industrialist, politician, Congressman, b. Theresa, Jefferson County, N.Y. In 1855 he moved to Neenah. During the Civil War, he served with the 21st Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry (1862- 1865), rising to the rank of 1st lieutenant. Returning to Neenah after the war, he conducted a hardware business until 1872 when he entered the paper manufacturing business as one of four partners who organized Kimberly, Clark and Company (now Kimberly-Clark Corporation). As one of the two managing partners, Clark was in charge of the company's plant and employees, while J. A. Kimberly (q.v.) handled outside contacts. Clark was managing partner of Kimberly-Clark until his death and also had financial interests in other paper mills. A Republican, he was mayor of Neenah, served in the state assembly (1885-1886), and was U.S. Congressman for two terms (Mar. 1887-Mar. 1891). His son, CHARLES BENJAMIN CLARK [JR.] was born in Neenah and graduated from Yale Univ. in 1904. He inherited his father's interest in Kimberly-Clark and remained a director and stockholder until his death. In 1908 he was co-founder of the Neenah Hardwood Products Corp. and also had important interests in the Nicolet Paper Corp. and the Riverside Paper Corp. A Republican, he was mayor of Neenah (1912-1919). He donated money to numerous local philanthropies, was for many years a trustee of Lawrence College, and was the founder of the Theda Clark Memorial Hospital in Neenah. Biog. Dir. Amer. Cong. (1928); F. L. Holmes, et al., eds., Wis. (5 vols., Chicago, 1946); P. V. Lawson, et al., eds., Hist. of Winnebago Co. (2 vols., Chicago, 1908); Milwaukee Sentinel, Sept. 11, 1891; Appleton Post-Crescent, Apr. 7, 1949; Kimberly-Clark Corp., 4 Men and a Machine [Neenah?, 1947].Learn More
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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]
