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In Search of Ezra Thompson Clark Writing the "definitive" biography of Ezra Thompson Clark is the family organization's major project. Antone Clark, a great-great grandson of Ezra T. Clark through Ezra's son Hyrum Don Carlos, has undertaken the research and writing. A former newspaper editor in the East, Antone has been researching the book for almost 10 months by compiling notes and bits and pieces of Clark history from the journals of Ezra's oldest son (Ezra James who died coming home from a mission) and other family writings. The book is not the first attempt to paint a picture of Ezra Thompson Clark. His daughter, Annie Vilate Clark Tanner, compiled a short biography on her father, now out of print but accessible through the Tanner Foundation's web site www.lib.utah.edu/digital/tanner/ Annie's son, Obert Clark Tanner, who funded the Tanner Foundation at the University of Utah, was one of the biggest proponents of a more definitive biography of Ezra T. Clark. Antone is not the first Clark to attempt this major biography. Two other descendants undertook the project but died before their work was finished. It appeared as if Antone might be the third victim. Antone and his family relocated from New York to Utah in the summer of 2001. In Iowa he was involved in a serious crash after a car crossed the median and hit Antone's vehicle head on. Antone was left in serious condition with broken legs and ribs, a collapsed lung and other injuries. Dr. John R. Clark, former head of the Ezra T. Clark Family Organization, said his initial thought upon hearing of the crash was "Oh no, not another….." Antone hopes to finish the book by October 2002. A sample of his research for the book is showcased in the story "How The Clarks Came to Join the Church." Some of the research for this story was done while Antone was confined to a hospital bed in Des Moines, Iowa----where Ezra T. once served a mission. The Colonial Clarks Another key piece of ongoing family research is being done by Dr. Dale Clark, son of Amasa Clark and one of the last remaining grandchildren of Ezra T. Clark . Dale has been especially active in researching the colonial background of the Clarks and Deacon George Clark, in particular and the family's influence on the early history of the United States. Dale hopes to be able to document the Clarks' contributions to establishing the Connecticut Constitution, which was the precursor for the U.S. Constitution. A noted author, Dr. Dale is considered the man who helped set the foundation for the Peace Corps. |