Background
Clark, William Thomas was born on June 29, 1831 in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States. Son of Levi and Fanny Clark.
officer politician representative
Clark, William Thomas was born on June 29, 1831 in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States. Son of Levi and Fanny Clark.
Served private to brevetted major-general Union army in Civil war. Chief of staff and adjunct-general Army of Tennessee, until battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, when he received two bvts. Took command of brigade and division.
Left army, 1866, as division commander.
Engaged in business, Galveston, Texas.
He became a school teacher and moved in 1854 to New York City, where he passed the bar examination After marrying, he moved to Iowa and established a legal practice. At the beginning of the, he became a lieutenant and adjutant of an Iowa infantry regiment.
He fought at the battle of Shiloh and Corinth.
He served as assistant adjutant general in the XVII Corps during the siege of Vicksburg and assistant adjutant general to the Army of the Tennessee during the Atlanta Campaign. He was made a brevet brigadier general for service in the Atlanta Campaign and was assigned to an infantry brigade in the XV Corps during the Carolinas Campaign, but was only lightly engaged in fighting.
He rose to the full rank of brigadier general of volunteers (1865), and was made a brevet major general at the close of the same year for gallant and meritorious services during the war. After the war, he made his home in Galveston, Texas, where he organized the first negro school and befriended negroes at the risk of his life.
He founded the First National Bank and was its first cashier, and also served as postmaster.
He was a Republican. As a representative from Texas in Congress in 1870-1872, he obtained the first appropriation for the harbor of Galveston ($100,000), making possible the completion of the jetties there.
Member Congress, 1869-1873, from Galveston district
Married November 13, 1856, Laura Clark of Hartford, Connecticut.