CLARK, Wesley Fletcher - Putnam

Rev. Wesley Fletcher Clark, a well known Methodist divine, died at 3:30 o’clock Monday afternoon at the family residence, 437 Vine street, West Lafayette, after a brief illness.  Mr. Clark attended a meeting of the Lafayette Ministers’ association in the parlors of the Y. M. C. A. building Monday morning and took part in the discussion. After a five minutes talk he felt ill and left the building, but did not tell his associates in the ministry that he was indisposed. He walked to Main street and boarded the first West Side car. When the car reached the north side of the square, his condition was so serious that it attracted the attention of William Lugar, who had boarded the car at Fourth street. Mr. Lugar asked the conductor to call the city service wagon and when the car readied Third street, Mr. Clark was transferred to the wagon. He was able to leave the car and walk to the wagon, but was so weak that he fell just as he reached the vehicle. He told Mr. Lugar that his illness was acute indigestion. He said that he had had a number of attacks, but none quite as severe as the one from which he was then suffering. He was in a state of collapse when the city service wagon reached his home and Dr. Lolland was called. Remedies were administered and Mr. Clark revived. He said that he was feeling much better. Shortly after 3 o’clock his heart action began to fail and he died in a few minutes.

Mr. Clark was born at Waveland in Montgomery county on January 5, 1847, and was educated at Terre Haute. He taught school for some time and, after deciding to enter the ministry, took a theological course in the Garrett Biblical institute at Evanston, Ill. He entered the Northwest Indiana M. E. conference in 1877, was ordained a deacon in 1879 and was ordained an elder in 1881. His first charge was at Yountsville. He then held charges at Jamestown, Newtown, Zionsville, Dayton and Mulberry, Shawnee Mound and Kentland. He was then transferred to the Puget Sound conference in the state of Washington and served there from 1891 to 18%. While in Washington he was pastor at Mount Vernon, Coupeville and Lacomer. He returned to the Northwest Conference in 1896 and held charges at Bringhurst, Knox, Russellville, Trader’s Point and New Richmond. He retired from active service in 1907, but supplied the churches at Ranh, State Line and Roachdale. Mr. Clark was married twice. His first wife Miss Henrietta Taylor, daughter of Rev. Luther Taylor, and they were married in 1878. Mrs. Clark died in 1890. On October 6,1892, he was married to Mrs. Mary Felton, who survives. No children were born to either union. Mr. Clark owned a cottage at Battle Ground and spent most of his summers there. He moved to the West Side five years ago. Mr. Clark was a man of marked ability and was successful as a pastor. He was quiet and unassuming in manner, but was earnest and sincere. He was a capable business man and was a man of high integrity. He was devoted to his profession and his example and influence were far reaching and beneficial. The funeral arrangements have not been completed but the services will be held Wednesday afternoon at the West Side Methodist Church.

- kbz