Ezra Clark

Ezra Clark Jr. (September 12, 1813 – September 26, 1896) was a United States Representative from Connecticut and a prominent civic and business leader in Hartford during the mid- to late nineteenth century. He was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, on September 12, 1813, and in 1819 moved with his parents to Hartford, Connecticut, which remained his home for the rest of his life. He attended the public schools in Hartford, receiving the basic education that prepared him for a career in commerce and public affairs.

After completing his schooling, Clark engaged in business as an iron merchant in Hartford. In this capacity he became closely associated with the city’s growing industrial and manufacturing interests. His success in business led to broader responsibilities in the manufacturing sector, and he eventually served as president of the National Screw Company of Hartford. Under his leadership, that firm later became consolidated with the American Screw Company of Providence, Rhode Island, reflecting the increasing regional integration of New England industry in the mid-nineteenth century.

Clark’s prominence in business was paralleled by an active role in local government. He served as a member of the common council and the board of aldermen in Hartford, participating in the municipal governance of a city that was expanding in population and economic importance. In addition to his legislative duties at the local level, he also served as a judge of the municipal court, contributing to the administration of justice in Hartford and gaining further public recognition for his judgment and civic-mindedness.

Building on his local reputation, Clark was elected to the United States House of Representatives as the candidate of the American Party to the Thirty-fourth Congress and was reelected as a Republican to the Thirty-fifth Congress, serving from March 4, 1855, to March 3, 1859. During his first term he served as chairman of the Committee on Manufactures, a position that aligned closely with his professional background in industry and commerce and placed him at the center of legislative deliberations affecting American manufacturing interests. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Thirty-sixth Congress, bringing his period of national legislative service to a close after two consecutive terms.

Following his congressional service, Clark remained an influential figure in Hartford’s civic life. He served as president of the Hartford Board of Water Commissioners from 1882 to 1895, overseeing an essential public utility during a period of urban growth and modernization. He also served for many years as president of the Young Men’s Institute of Hartford, an organization devoted to the intellectual and educational advancement of the city’s young men, reflecting his continuing interest in public improvement and community development.

Ezra Clark Jr. died in Hartford, Connecticut, on September 26, 1896. He was interred in Spring Grove Cemetery, leaving a legacy as a businessman, municipal official, and two-term member of Congress whose career linked local governance, industrial enterprise, and national legislative service during a formative era in Connecticut’s political and economic history.