[1] He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a member of the Philanthropic Society.

His portrait currently hangs in the chamber of the Philanthropic Society wherein aspiring members are expected to memorize his contributions to North Carolina.

After graduating first in his class in 1864, he returned to the war as commanding officer (Major) of the 6th Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves.

In April 1885, Governor Alfred M. Scales appointed Clark a judge of the superior court, and in 1889, Gov.

In 1912, he unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate as a liberal reformer against fellow Democrat Furnifold Simmons.