Harvey L. Clark
Encyclopedia
Harvey L. Clark was an educator, missionary, and settler of what became Forest Grove, Oregon
, United States
. A native of Vermont
, he moved to Oregon Country
where he participated at the Champoeg Meetings
and helped to found Tualatin Academy
that later became Pacific University
. Clark also worked for the Methodist Mission
and was a chaplain for the Provisional Legislature of Oregon
in 1845.
, on October 7, 1807. In Vermont he married Emeline, and they would have three children. In 1840, Clark, with his wife, moved to Oregon Country
as a missionary to the Native Americans.
. His party included mountain men, Alvin T. Smith
, P. B. Littlejohn, and those two’s wives. In Oregon, Clark first taught at the Methodist Mission
’s first location at Mission Bottom on the French Prairie
in the Willamette Valley
. He then moved to West Tuality on the Tualatin Plains
, and taught there for the Mission. This location would later become the town of Forest Grove
, and Clark would take a land claim at the location. In 1843, he was one of several participants from the Tualatin Valley that participated in the Champoeg Meetings
. At the May 2, 1843 meeting, Clark voted for the creation of the Provisional Government of Oregon
, which passed by a 52 to 50 margin.
In 1844, Clark established a Congregational church in Forest Grove and another in Oregon City
. The following year he served as one of several chaplains to the Provisional Legislature of Oregon
. Clark made his land claim in 1846 for about 480 acres (1.9 km²).
in what is now Hillsboro
to the east of Forest Grove. A few years later Tabitha Brown
arrived in Forest Grove and joined the Clarks in operating a home for orphans. In 1848, George H. Atkinson
arrived and began working with Clark to create a college in Oregon, which was chartered by the Oregon Territorial Legislature
in 1849 as Tualatin Academy
. Clark donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) to the school that year, and deeded another 200 acre (0.809372 km²). Tualatin Academy would grow with the addition of a college, Pacific University
in 1854, while the academy would be closed in 1915. Marsh Hall at the school is situated where the three original land claims of the town’s founders met, including Clark’s.
Forest Grove, Oregon
Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, west of Portland. Originally a small farm town, it is now primarily a bedroom suburb of Portland. Settled in the 1840s, the town was platted in 1850 and then incorporated in 1872 and was the first city in Washington County...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A native of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, he moved to Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
where he participated at the Champoeg Meetings
Champoeg Meetings
The Champoeg Meetings in Oregon Country were the first attempts at governing in the Pacific Northwest by United States European-American pioneers. Prior to this, the closest entity to a government was the Hudson's Bay Company, mainly through Dr...
and helped to found Tualatin Academy
Tualatin Academy
Tualatin Academy was a secondary school in the U.S. state of Oregon that eventually became Pacific University. Tualatin Academy also refers to the National Register of Historic Places-listed college building constructed in 1850 to house the academy, also known as Old College Hall...
that later became Pacific University
Pacific University
Pacific University is a private university located in Oregon, United States. The first campus began more than 160 years ago and is located about 38 km west of Portland in Forest Grove...
. Clark also worked for the Methodist Mission
Methodist Mission
The Methodist Mission was founded in Oregon Country in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. The mission was started to educate the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley and grew into an important center for politics and economics in the early settlement period of Oregon.-Foundation:In 1831, several...
and was a chaplain for the Provisional Legislature of Oregon
Provisional Legislature of Oregon
The Provisional Legislature of Oregon was the single-chamber legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon. It served the Oregon Country of the Pacific Northwest of North America from 1843 until early 1849 at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region...
in 1845.
Early life
Harvey Clark was born in Chester, VermontChester, Vermont
Chester is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,044 at the 2000 census. The town was originally chartered by New Hampshire Governor Benning Wentworth as Flamstead in 1754. The terms of the charter were not met and the town was re-chartered as New Flamstead in 1761...
, on October 7, 1807. In Vermont he married Emeline, and they would have three children. In 1840, Clark, with his wife, moved to Oregon Country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
as a missionary to the Native Americans.
Oregon
Clark traveled overland to the region, arriving in September 1840. He was an independent missionary, unaffiliated with any missionary organization such as the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign MissionsAmerican Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
. His party included mountain men, Alvin T. Smith
Alvin T. Smith
Alvin Thompson Smith was an American missionary and politician in what became the state of Oregon. A native of Connecticut, he lived in Illinois before moving to the Oregon Country to preach to the Native Americans in the Tualatin Valley...
, P. B. Littlejohn, and those two’s wives. In Oregon, Clark first taught at the Methodist Mission
Methodist Mission
The Methodist Mission was founded in Oregon Country in 1834 by the Reverend Jason Lee. The mission was started to educate the Native Americans in the Willamette Valley and grew into an important center for politics and economics in the early settlement period of Oregon.-Foundation:In 1831, several...
’s first location at Mission Bottom on the French Prairie
French Prairie
French Prairie is a prairie located in Marion County, Oregon, United States, in the Willamette Valley between the Willamette River and the Pudding River, north of Salem...
in the Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
. He then moved to West Tuality on the Tualatin Plains
Tualatin Plains
The Tualatin Plains are a prairie area in central Washington County, Oregon, United States. Located around the Hillsboro and Forest Grove areas, the plains were first inhabited by the Atfalati band of the Kalapuya group of Native Americans. Euro-American settlement began in the...
, and taught there for the Mission. This location would later become the town of Forest Grove
Forest Grove, Oregon
Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, west of Portland. Originally a small farm town, it is now primarily a bedroom suburb of Portland. Settled in the 1840s, the town was platted in 1850 and then incorporated in 1872 and was the first city in Washington County...
, and Clark would take a land claim at the location. In 1843, he was one of several participants from the Tualatin Valley that participated in the Champoeg Meetings
Champoeg Meetings
The Champoeg Meetings in Oregon Country were the first attempts at governing in the Pacific Northwest by United States European-American pioneers. Prior to this, the closest entity to a government was the Hudson's Bay Company, mainly through Dr...
. At the May 2, 1843 meeting, Clark voted for the creation of the Provisional Government of Oregon
Provisional Government of Oregon
The Provisional Government of Oregon was a popularly elected government created in the Oregon Country, in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It existed from May 2, 1843 until March 3, 1849. Created at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region, this independent government...
, which passed by a 52 to 50 margin.
In 1844, Clark established a Congregational church in Forest Grove and another in Oregon City
Oregon City, Oregon
Oregon City was the first city in the United States west of the Rocky Mountains to be incorporated. It is the county seat of Clackamas County, Oregon...
. The following year he served as one of several chaplains to the Provisional Legislature of Oregon
Provisional Legislature of Oregon
The Provisional Legislature of Oregon was the single-chamber legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon. It served the Oregon Country of the Pacific Northwest of North America from 1843 until early 1849 at a time when no country had sovereignty over the region...
. Clark made his land claim in 1846 for about 480 acres (1.9 km²).
Pacific University
In 1842, Clark and his wife started a school for Native Americans at GlencoeGlencoe, Oregon
Glencoe is a neighborhood and former community in Washington County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1842, the town, which was north of Hillsboro, died off after 1910 when neighboring North Plains was created to the west...
in what is now Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
to the east of Forest Grove. A few years later Tabitha Brown
Tabitha Brown
Tabitha Moffatt Brown was an American pioneer emigrant who traveled the Oregon Trail to the Oregon Country. There she assisted in the founding of Tualatin Academy, which would grow to become Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon...
arrived in Forest Grove and joined the Clarks in operating a home for orphans. In 1848, George H. Atkinson
George H. Atkinson
George Henry Atkinson was an American missionary and educator in what would become the state of Oregon. In Oregon, he served as a pastor for several churches, helped found what would become Pacific University, and pushed for legislation to create a public school system in Oregon Territory...
arrived and began working with Clark to create a college in Oregon, which was chartered by the Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon Territorial Legislature
Oregon’s Territorial Legislature was a bicameral legislative body created by the United States Congress in 1848 as the legislative branch of the government of the Oregon Territory...
in 1849 as Tualatin Academy
Tualatin Academy
Tualatin Academy was a secondary school in the U.S. state of Oregon that eventually became Pacific University. Tualatin Academy also refers to the National Register of Historic Places-listed college building constructed in 1850 to house the academy, also known as Old College Hall...
. Clark donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) to the school that year, and deeded another 200 acre (0.809372 km²). Tualatin Academy would grow with the addition of a college, Pacific University
Pacific University
Pacific University is a private university located in Oregon, United States. The first campus began more than 160 years ago and is located about 38 km west of Portland in Forest Grove...
in 1854, while the academy would be closed in 1915. Marsh Hall at the school is situated where the three original land claims of the town’s founders met, including Clark’s.