Bay Stater

mums499 John G. Clark Papers Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Amy Hindle. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Dubois Library, UMass Amherst

Amherst, Mass.

2012

Finding aid encoded in MSWord2012-11-01 Finding aid written in English Clark, John G. John G. Clark Papers 1874-1987 1941-1970 MS 499 4 boxes 5.25 linear ft. Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst With a lifelong interest in politics, John G. Clark of Easthampton, Massachusetts worked on a number of campaigns before running for office himself. He ran for state senator in 1958, but lost in the Democratic primary. Two years later he ran again, this time for state representative of the 3rd Hampshire District, and won. Clark served in the State House of Representative for eight years until he was appointed clerk of the district court in Northampton and chose not to run for reelection. While this collection is small, it is packed with campaign materials, letters, position statements, speeches, and press releases that together offer a good sense of the political climate in Massachusetts during the 1960s, especially issues of local concern for Hampshire County. Letters from four young neighbors written while serving in Vietnam provide a personal account of the war. English

John G. Clark's colorful life began on February 26, 1902 in Northampton, Massachusetts. His wife, Ruth Miller Clark was born in 1902 in Easthampton; like her husband, she was raised in Western Massachusetts. John and Ruth married just as the Great Depression commenced; their only child- a son- John P. Clark was born in 1930. During the early Depression years, Clark worked in his insurance business and attended law school at night, but this small family- like so many others- faced economic hardships, which led to John losing his business.

World War II saw the Clark's through many changes; the most significant being the purchase of the dairy farm at 79 Holyoke Street in 1940. While running the farm, both John and Ruth spent some time working at the Springfield Armory during the war, which served as their contribution to the war effort. Their main focus, however, was always the dairy farm; Ruth kept all of the financial records along with every inventory needed. Together, John and Ruth worked seamlessly to run the farm while raising their son.

Their only child, John P. Clark (fondly referred to as "Jack Jr.") was the recipient of all their love and support. Great attention was paid to his education, evidenced by the report cards, letters, speeches, and school programs that they preserved. As a young boy, Jack Jr. attended Easthampton elementary school and Easthampton High School before finishing out his secondary education at Williston Academy between 1947 and 1949. He went on to serve in the Korean War as part of the United States Air Force, and spent time on different bases in Texas and California in addition to serving overseas in Okinawa, Japan. Throughout 1954-55 Jack Jr. remained in close contact with his parents; a large amount of correspondence relating the goings-on in the affair force and at home in Easthampton has been preserved.

While Jack Jr. served in the Air Force, life in Easthampton underwent changes. The dairy farm needed to be closed down after the herd became infected with disease. After this, John worked as a milkman for H.P. Hood & Sons Milk Company; series three of this collection houses a photograph of a group of milkmen. Series two features some letters from this company; one in particular that congratulates Mr. Clark on being the "top wholesale salesman on Egg Nogg sales" in his branch. Meanwhile, Ruth went back to office work at the Springfield Armory. Though they were busy, John and Ruth always had Jack on their minds while he remained overseas.

John's political career began in 1960 when he ran for, and was elected to the Massachusetts State House of Representatives, representing the third Hampshire County District. He ran on the platform of providing full representation for his constituents; meaning that he would make himself available to the public and assist them in any way in which he was able. He continued this idea throughout his three terms. One of the ways he provided this -- full representation -- included having office hours from nine in the morning to twelve in the afternoon on three Saturdays a month; each Saturday was spent in one of the three towns where he had office located. His dedication also shown through in his correspondence with a few local young men serving in Vietnam in 1966. The letters offered words of encouragement in between relating some of the goings-on back home. Series one also contains a separate folder holding a huge amount of correspondence between Clark and his constituents. People wrote and asked for his help, or brought a town issue to his attention. Either John or Ruth would try to respond to each constituent. During his three terms, Ruth worked tirelessly as his secretary; answering and returning calls, typing his correspondence and keeping his records in order. Together, these two people formed one of the hardest-working teams.

During his time in office, John formed a close friendship with Lorenzo Jeffers, the chief of the Wampanoag Tribe. When John first went to the legislature, he heard a speech by a member of this tribe and that moment sparked his interest in helping the tribe in any way possible; he worked ardently for the tribe to gain the land necessary to build the Gay Head Museum in Gay Head, MA on Martha's Vineyard. John was even inducted into the Wampanoag Tribe as a honorary chief. Clark remained friends with Jeffers, even after his last term in office.

John choose not to run for reelection in 1968, and instead moved on to serve as the clerk of the Hampshire County district court. He enjoyed his time in that position because of his keen interest in the law. Unfortunately, in December of 1968, Clark suffered a stroke which ended his job at the court; he was never able to return to work. During his rehabilitation he documented the stroke and his recovery through letters and journal-esque pieces, which can be found in series two of this collection. He refused to remain on the sidelines, and used this writing time to regain use of his hands.

John G. Clark passed away in May 1972 at age 70. He left behind a legacy of full representation for his constituents, and is remembered as being a representative whom the people knew they could always count on.

The collection is divided into three series: Political, Personal and Biographical, and Photographs. The political information ranges from ca. 1960 to 1968 and contains correspondence, campaign materials, newspaper clippings and articles and bills, along with material relating to the Kennedy and Johnson presidencies. The personal and biographical content ranges from ca. 1942 to 1982. The material includes letters and documents from a couple of Clark's employers such as H.P. Hood and Sons Milk Company and The Springfield Armory. All the material relating to John P. Clark's education, which includes; report cards, reading lists, speeches, graduation bulletins and all of the correspondence and rules for the Invitation to College radio contest Jack Jr. took part in. All of the correspondence during Jack's time in the air force between him and his parents from the years 1953 to 1955, along with postcards, foreign currency, certificates, memorandums, inventories and travel records are located within this series. The financial records, animal inventories and blue relating to the dairy farm, as well as the family's deed to purchase their house and the rest of their financial records can be found in series two. Many of the extended family members' obituaries, and Jack Jr.'s account of his family history are located here as well. The photographs in the third series are varied. They include snapshots, taken ca. 1953 to 1955, of different military bases as well as shorts of Okinawa, Japan. Photos of the dairy farm, the family home, as well as random family snapshots can be found within this series.

The collection is open for research.

Cite as: John G. Clark Papers (MS 499). Special Collections and University Archives, W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Acquired from Adrienne Clark, 2003; addition in 2010.

Processed by Amy Hindle, 2012.

Clark, John G. Clark, Ruth Miller Clark, John P. Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Easthampton (Mass.)--History Massachusetts--History. Massachusetts--Politics and government--1951- Photographs Correspondence Series 1. Political Career 1958-1972

Series one contains information pertaining to John G. Clark's eight-year career as Massachusetts State representative. The bulk of this series consists of correspondence between Clark and other politicians and public officials, as well as between he and his constituents. Notable letters include those written by Silvio Conte and James Lawton. Clark appeared to assist Lawton during his run for State Attorney General. In addition to several folders of correspondence, there is a folder of Clark's campaign materials, which includes fliers, postcards and bumper stickers. The letters to and from Vietnam soldiers are also located within this series. The letters, ranging from March 1966 to December 1966, are from local boys who were looking for any news from back home in Easthampton. There are also letters and newspaper clippings reflecting Clark's relationship with Wampanoag Chief Lorenzo Jeffers. Within that same folder is Clark's circulatory letter iterating how he came to be involved in the issues concerning the Wampanoag tribe. One folder contains the booklets and pamphlets from the Massachusetts General Court from the years 1961 to 1968. The booklets list the different committees within the general court and the respective senators and representatives who were part of them, while the membership pamphlets simply list the senators and representatives for each county in Massachusetts. Some of this material reflects historic moments of the 1960s; pamphlets, newspapers and invitations during the Kennedy and Johnson presidencies are located in this series. There are also several folders that hold large amounts of newspaper clippings from the years ca. 1960 to 1968. All of the clippings portray either Clark's involvement in his districts or the goings-on within the state.

Series 2. Biographical and Personal 1874-1987 1936-1987

Series two contains all of the material related to Clark's personal life outside of the political sphere. In 1942, Jack Jr. was in the hospital for an undisclosed reason for a couple of weeks; during this period John was unable to join Ruth at the hospital with Jack Jr. as he needed to stay on the farm. In this series, there is a folder containing the letters exchanged between John and Ruth, and John and Jack Jr. during that time apart. All of the blueprints for their family home and the dairy farm are contained in box two. Additionally, there is a folder containing receipts for cattle, as well as a separate folder which holds records of all the livestock and tools used on the farm. All of the financial records for the farm, house and any additional family expenses have also been preserved within this series. As John held a variety of jobs before being elected as state representative, this series also houses letters, handbooks and other papers from the Springfield Armory and H.P. Hood & Sons Milk Company. John P. Clark's (Jack Jr.) education material from grade school through college. There are letters, report cards, speeches, reading lists, along with notices regarding extra-curricular activities from the following schools: Easthampton High School, Williston Academy, American International College, and Clark University. Jack Jr. was also involved in the academic contest called the Invitation to College Contest in 1947, which was broadcast over the radio. The letters Jack received regarding the contest, as well as booklets containing the contest's instructions are saved and are in box two of this collection. A significant portion of this series is the correspondence between Jack Jr. and his parents while he was in the U.S. Air force during the Korean War. There are approximately 50 folders containing correspondence from February 1952 to June 1955. Six of these letters are sound recordings, or "talking letters"? in which John and Ruth could listen to Jack speak to them via these tapes. Other folders contain correspondence and letters from various family members and friends. Jack Jr. also started a handwritten account of his family history entitled "The Clark Chronicles"?, which can be found with other material related to the Clark family history.

Series 3. Photographs 1895, 1941-1970

The third and final series houses all of this collection's photographs. The bulk of this series is snapshots of various air force bases across the U.S. and Okinawa, Japan. There are also four folders that hold pictures of the Clark family through the years, including one of John G. Clark's father, James taken during his track and field days. Many of these photographs are of the family home at 79 Holyoke Street and the dairy farm; some of the livestock found their way into the pictures. A few of the photos are of John while he was in office- the most notable being of Clark dressed up for the St. Patrick's Day Parade as he was a member of that committee. However, the photo that stands out is of a group of Hood milk men and the trucks, all lined up on a road before heading out for the day's deliveries.

Series 1. Political Career 1958-1972 1 1 American Polonia Reporter 1966 1 2 Awards and certificates 1958-1971 1 3 Bay Stater 1963 June 1 4 Bills passed 1961-1968 1 5 Boston Sunday Herald: political cartoons 1962 1 6 Business and membership cards 1961-1972 1 7 Campaign materials 1960 4 Campaign poster ca. 1960 1 8 Cardinal Cushing statement undated 1 9 Ceremonies attended 1963 4 Certificates: honorary citizen (Quincy, Mass.) 1965 3 Certificates: state representative 1961-1967 1 10 Committee materials 1953 1 11 Correspondence 1961-1970

Includes circulary letters, letters to the editor.

1 12 Correspondence: constituents 1960-1969 1 13 Correspondence: politicians, public officials 1961-1969 1 14 Correspondence: Ruth Clark 1965-1981 1 15 Correspondence: Vietnam soldiers 1966 1 16 Inauguration: President Johnson 1965 1 17 Invitations 1961-1968 1 18 Jeffers, Lorenzo 1963-1972 1 19 Kennedy presidency 1961 1 20 Kennedy presidency: All New England States Dinner 1963 Oct 1 21 Kennedy memorials 1963 1 22 Lions Club 1958 1 23 Massachusetts election candidates 1962 1 24 Massachusetts General Court 1961-1968 1 25 Massachusetts Legislature Association: window decal ca. 1969 1 26 Miscellaneous, political 1961-1964 1 27 National Civic Review 1965 1 28 Newspaper articles: Daily Hampshire Gazette 1959-1966 1 29 Newspaper articles: Holyoke Telegram 1965 1 30 Newspaper clippings: election results 1960-1964 1 31 Newspaper clippings: historic headlines 1960 1 32 Newspaper clippings: historic headlines 1964 1 33 Newspaper clippings 1960-1961 1 34 Newspaper clippings 1962 1 35 Newspaper clippings 1963-1964 1 36 Newspaper clippings 1965-1968 1 37 Newspaper clippings 1972 1 38 Newspaper clippings undated 1 39 UMass Medical School 1972 1 40 Voter registration undated Series 2. Biographical and Personal 1874, 1936-1987 1 41 Air Force: Air Force Aid Society 1954 1 42 Air Force: Air Reserve records center 1958-1959 1 43 Air Force: American Express checking 1953 1 44 Air Force: currency, Japanese ration card ca. 1945 1 45 Air Force: currency, Japanese military 1945 1 46 Air Force: Japanese 10 yen note ca. 1945

U.S. propaganda counterfeit.

1 47 Air Force: emergency record data 1954 Oct 1 48 Air Force: Expedition of an American Squadron to China Seas and Japan 1953 1 49 Air Force: Hellington, Texas base 1954-1955 1 50 Air Force: honorable discharge certificate 1959 July 1 51 Air Force: Texas base, negatives 1949 1 52 Air Force: Texas base, theater pamphlets 1954 1 53 Air Force: insurance application 1954 Jan 1 54 Air Force: letter, Department of the Air Force 1953 June 1 55 Air Force: letter, West Point Military Academy 1959 Jan 1 56 Air Force: meal car and liberty pass 1954-1955 1 57 Air Force: medical papers 1953 Sept 1 58 Air Force: memorandums 1953 1 59 Air Force: newspaper clippings 1952-1954 1 60 Air Force: Okinawa, Japan ca. 1952 1 61 Air Force: personal property inventory 1952 3 Air Force: pins, patches ca. 1954 1 62 Air Force: postcards ca. 1952 1 63 Air Force: radiograms 1952 1 64 Air Force: recreation ca. 1952 1 65 Air Force: reports and orders 1953 1 66 Air Force: Rice Owls football fliers, roster 1954 1 68 Air Force: roster ca. 1952 1 68 Air Force: Samson Base, Geneva, N.Y. 1951 Aug 1 69 Air Force: San Francisco, Buena Vista Cafe ca. 1952 1 70 Air Force: San Francisco headquarters 1953 Dec 3 Air Force: sewing kit ca. 1954 3 Air Force: Talking letters ca. 1952 1 71 Air Force: travel 1954 1 72 Air Force: travel orders and leave requests 1954 June 1 73 Air Force: U.S. Armed Forces Institute, Japan 1952 Aug 1 74 Air Force: Western Union Telegraph Co. 1954 1 75 American International College Newspaper undated 1 76 American International College Vetrans Association 1957 3 Awards: Invitation to College ca. 1948 1 77 Birth certificate: Clark, John G. 1941, 1961 1 78 Board of Appeal: motor vehicle 1977 1 79 CARE program for Japan undated 1 80 Circular letters: Clark, John P. 1983 1 81 Clark family history: "Clark Chronicles 1987 1 82 Clark family history: Eulogy for Ruth Clark 1985 1 83 Clark family history: "The Great Depression" 1987

John P. Clark memoir.

1 84 Clark family history: graduation and teacher's certificate 1959 1 85 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1942 1 86 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1953 Dec 1 87 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1954 Mar 1 88 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1954 Apr-May 1 89 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1954 June 1 90 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1954 Nov 1 91 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1954 Dec 1 92 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1955 Jan 1 93 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1955 Feb 1 94 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1955 Mar 1 95 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1955 Apr 2 1 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1955 May 2 2 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1955 June 2 3 Clark, John G. Correspondence: Clark, John P. (Jack) 1961 June 2 4 Clark, John G. Correspondence: general 1947-1968 2 5 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Jan 2 6 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Feb 2 7 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Mar 2 8 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Apr 2 9 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 May 2 10 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents. 1952 June 2 11 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 July 2 12 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Aug 2 13 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Sept 2 14 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Oct 2 15 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Nov 2 16 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1952 Dec 2 17 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Jan 2 18 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Feb 2 19 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Mar 2 20 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Apr 2 21 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 May 2 22 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 June 2 23 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 July 2 24 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Aug 2 25 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Sept 2 26 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Oct 2 27 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Nov 2 28 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1953 Dec 2 29 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1954 Aug 2 30 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1954 Sept 2 31 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1954 Oct 2 32 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1954 Nov 2 33 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1954 Dec 2 34 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1955 Jan 2 35 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1955 Feb 2 36 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1955 Mar 2 37 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1955 Apr 2 38 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1955 May 2 39 Clark, John P. Correspondence: parents 1955 June, 1958 2 40 Clark, John P. Correspondence: various 1952-1969 2 41 Correspondence: Clark, Ruth 1942, 1953-1978 2 42 Correspondence: dairy farm 1940-1953 2 43 Correspondence: envelopes 1947-1968 2 44 Currency: U.S. fractional note 1874 2 45 Dairy farm: Artificial Breed Association receipts 1948 2 46 Dairy farm: blueprints 1978 2 47 Dairy farm: cow inventory undated 2 48 Dairy farm: deed to purchase farm and receipt 1940 2 49 Dairy farm: expense record 1946-1956 2 50 Dairy farm: inventory undated 2 51 Dairy farm: Farmers' Production Credit Association of Western Massachusetts 1943-1949 2 52 Dairy farm: livestock receipts, reports 1946-1949 2 53 Dairy farm: U.S. Department of Agriculture 1946 2 54 Easthampton High School 1936-1946 2 55 Easthampton High School: event programs 1946-1948 2 56 Entertaining undated 2 57 Father Kevin: letters 1953-1959 2 58 Father Kevin: "Mission News" 1956-1961 2 59 Finance: automobile loans, receipts 1945-1961 2 60 Finance: Bureau of Old Age Assistance 1952 2 61 Finance: check receipts 1944-1978 2 62 Finance: dairy farm product receipts 1945-1946 2 63 Finance: Hampshire County retirement system tax deducations 1960 2 64 Finance: Homeowners Loan Corporation 1939-1956 2 65 Finance: miscellaneous notes 1945-1961 2 66 Finance: miscellaneous receipts, statements 1942-1955 2 67 Finance: mortgage, Northampton Institute for Ssavings 1942-1955 2 68 Finance: record of family finance 1966 2 69 Finance: R.M.V. receipts 1947-1949 2 70 Finance: state street tax property 1954 Oct 2 71 Finance: town of Easthampton 1946 2 72 Holyoke Junior College: academic papers 1949-1951 2 73 Holyoke Junior College: letters 1949 2 74 Holyoke Junior College: newspaper 1951 2 75 H.P. Hood Mill Co.: employment/retirement plans 1947-1952 2 76 H.P. Hood Mill Co.: licenses 1946-1947 2 77 H.P. Hood Mill Co.: occasion letter 1950 2 78 H.P. Hood Mill Co.: truck accident correspondence 1948 2 79 H.P. Hood Mill Co.: trick accident medical records 1948-1949 2 80 Invitation: college contest 1947 2 81 Land survey plan, appraisal report 1978 2 82 Memorial tribute: Clark, John G. 1972 2 83 Miller family history undated 2 84 Newspaper clippings 1947, 1957-1959 2 85 Obituaries: Clark family 1955, 1972, undated 2 86 Obituaries: Miller family 1982 2 87 Occasion cards: Clark, John P. ca. 1947 2 88 Occasion cards: Clark, Ruth 1047-1972 2 89 Rules and Reform Initiative: letters 1983-1984 2 90 Rules and Reform Initiative: newspaper articles 1983-1984 2 91 Rules and Reform Initiative: population and petition 1983-1984 2 92 Rules and Reform Initiative: ROAR update 1983 2 93 Selective Service System: notice of classification 1942-1943 2 94 Selective Service System: registration certificate 1948 3 South Hadley Police: pin undated 2 95 Springfield Armory: civil service commission 1940 2 96 Springfield Armory: correspondence 1940-1944 2 97 Springfield Armory: financial statements 1940-1945 2 98 Springfield Armory: employee manual ca. 1940 2 99 Springfield Armory: identification card 1945 June 2 100 Springfield Armory: letters 1944 2 101 Springfield Armory: office memoranda 1940-1945 2 102 Springfield Armory: report pf field personnek action 1943-1945 2 103 Stroke account ca. 1969 2 104 Veterans administration 1954 2 105 Will and testament: Clark, John P. 1951 2 106 Williston Academy: academic material 1947-1949 2 107 Williston Academy: graduation 1949 May 2 108 Williston Academy: letters 1947-1949 2 108 Williston Academy: letters 1947-1949 2 109 Williston Academy: letters and statements 1947-1949 2 110 Williston Academy: newspaper articles 1949 2 111 Williston Academy: report cards, notes 1947-1949 2 112 Vocation profile test 1950 Series 3. Photographs 1895, 1941-1970 2 113 Air Force, Okinawa 1954 2 114 Air Force bases ca. 1954 2 115 Clark family undated 2 116 Clark, James ca. 1895 2 117 Clark, John and Ruth ca. 1968 2 118 Clark, John P.: childhood ca. 1941 2 119 Clark, Ruth undated 4 Commonwealth of Massachusetts, House of Representatives 1965-1966 2 120 Dairy farm 1943-1944 2 121 Father Kevin ca. 1954 2 122 Home life, family vacations 1954-1970 2 123 Hopkinds Academy ca. 1960 2 124 H.P. Hood Milk trucks and drivers ca. 1940 2 125 House ca. 1955 2 126 Jeffers, Lorenzo ca. 1960 2 127 John G. Clark and political associates ca. 1960 2 128 Okinawa ca. 1954 2 129 Political engagements ca. 1968

Includes a photo with Senator Edward Kennedy.

2 130 St. Patrick's Day parade committee ca. 1965 3 Transparencies ca. 1968 2 131 Wampanoag tribe 1966-1969