[1] Born in Southbridge, Massachusetts, Clarke attended the public schools.

He served as captain and assistant provost marshal general for Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Dakota.

Clarke served in the Kansas state house of representatives in 1879 as an independent and was elected speaker.

[1] He served as chairman of the statehood executive committee in 1891, and as member of the Territorial council from 1898 to 1902.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress