Dr. Horace G. Clark

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. We're talking about Dr. Horace G.

Clark, and this story starts up north and ends up deep in Texas, which is really the only direction a story worth telling ought to go. Born in Massachusetts, Horace G. Clark made his way to Texas in 1850, and he didn't come alone.

He came with his wife, Martha Davis Clark, and together those two were about to plant themselves in the middle of something that mattered. He stepped in as principal and second president of Baylor Female College, and Martha, she wasn't just along for the ride. She taught, she counseled students, she held things together the way only certain people can.

The Clark family operated the dormitory right there on that very site, and they did it for twenty years. Twenty years of students coming and going, of meals and lessons and late nights, all of it running through that household. Now, a three-story main hall doesn't just appear out of nowhere, and the marker is good enough to tell us exactly how that happened.

Dr. Asa Hoxey made a gift of one thousand dollars, and with that, Dr. Clark built it.

Three stories. In 1858, Dr. Clark was ordained to the ministry right there at Independence Baptist Church.

Then the family opened Clark's Academy in Houston in 1871. And here is where the story takes a turn that not everyone would have seen coming. In 1880, Dr.

Clark took Holy Orders at Christ Episcopal Church in Houston, and went on to serve as a rector in Corpus Christi. Martha, for her part, remained a lifelong Baptist, every single day of her life, until she died in 1896. Two faithful people, two different paths in the same faith, building something that lasted.

That's the Clarks.

What the marker says

Born in Massachusetts. Coming to Texas (1850) with wife, Martha Davis Clark, he was principal and second president of Baylor Female College. Mrs. Clark also taught and counseled students. Family operated dormitory on this site 20 years. Dr. Clark, with $1,000 gift from Dr. Asa Hoxey, built 3-story main hall. He was ordained to ministry (1858) at Independence Baptist Church. Family opened Clark's Academy, Houston, 1871; Dr. Clark took Holy Orders (1880), Christ Episcopal Church, Houston, and was a rector in Corpus Christi. Mrs. Clark, a lifelong Baptist, died in 1896.