Henry J. Clark ~ ~ ~1894-1975

Submitted by: Shirley Harlan

Hank Clark, Born Here 4 Months After Strip Opening, Dies at 81

Henry J. "Hank" Clark, owner and operator of Northern Oklahoma Hide Wool and Pecan Company, died late Tuesday in St. Joseph Medical Center. He was 81.

Clark was born Jan. 24, 1894, in Cross Addition and was reported to be the first child born there after the opening of the Cherokee Strip in 1893.

He attended Ponca City schools and later worked in a tailor shop here. He was a veteran of World War I and following his discharge from military duty worked for the Southwest Ice Company.

On July 16, 1925, he married Ethel Lindsey at Wichita. He worked for an ice plant there until coming to Ponca City where they operated Clark's Grocery Store.

In 1935 Clark and Elmo Stingley started the Northern Oklahoma Hide, Wool and Pecan Company. They remained partners for 22 years. Clark had operated the business since 1957.

He was the oldest member of the American Legion here and received his 50-year pin on Nov. 9, 1967. His hobbies were fishing, hunting and bowling.

Survivors include his wife of the home, 918 South Sixth; 1 half-nephew, Marion J. Brown, of the home, and 1 half-niece, Mrs. Claude Moore, Muskogee.

He was preceded in death by 3 half-sisters and 1 half-nephew.