2020 - Vancouver - Mountain View Cemetery - 2 of 12
Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery has a few large older grave markers.
This one has a story to tell - courtesy of Vancouver archives.
About Robert Clark:
Robert Clark was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1845 (a discrepancy with the grave marker date of 1843). A prominent Vancouver merchant, he died 05 May 1909 at 65 years old.
Clark had an important influence on the business life in Vancouver.
Clark's first job was in a grocery store, but then he learned the ship-builder’s trade. 01 May 1871, at age 25, Clark left Scotland for Canada.
Clark built the first steamer that sailed on Lake Manitoba. “Going into the forest,” the 1906 B.C. Illustrated News relates, “he picked out the trees, hewed the lumber and with help whip-sawed the lumber. He then built and launched the boat and delivered her to the owners, a craft one hundred feet in length.”
Clark then moved to the US and worked in various cities until he came to Victoria in 1875.
In 1880 Clark opened a men’s wear store in Nanaimo, and moved it to Yale a year later.
Then his Yale store burned down. “He remained at Yale until the spring of 1886,” the Illustrated News continues, “when owing to the building of the Canadian Pacific Railroad he returned to Vancouver.
Clark then opened his haberdashery store on Hastings and ran a large and successful business.
Clark also assisted in building the first Presbyterian church in Vancouver, and topped the Vancouver aldermanic polls in 1887, ’88 and ’89.
This excerpt from the web site of the Vancouver Board of Trade indicates the key role Clark played in the early business life of Vancouver:
“Following the disastrous fire of June 13, 1886, when all but one of Vancouver’s buildings were destroyed, Vancouver businessmen held a number of meetings to discuss the need for some kind of business organization that could help to rebuild the young city.
22 September, 1887, such a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Alderman Robert Clark and the decision was made to form a Board of Trade . . . On November 24, 1887, a Charter was issued which made the new organization official and gave it its name—The Vancouver Board of Trade.”
Robert Clark is one of 576 Clarks found in Mountain View. The cemetery web site offers a useful tool to find grave sites by name.
The inscription across the base reads "Tho Lost to Sight to Memory Dear".
2020 - Vancouver - Mountain View Cemetery - 2 of 12
Vancouver's Mountain View Cemetery has a few large older grave markers.
This one has a story to tell - courtesy of Vancouver archives.
About Robert Clark:
Robert Clark was born in Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1845 (a discrepancy with the grave marker date of 1843). A prominent Vancouver merchant, he died 05 May 1909 at 65 years old.
Clark had an important influence on the business life in Vancouver.
Clark's first job was in a grocery store, but then he learned the ship-builder’s trade. 01 May 1871, at age 25, Clark left Scotland for Canada.
Clark built the first steamer that sailed on Lake Manitoba. “Going into the forest,” the 1906 B.C. Illustrated News relates, “he picked out the trees, hewed the lumber and with help whip-sawed the lumber. He then built and launched the boat and delivered her to the owners, a craft one hundred feet in length.”
Clark then moved to the US and worked in various cities until he came to Victoria in 1875.
In 1880 Clark opened a men’s wear store in Nanaimo, and moved it to Yale a year later.
Then his Yale store burned down. “He remained at Yale until the spring of 1886,” the Illustrated News continues, “when owing to the building of the Canadian Pacific Railroad he returned to Vancouver.
Clark then opened his haberdashery store on Hastings and ran a large and successful business.
Clark also assisted in building the first Presbyterian church in Vancouver, and topped the Vancouver aldermanic polls in 1887, ’88 and ’89.
This excerpt from the web site of the Vancouver Board of Trade indicates the key role Clark played in the early business life of Vancouver:
“Following the disastrous fire of June 13, 1886, when all but one of Vancouver’s buildings were destroyed, Vancouver businessmen held a number of meetings to discuss the need for some kind of business organization that could help to rebuild the young city.
22 September, 1887, such a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Alderman Robert Clark and the decision was made to form a Board of Trade . . . On November 24, 1887, a Charter was issued which made the new organization official and gave it its name—The Vancouver Board of Trade.”
Robert Clark is one of 576 Clarks found in Mountain View. The cemetery web site offers a useful tool to find grave sites by name.
The inscription across the base reads "Tho Lost to Sight to Memory Dear".