Background
He was a younger brother of Samuel Clarke, and was born at Norwich, his father being Edward Clarke, textile manufacturer and alderman (Member of Parliament for Norwich 1701), who married Hannah, daughter of Samuel Parmeter.
He was a younger brother of Samuel Clarke, and was born at Norwich, his father being Edward Clarke, textile manufacturer and alderman (Member of Parliament for Norwich 1701), who married Hannah, daughter of Samuel Parmeter.
He graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1703, Master of Arts
After grammar studies for six years under Mr. Nobbs at Norwich School, he was admitted a scholar of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, some time between Michaelmas 1699 and Michaelmas 1700. in 1707, and had Doctor of Divinity by royal command in 1717. He was known as a mathematician, and lived much of his life at Cambridge.
He held a prebend at Norwich, was a royal chaplain, and canon of Canterbury (1721).
On 16 March 1728 he was instituted to the deanery of Salisbury. Clarke had a son John, who was a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and then vicar of Sonning, dying in 1741.
William Cole described John Clarke the younger as a lecturer in natural philosophy, and supplied details of his engagement to a French woman in exile.