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Matt Clark
Member From: 1874 - 1875
- Birth Date: 1844 Birth Place:Halifax County, Virginia
- Death Date: Unknown
- Gender: Male Race: African American
- Spouse: Elizabeth Betts (d. 1876); Nannie Walker (m. December 30, 1879)
- Children: three sons and at least two daughters
- Religion:
- Education:
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession:
- Memberships/Affiliations: Laboring Men’s Mechanics’ Union Association
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Additional Info Links:
Bio from Encyclopedia Virginia
- Bio: Matt Clark represented Halifax County in the House of Delegates from 1874 to 1875. Born enslaved, by 1870 he had become a property owner and was literate. Three years later he won election as a Halifax County justice of the peace and as a member of the House of Delegates. Clark seldom spoke on the House floor and introduced only a few resolutions, including one that supported the improvement of living conditions at the Central Lunatic Asylum (later Central State Hospital) in Petersburg. A Republican, he and other African Americans became dissatisfied with the party’s white leadership and attended a state convention that established the short-lived Laboring Men’s Mechanics’ Union Association. Clark did not seek reelection in 1875. His last known appearance in public records came in 1892 in a Halifax County personal property tax list.
- Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices: Justice of the Peace in Black Walnut, Halifax (May 22, 1873 -?)
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1874-1875 | Halifax | Republican | Asylums and Prisons Committee |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.