Rev. James Clark, S.J.

   James Clark was born in Clark's Valley, Pennsylvania on October 21, 1809. He graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1829 with Robert E. Lee. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, was a classmate at the Academy graduating in 1828. He resigned his commission in 1830. Shortly, thereafter, he was converted to Catholicism and taught science for several years at St. Mary's College, Baltimore. 
   He entered the Society of Jesus in 1844 and was ordained a priest in 1847. He taught Mathematics and Physics and was Treasurer of Georgetown College until 1861 when he was appointed President of Holy Cross. During the difficult Civil War Years he also taught classes in Mathematics, Physics and French. In 1869 he was President of Gonzaga College, Washington, D.C. and served in that office until 1875. 
   The remaining years of his life Rev. Clark spent as teacher and spiritual counselor at Georgetown College where he died on September 9, 1885.

Link to papers of President Clark RG 12.6 (.pdf file)