purchase. But how would the Indian make delivery? He took a rawhide lasso, tied it around the pony's neck and paddled across the river in a canoe with the pony in tow. Where it couldn't walk, it swam. The crossing took place at about what would be the foot of Brady Street today.
At that time Black Hawk, Keokuk and their tribes, namely the Sacs and Foxes, were living in the vicinity on the north side of Rock River. The area from the side of the bluff to Rock River or Black Hawk's Tower, was continuous cornfield, fenced in with brush the entire distance to keep ponies from the growing the crops.
The Indians were friendly in the main; but, like all nations, had some restless bold spirits, and as boys, Warner and his brother John P. had many pleasant hours with the young Indians, playing ball, running foot-races, and shooting bows and arrows. Warner was familiar with the language of these tribes, speaking their dialects as well as the natives. The Clark's nearest neighbors were an Indian family, who lived about five rods east of their house in their wick-a-up, living harmoniously until one day the Indian head of the household came from the island with just enough "fire-water" to make him vicious. He came to the house of Warner's father and threatened to strike him with a war club. Benjamin Clark took a good-sized switch, and gave him a thorough whipping. Warner explained that an Indian would bare his breast and dare one to shoot, but would run for dear life when threatened with a switch, as it was considered a great indignity to be switched.
The Indian was forgotten, until upon one occasion Benjamin Clark was returning from Fort Edwards, now Warsaw, Illinois. While traveling on the snow-covered ice at about where Fort Madison now stands, he noticed this same Indian running upon the shore and hiding behind a tree. Suspecting from the Indian's actions that all was not right, he covered the skulking warrior with his gun, and commanded him to "come out," which the Indian immediately obeyed. Mr. Clark then marched the Indian further out upon the ice, compelled him to lay down his gun, tomahawk and scalping knife in the snow. He then walked the Indian ahead of him for several hours. At that point he released him, knowing that it would be impossible for the Indian to return for his weapons and over take him before he reached home. Black Hawk was then informed of the affair and interfered to prevent further difficulty.
In the fall of 1832, his father's family came and built a hewn log house at the creek at the west end of where Andalusia is now located. At the time, their closest neighbors were Joshua Vandruff on Vandruff's Island, at the foot of Black Hawk's Tower, and Erastus Dennison, at the Upper Yellow Banks, later known as New Boston. Captain Benjamin W. Clark fenced and plowed about 160 acres. After looking the area over, he established the Clark Ferry, which became the most noted ferry above St. Louis. Nearly all of the first settlers of Scott, Muscatine, Cedar and Linn counties crossed into Black Hawk's purchase via Clark's Ferry.
In December of 1833, Warner moved with his family from the Illinois side of the Mississippi to Black Hawk's purchase on the opposite bank. Being 11 years of age at that the time, Warner assisted his father and a hired man in hauling logs to erect the first cabin in what would become Scott County. They also planted the first crop of corn that a white man had ever grown here. At that time, their nearest neighbors were in Burlington and Dubuque. Antoine LeClaire did not settle upon the left bank of the river until the following year.
Up to that point in time, Warner had attended school for only six months, three months at White Oak Springs, Wisconsin, and three more at Oquawka, Illinois. In the spring of 1836 the town of Buffalo was laid out, and Warner, then a boy of 16, secured the contract for putting up the first storehouse for Jacob Pelien, and took S. C. Hastings as a partner. Hastings was later a judge of the Supreme Court of Iowa, a member of Congress, and later chief justice of California. Clark and Hastings provided the scoring and they hired S. Giilet to do the hewing. The partnership cleared about $80. Warner was also placed in charge of the management of the noted "Clark's Ferry." And when time permitted he continued his education in the first school in Buffalo township, which was taught by Erastus Basset.
At one point in time Benjamin Clark purchased 500 apple trees, which were brought to Buffalo by a party with their families coming from Ohio. These trees were distributed and grew into the first orchards in this vicinity. They were of hardy stock and for many years bore great crops, having few of the enemies that fruit contend with today.
Warner also remarked that even at his early arrival on the Iowa shore, he never once saw a buffalo. "If there were any of these animals about here, it was before my time."
After completing his schooling in 1838, Warner's father sent him back to his birthplace at Wabash County, Illinois, to sell two farms he owned there, and to return through the state and purchase and drive home 50 cows. Warner employed Daniel Stennate to accompany him and assist in driving. He later remarked that they traveled through the entire state of Illinois with $3,000 cash, going from grove to grove and openly stating his business, with greater safety from robbery than one could later go from Buffalo to Davenport with 75 cents in money.
On October 25, 1839, his father Benjamin passed away, the saddest event of his life, and one month later occurred the death of his mother, leaving eight children, of whom he was the oldest, most of the others being young and helpless. To make matters worse, while they were absent at the funeral of their mother, their home was ransacked and the children were left with scarcely a change of clothing. They had never before in their young lives lacked for anything, but he and his brother found themselves in a dark and gloomy place. Warner related that no human being could feel as he did without experiencing such an event themselves, and that for the rest of his life he could not refrain from shedding tears at the recollection of those most dreary days of existence.
And to further discourage the young lad, a friend of the family predicted that "he would come to some bad end, because he had never been accustomed to labor." As cruel as the prophecy seemed, he later was very thankful for it; for he determined to convince that friend "that he would be a man," and states that within 15 years, he could have purchased the friend's farm and several others and had money to spare, besides having the confidence of those who knew him. Warner began by cutting wood for 50 cents per cord, breaking prairie for $2.00 per acre, and raising and selling winter wheat for 20 to 22 cents per bushel.
On December 9, 1841, Warner Lewis Clark married Miss Harriet Baker, daughter of Maurice Baker, of Maryland, and Margaret Waters Baker, of Kentucky. They immediately started to housekeeping with a family of six of his brothers and sisters, Warner and his wife being but 19 and 18 years of age, respectively.
In the fall of 1846, W. L. Clark took several men and an outfit and went to the pineries on Black River, Wisconsin, where sufficient logs were cut to make several respectable rafts. In 1847 he moved his family to Davenport where he entered into a partnership with a Mr. Hamilton under the firm name of "Clark & Hamilton," as dealers in timber.
In 1848 he and W. H. Baker erected a double saw-mill on Black River, just above the falls. The plant was large enough that they employed about a dozen men. The output of their primitive mill was floated down the Mississippi in rafts to stock the "Clark & Hamilton" lumber yard in Davenport.
In 1850, Capt. W. L. Clark sold out the yard and purchased a one-quarter interest in the steamer "Uncle Toby" along with two barges, taking possession and running the boat until 1853. During the following year, Capt. Clark and the late Capt. Leroy Dodge purchased a half interest in a line of packets running between Keokuk, Davenport and Rock Island. Capt. Clark took command of one steamer and Capt. Dodge of the other. They made money very rapidly, and in 1856 the two gentlemen bought the entire line paying the Keokuk company $40,000 for their interest, adding the "Ben Campbell," a very fine boat in those days, which was afterward burned at Buffalo.
It was about that time that Capt. Clark received a very valuable acquisition - the United States mail contract for carrying mail over his line, which was obtained through the kindness of his staunch friends, Generals Dodge and Jones, Senators from Iowa.
In 1857 Captain Clark removed from Davenport to Buffalo, and opened his coal mines to supply the packet line with coal for fuel. The coal was mined and hauled to the mouth of Bowling Creek, where the packets landed at that time.
Captain Clark had become quite wealthy, but in 1859 the financial crisis came upon the land like a northern blizzard, sweeping every one before it, Captain Clark not being an exception. The most secure banks crumbled to invisible fragments, leaving nothing but wild-cat swindles, from which sprang many fine buildings for the unfortunate creditors to gaze upon while grieving over their misplaced confidence. During those dark hours that tried men's souls, many noble-hearted, honest men, like Antoine LeClaire, J. M. D. Burrows and others, fell to rise no more financially. A few withstood the blast; though they lost money, they came forth with honor brightened by the rough treatment they had received. Capt. Clark was left with enough means to supply him a comfortable home in his old age, and grant a few luxuries.
In principle Capt. Clark had been a life-long Democrat, but without desire for political honors. He had always sacrificed his own advancement for the betterment of others. He was generous to the poor, had a kind sympathy for the unfortunate and was temperate in his habits in every respect. Though not a member of any church, he was a staunch defender and supporter of religion. He expressed keen regret at having been unable to do more to advance the cause of justice, truth and temperance.
During the summer of 1865, Captains Clark and Dodge laid out an addition to the town of Buffalo, that still bears their names. Two streets in the town were also named after them.
Captain Warner Lewis Clark passed away on September 22, 1911, at Buffalo, Iowa, after a long period of illness. He had suffered a fall in January of 1911, fracturing his hip, and was bedridden from that time until his death. He had also suffered from a cancer since 1907. He died as Iowa's oldest pioneer settler at the age of 88. He was survived by his children, Mrs. Gen. Jesse M. (Emma) Harrison of Buffalo, Mrs. Charles F. (Clara) Elmes of Chicago, Mrs. William L. (Florence) Orrick of Omaha, and Charles C. Clark of St. Louis.
Capt. Clark was preceded in death by two sons and two daughters, Benjamin Warren, Lincoln L., Kate M. and Anna M.
