Joseph Clark, M. D., is a native of Indiana, and was born in Bartholomew County, on the 14th day of October, 1838. His father, Thomas S. Clark, was born in the city of Manchester, England, and at an early age came to America, locating at Lebanon, Ohio, where he learned the cabinet-makers’ trade. After residing at this place a number of years, he moved to Indiana, about 1823, and entered a tract of land in Jackson Township, Shelby County. He was twice married, the first time on the 24th day of December, 1833, to Miss Martha M. Harris, of Virginia, whose death occurred in February, 1843. Four children were born to this marriage, three of whom are now living. June 15, 1843, Mr. Clark married Miss Letitia Query, by whom he had three children, all deceased. Shortly after his second marriage Mr. Clark moved to Hensley Township, and here resided until his death. In many respects Thomas Clark was a remarkable man. In early life he evinced decided taste for intellectual pursuits, and while a mere youth began the study of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, in which he soon acquired remarkable proficiency. His love for the classics never abated, and in old age he was able to read the Scriptures in the original tongues, Greek and Hebrew. He was a man of abstemious habits, possessed a tenacious memory, and was a believer in religion, as taught by Emanuel Swedenborg. He was born April, 1806, and departed this life February, 1873. Mrs. Clark survived her husband several years, dying July, 1887, aged seventy. Dr. Clark spent his youthful years on his father’s farm, and received his early educational training in the common schools, supplemented by a course in Franklin College, which he attended two years. On quitting college he engaged in teaching, and was thus employed until the breaking out of the rebellion; when he enlisted in Company I, Seventy-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, Col. Fred Kneffler’s regiment, with which he served gallantly from 1862 until the close of the war. He participated in a number of battles, in one of which, at Murfreesboro, Tenn., he was severely wounded in the left arm by the explosion of a shell, the effect of which was to disable him for field duty. For some time thereafter he was employed as hospital steward, at Louisville and New Albany. At the close of the war he returned to Johnson County, but in the meantime, while in the government service, began reading medicine with Dr. Sloan, of New Albany. Impressed with a laudable desire to increase his knowledge of the profession, the Doctor subsequently attended lectures at Louisville and New York, and in 1847 graduated in New York, and began the practice at Morgantown, where he continued about twelve years. He then relinquished the practice and engaged in the commission business at Indianapolis, which branch of trade he continued successfully until 1884. In that year he returned to Hensley Township and began farming, which he has since carried on, owning at this time a fine farm of 240 acres. The Doctor was married January 8, 1871, to Miss Harriet Skeggs, of Morgan County, daughter of Zachariah Skeggs.