Charles Clark From Rags to Riches Biography written by:

Becky Marburger Education Specialist Wisconsin Public Television Education

A special thank you to the following for assisting with this project:

Debra Burmeister, Neenah School District

Amanda Ironside, Menasha School District

Greg Kehring, Menasha School District

Jane Lang, Neenah Historical Society

Don Nussbaum, content expert

Suzanne Hart O’Regan, images

Diane Penzenstadler, content expert Glossary

Civil War O  ...... a US war from 1861 to 1865 between the Union, or Northern states, and the Confederacy, or the Southern states corporation O  ...... a type of business with partners Table of Contents

devote W  ...... UPHJWFBUUFOUJPO FĚPSU BOEUJNFUPB purpose Introduction ...... 2 land grab  O  ...... the unfair gain of land

persevere W  ...... to keep trying and not give up Early Years ...... 3

philanthropist O  ..... a person who helps others by giving time Civil War ...... 5 or money to causes or charities Family Life ...... 6 representative O  ..... a person who is chosen to speak or act for others Kimberly, Clark and Company ...... 7

ton O  ...... 2,000 pounds Serving Others ...... 9

US House of Representatives O BHPWFSONFOUHSPVQUIBUIFMQT Conclusion ...... 10 create and regulate US laws and regulations Glossary ...... 12 Wisconsin State Legislature O BHPWFSONFOUHSPVQUIBUIFMQT create and regulate Wisconsin’s laws and regulations

12 Introduction Courtesy of the DzFEB$MBSL Neenah Historical Society.

Sometimes a brief life can have long- Courtesy of the Neenah Historical Society. ɪFEB$MBSLXBTCPSO'FCSVBSZ  UFSNJNQBDUɪJTJTFTQFDJBMMZUSVFJG 1871, and was very close to her father, that life is dedicated to serving others. Charles. He taught her the importance Charles Clark made serving others his of being a philanthropist and caring for foremost goal during his life. others.

As a child, Charles served his family by 0O%FDFNCFS  ɪFEBJOWJUFE earning money to help support them. children from Neenah to her home for a He also served his country during the Christmas tree party. She decorated her Civil War. Charles went on to serve his home and provided food and gifts. community as a councilman, a mayor, ɪFQBSUZXBTBTVDDFTT CVUɪFEB ɪFEB$MBSLBUUFOEFETDIPPMJO and both a state and a United States became upset when a newspaper Neenah before going to Wells representative. College, an all-women’s school Charles Benjamin Clark SFQPSUFSPOMZUPMEIPXɪFEBJOWJUFE in New York. Seven women But one of his most lasting gifts was helping to create a large paper poor and needy children who wore were in her graduating class. business that was founded in northeast Wisconsin. You may have heard of SBHHFEDMPUIJOH*OSFBMJUZ ɪFEBJOWJUFE it. Today it is known as the Kimberly-Clark CorporationɪJTDPNQBOZ children rich and poor. Her goal produces items such as Kleenex® and Huggies® and has lasted for over 145 was for all children to enjoy themselves. years. “I particularly asked him not to mention poor people, and there was not a ragged O’Regan, Suzanne Hart. 1983. “Family Letters.” DIJMEBNPOHUIFNßwɪFEB Photo Credit: Debra Burmeister. (2017). wrote in a letter.

ɪFEBEJFEBUBHF UISFF days after the birth of her EBVHIUFS*OIFSXJMM ɪFEB left a large sum of money to be used for a community project. Her family honored IFSXJTIFTBOECVJMUɪFEB ɪFIPNFɪFEBTGBUIFSCVJMUXBTNPWFE Clark Hospital, which is to 583 E Wisconsin Avenue. In its spot, her NPUIFSCVJMUUIJTIPNF XIJDIJTXIFSFɪFEB ɪFIPNF$IBSMFTCVJMUGPSIJT OPXLOPXOBTɪFEB$BSF MJWFEɪFIPVTFTUJMMTUBOET family at 561 East Wisconsin Regional Medical Center. Avenue in Neenah, Wisconsin. 2 11 Conclusion Early Years

In September 1891 while visiting Photograph courtesy of the Neenah Public Library. Around 1842,*-VUIFSBOEɪFEB$MBSLXFMDPNFEUIFJSTPO$IBSMFT his hometown, Charles died #FOKBNJO$MBSLJOɪFSFTB /FX:PSL5PTPNF $IBSMFTXBTLOPXO approximately 55 feet from the as C.B. Clark. As a youngster, Charles cut wood to earn money for his spot he was born. He was about family. 49 years old. Historians believe he died from a kidney condition After his father died in 1853, Charles and his mother went to live with called Bright’s Disease. $IBSMFTTPMEFSCSPUIFS -VUIFSɪFZUSBWFMFECZTUFBNFSBMPOHUIF4U Lawrence River and through the Great Lakes to Neenah, Wisconsin. But Charles’s life began humbly and Luther died shortly after the family came. he died a millionaire. Not only did his business succeed, but Charles himself succeeded in Photograph courtesy of the Neenah Public Library. serving his family, community, and country. He started earning for his family as a child, Charles Clark saw serving others, the continued as a Civil War soldier community, and his country as a way to be successful in life. What do you want to do in BOEPěDFS BOEFWFOTFSWFEBT your life to be successful? mayor and in the Wisconsin State Legislature.

But the success he held dearest was teaching his children the importance PGHJWJOHCBDL*OBMFUUFSUPIJTEBVHIUFSIFXSPUF iɪFEB UIFCFTU happiness we get in this world is in making someone other than ourselves UIFNPTUIBQQZwɪFEBDBSSJFEUIJTWBMVFXJUIIFSUISPVHIPVUIFSMJGF She helped raise money for the Neenah Public Library and the city’s opera house. /FFOBIXBTPODFLOPXOBTi8JOOFCBHP3BQJETwɪFOBNF/FFOBIJTTBJEUPIBWF come from the Winnebago word nina XIJDINFBOTXBUFSɪJTJMMVTUSBUJPOTIPXTXIBU (JWJOH OPUHFUUJOH XBTUIFDPSOFSTUPOFPG$IBSMFTTMJGFɪJOLPGXBZT downtown Neenah looked like in 1856, the year it became a village. you can give, to your family, friends, school, and community. Don’t ask what they can do for you, but what you can do for them.

*Charles let reporters use whatever year they wished when writing a story about him. ɪBUJTXIZXFEPOPULOPXXIFOIFXBTCPSO CVUIJTUPSJBOTCFMJFWFJUXBTBSPVOE 1842.

10 3 On the day he arrived, Charles went to Robert Hold’s furniture factory looking for a job. Mr. Hold told him no work was available. Charles Serving Others TUPPEmSN)FXBTDPOWJODFEUIFSFNVTUCFXPSLGPSIJNUPEP Impressed by Charles’s grit and spunk, Mr. Hold told the black-haired, Despite his demanding business and family life, Charles found time gray-eyed youth that he could begin bending wood for chairs the next to serve his community. He became a Neenah City Council member day. Charles persevered. He wanted to begin work that very day. And he and the city’s mayor from 1880 through 1882. Charles was elected as a did. representative to the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1884 and then to the US House of Representatives in 1886 and 1888. Charles earned $7 per month there. It bought necessities for him and his NPUIFSɪFXPSLXBTEBOHFSPVTBUUJNFT$IBSMFTGPVOEUIBUPVUXIFO Charles didn’t always enjoy the political life, especially living away from BTBXDVUPĚUXPPGIJTmOHFSTɪBUEJEOUTUPQ$IBSMFT 8JTDPOTJO*OBMFUUFSUPIJTEBVHIUFS IFXSPUF iɪFEB UIJTQPMJUJDTJT not to my liking and I am going to get out of it, if I possibly can.” Only ɪFEBBOEIFSTPOMJWFEBGSVHBMMJGF TBWJOHNPSFNPOFZUIBOUIFZ his strong sense of civic duty kept him involved.

TQFOUɪFQBJSEFQFOEFEPOFBDIPUIFSGPSCPUImOBODJBMBOEFNPUJPOBM Library of Congress. Digital ID: cph 3c18607. support. 8IJMFJOPěDF $IBSMFT successfully fought for 8JTDPOTJOnPPEWJDUJNT and protected Oneida Work and School Indian land from the land grabs. He stood Children did not always have to Courtesy of the Neenah Historical Society. strong for women’s attend school in Wisconsin. Some TVĚSBHFFWFOUIPVHI children worked to earn money for most of the bills he UIFJSGBNJMJFTɪFZXPVMEXPSLJO voted in favor of were factories or shops. Others sold items unsuccessful. like newspapers or gum.

ɪFmSTU8JTDPOTJOMBXSFRVJSJOH children to go to school passed in ɪPTFBHFTTFWFOUPXFSF supposed to go to school at least 12 weeks per year. Laws like this were to help increase the number of children ɪF+BDPCTPODIJMESFOIFMQFEJO who went to school. A law in 1889 their family’s meat market called Charles (lower left) traveled between Washington, DC, stated those younger than 13 years Nelson and Jacobson in Neenah, and Neenah to keep up with his duties to Kimberly, Wisconsin. Clark and Company when he was a member of the US had to have a permit to work. House of Representatives.

4 9 Kimberly, Clark and Photograph courtesy of the Neenah Public Library. Company was more Civil War mOBODJBMMZTVDDFTTGVMUIBO JUTBSFBDPNQFUJUPSTɪJT ɪFCivil War between the Courtesy of the Neenah Historical Society. was partly because the northern US and southern Big Four drew modest Confederate states broke out salaries and reinvested their in 1861. When President earnings into the company. Abraham Lincoln asked for volunteers to support the ɪFCVTJOFTTRVJDLMZ North, Charles answered the expanded. It constucted call. In August 1862, Charles new mills and expanded Kimberly, Clark and Company partnered with enlisted in the 21st Regiment others. Kimberly, Clark and Minnesota investors to own the Atlas Mill in of the Wisconsin Volunteer Appleton. Company had operations in Infantry as a wagoner. He JO/FFOBI "QQMFUPO %F1FSF BOE,JNCFSMZɪBUMBTUUPXOXBTOBNFE earned $14 per month and after John Kimberly. By 1885, the company could produce over 70 tons had to buy his own food and PGQBQFSFBDIEBZɪFUZQFTPGQBQFSNBEFJODMVEFEOFXTQSJOU XSBQQJOH clothing from it. But Charles QBQFS BOECPPLQBQFSɪFDPNQBOZTTVDDFTTDSFBUFEBOJDLOBNFGPSUIF often went without and area: the Paper Valley. sent the money home to his mother instead. ɪF#JH'PVSXFSFFRVBMQBSUOFSTJOUIFDPNQBOZ&BDINBOUBVHIU Charles was a soldier until the war ended in 1865. ɪJTQIPUPHSBQIPG$IBSMFTJOIJT$JWJM8BS the others what he learned and any special skills he had to make their Charles later advanced uniform is one of the earliest photographs of him. company successful. As a born leader, Charles became manager of from wagoner, ultimately operations, directing the mills’ activities. CFDPNJOHmSTUMJFVUFOBOUPGIJTDPNQBOZ)FQBSUJDJQBUFEJONBOZCBUUMFT

Courtesy of the Neenah Historical Society. and traveled through much of the eastern and southeastern US. He visited states including Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee.

"UmSTU ,JNCFSMZ $MBSLBOE$PNQBOZ In June 1865, Charles returned home to a surprise. His mother had saved used rags to make paper. Women TFQBSBUFEUIFSBHTBOEDVUPĚBOZIBSE the money he’d sent her. She’d supported herself doing domestic tasks PCKFDUTMJLFCVUUPOTɪFSBHTXFSFUIFO such as sewing. Charles invested that saved money to become a partner in shredded, boiled, and made into a pulp. the H.P. Leavens Hardware Store. ɪFQVMQXBTUIFOQVUJOUPBNPMEBOE pressed until paper was formed.

8 5 Family Life Kimberly, Clark and Company

Two years after he arrived home from the O’Regan, Suzanne Hart. 1983. In 1872, Charles began a new business venture — a paper mill. He “Family Letters.” Civil War, Charles married his sweetheart sold his share of the hardware store and pooled his money with John of six years, Caroline Hubbard. Charles’s ,JNCFSMZ )BWJMBI#BCDPDL BOE'SBOL4IBUUVDLɪFZCFDBNFLOPXO NPUIFS ɪFEB MJWFEXJUIUIFN BTiɪF#JH'PVSwɪFZOBNFEUIFJSCVTJOFTT,JNCFSMZ $MBSLBOE Company. ɪFZPVOHDPVQMFTGBNJMZHSFX'JSTU  UIFJSEBVHIUFSɪFEBBSSJWFEJO  ɪF#JH'PVSTmSTUQVSDIBTFXBTBnPVSNJMMPO/FFOBIT'PY3JWFSɪFZ UIFO$BSPMJOFJO BOEmOBMMZ$IBSMFT tore the building down to build a two-story factory called the Globe #JMMZ JO4IPSUMZBGUFSMJUUMFɪFEB .JMM0O0DUPCFS  UIFNJMMDSFBUFEJUTmSTUTIFFUPGSBHQBQFS was born and 18 years to the day after his ɪFNJMMDPVMEQSPEVDFUXPUPOTPGQBQFSEBJMZBOEFNQMPZFEBCPVU father had died, Charles’s mother passed people. As none of the Big Four had experience making paper, they hired

away. expert papermaker Myron Haynes Photograph courtesy of the Neenah Public Library. Caroline Hubbard Clark as the company foreman. As a family man, Charles was a dominant (around 1889). force in his children’s lives, especially his ɪF(MPCF.JMMXBTOPUUIFmSTU EBVHIUFSɪFEBT)FXBOUFEIFSUPCF paper mill in the area. Six Neenah strong and independent. He wrote in a O’Regan, Suzanne Hart. 1983. residents had formed the Neenah “Family Letters.” letter to her: “… for the young women Paper Company in 1866. Appleton of the times must be more than their BMTPIBEBNJMMɪJTBSFBXBTJEFBM NPUIFST‰PSBTNFOɪFZNVTUCFNPSF GPSQBQFSNBLJOHɪF'PY3JWFS ɪFTQJSJUPGUIFUJNFTDBMMTPOXPNFO supplied the power needed to run for a higher order of things and the UIFNJMMTɪFSJWFSBMTPQSPWJEFE SFRVJSFNFOUTPGUIFXPNFOPGUIFGVUVSF the 30,000 to 50,000 gallons of will be great.” XBUFSSFRVJSFEUPNBLFFBDIton of paper. Not only was Charles devoted to his family, but he also had a great sense of civic duty. He served as a Neenah ɪF#JH'PVS DMPDLXJTF CFHJOOJOHJO mSFmHIUFSCFHJOOJOHJOBOEBTTJTUFE ɪFEB DFOUFS XBTOJOFZFBST lower left): Havilah Babcock, Frank JO/FFOBITmSTUFĚPSUTUPGPSNBQVCMJD older than her sister, Caroline, and Shattuck, Charles Clark, and John 12 years older than her brother, Kimberly library. In addition, Charles supported Charles. building Appleton’s Prescott Hospital, the BSFBTmSTUIPTQJUBM

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