History of Van Buren County Iowa United States of America

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Samuel Mercer Clark, representative, was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, Oct. 11, 1842; son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Reynolds) Clarke; grandson of George Henry and Jane (Mercer) Clarke of Clarke county, Virginia, and of John and Mary (Wolf) Reynolds of Hagerstown, Maryland. His paternal grandfather was a private soldier in the Revolutionary war and was in the siege of Yorktown. His maternal grandfather was major of a Maryland regiment in the war of 1812. His maternal great-grandfather, John Reynolds of York, Pa., was a captain in the Revolutionary army. He attended Des Moines Valley college for one year and enlisted in the 19th Iowa Infantry, but was not mustered in on account of ill health. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1864, and in 1864 became editor of the Keokuk Gate City. He was a delegate to the Republican National conventions of 1872, 1876 and 1880 and a representative in the 54th and 55th congresses from the first Iowa district, 1895-99. He died in Keokuk, Iowa, Aug. 11, 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Albert Sewell Kenny, naval officer, was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, Jan. 19, 1841; son of Sewall and Mary (Strong) Kenny; grandson of Sewall Kenny, and a descendant of "Deacon" John Strong. His parents having died, he was taken to Burlington, Vt., in 1844; was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1861, and was appointed to the U.S. navy from Vermont, entering the service as assistant paymaster, March 19, 1862. He served on the steamer South Carolina, of the South Atlantic blockading squadron, 1862-64, and on the steamer Santiago de Cuba, of the North Atlantic blockading squadron, 1864-65 and participated in both attacks on Fort Fisher. He was promoted paymaster, March 9, 1865; had charge of the stores at St. Paul de Loanda, 1866, and the pay office in San Francisco, Cal., 1868-71. He was attached to the steamer Plymouth, 1872-73, and to the iron-clad Roanoke on the North Atlantic station, 1873-74, and was on duty at the U.S. Naval academy, l875-80. He was fleet paymaster, North Atlantic station, 1881-84, and promoted pay inspector, July 31, 1884. He was stationed at the U.S. navy-yard, Boston, Mass., 1885-87; served in the bureau of provisions and clothing, 1887-90, and was general store-keeper of the U.S. navy-yard in New York from October, 1890, to June, 1893. He was attached to the flag-ship Chicago, on the European station, in June, 1898, and served there until May, 1895. On Jan. 1,1896, he was ordered to the purchasing pay office, New York, and June 1, 1896, he again became general store-keeper at the New York navy yard. He was promoted to the rank of captain and pay director, Sept. 26, 1897. He was made paymaster-general and chief of the bureau of supplies and accounts, May 5, 1899, with the rank of rear-admiral.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Van Buren County Iowa

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