He was born in New York City as the son of Doctor George Washington Clarke (1816-1908), headmaster of the Mount Washington Collegiate Institute of New New York He finished his education at his father"s institution and started off as a businessman in linen and lace manufacturing, but also became a patron of American contemporary art
In 1883, his collection was shown as one of the first exhibitions at the American Art Association. He also began collecting porcelain, and donated some to Union League Club of New York while he was chairman of the art committee there. He retired from the linen business in 1888 to become a full-time art dealer and was an art advisor and agent for Justice of the Peace Morgan.
He bought the premises of the Suffolk Hunt Club in East Hampton, Long Island in 1917 as a summer home, while transforming his new residence in New York into an art gallery, today the home of the Collectors Club of New New York
He renamed his Long Island residence "Lindenland".
