# Clark Churchill

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{{Short description|American political figure (1836–1896)}}
thumb|upright|Clark Churchill
'''Clark Churchill''' (June 17, 1836{{spaced ndash}}April 4, 1896) was an attorney and politician in the American territory of [Arizona](/source/Arizona_Territory). He is best remembered for having served as the [Attorney General of Arizona](/source/Attorney_General_of_Arizona) from 1883 to 1885.

==Biography==
===Early years===

Clark Churchill was born on June 17, 1836, in [Tioga County, Pennsylvania](/source/Tioga_County%2C_Pennsylvania) to Dr. Charles Churchill and the former Elizabeth Butler.<ref name=Goff32>John S. Goff, ''Arizona Territorial Officials, Volume V: The Adjutants General, Attorneys General, Auditors, Superintendents of Public Instruction, and Treasurers, 1863-1912.'' Cave Creek, AZ: Black Mountain Press, 1991; p. 32.</ref> All record of his early years and education is lost.<ref name=Goff32 />

===Career===

Churchill became an attorney in San Francisco in 1861, but his interests soon turned to mining affairs.<ref name=Goff32 /> An interest in the [Comstock lode](/source/Comstock_lode) prompted his move to [Virginia City, Nevada](/source/Virginia_City%2C_Nevada).<ref name=Goff32 /> He married Margaretha on October 12, 1864.<ref name=Goff33>Goff, ''Arizona Territorial Officials, Volume V,'' p. 33.</ref>

Churchill's interest in mining affairs proved short-lived and in 1865 he was named Virginia City’s city attorney.<ref name=Goff33 /> He would remain in the post through 1866.<ref name=Goff33 />

In 1878, Churchill moved to [Prescott](/source/Prescott%2C_Arizona), where he went into legal practice with Thomas Finch.<ref name=Goff32 /> He would remain with Finch until February 1880.<ref name=Goff32 />

Churchill was named Adjutant General in Fall 1880.<ref name=Goff33 /> He took an active interest in territorial politics, serving as the chairman of Republican Territorial Committee in 1884.<ref name=Goff33 />

Governor [Frederick A. Tritle](/source/Frederick_Augustus_Tritle) signed a bill restoring the office of Attorney General on March 7, 1883.<ref name=Goff34>Goff, ''Arizona Territorial Officials, Volume V,'' p. 34.</ref> Churchill was appointed to this post on March 8, 1883,<ref name=Goff64>Goff, ''Arizona Territorial Officials, Volume V,'' p. 64.</ref> becoming the fifth Attorney General of the Arizona Territory. He was renominated on March 5, 1885, and served until March 15, 1887, when he was succeeded by [Briggs Goodrich](/source/Briggs_Goodrich).<ref name=Goff64 /> Churchill's time in office coincided with [cowboy problems](/source/Cochise_County_Cowboys) and widespread fear of Indian attacks.  As a result several towns formed new militia units during his time in office.<ref name=Goff33 />

In addition to his government positions, Churchill served as President of the [Arizona Canal Company](/source/Arizona_Canal_Company) from 1882 to 1887.<ref name=Goff33 />

Churchill's first wife died on August 28, 1890.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1890-08-29/ed-1/seq-1/##words=Churchill&proxtext=churchill|title=Death of Mrs. Churchill|date=August 29, 1890|work=Arizona Republican|page=1|location=Phoenix, Arizona Territory}}</ref> He married Virginia Goodrich on December 30, 1891.<ref>Goff, ''Arizona Territorial Officials, Volume V,'' p. 65.</ref>

===Death and legacy===

Clark Churchill died in [Phoenix](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) at 7:40 in the morning of April 4, 1896 of a [heart attack](/source/heart_attack).<ref name=Call>[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85066387/1896-04-05/ed-1/seq-5/#words=Churchill+Clark&proxtext=clark+churchill "Phoenix Lawyer's Death: Sudden Passing of Ex-Attorney General Churchill from Heart Disease,"] ''San Francisco Call,'' April 5, 1896, p. 5.</ref> Although doctors had warned of his heart ailment, he appeared to friends to be in excellent health and his sudden death came as a shock to friends and associates.<ref name=Call /> Churchill was 59 years old at the time of his death.

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite news|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015104/1896-04-05/ed-1/seq-12/#words=Churchill+Clark&proxtext=clark+churchill|title=Died of Heart Disease|date=April 5, 1896|work=The Record-Union|page=12|location=Sacramento, California}}
* {{cite news|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020558/1896-04-05/ed-1/seq-1/#words=Churchill+Clark&proxtext=clark+churchill|title=Clark Churchill Dead|date=April 5, 1896|work=Arizona Republican|page=1|location=Phoenix, Arizona Territory}}
* {{cite book|title=A historical and biographical record of the territory of Arizona|year=1896|publisher=McFarland & Poole|location=Chicago|oclc=4074521 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rEFEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA573 |ref={{harvid|McFarland|Poole|1896}}}}
* {{cite book |last=Wagoner |first=Jay J. |title=Arizona Territory 1863–1912: A Political history |publisher=University of Arizona Press |location=Tucson |date=1970 |isbn=0-8165-0176-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/arizonaterritory00wago }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Churchill, Clark}}
Category:1836 births
Category:1896 deaths
Category:Arizona Territory officials
Category:Arizona attorneys general
Category:Arizona Republicans
Category:People from Virginia City, Nevada
Category:Politicians from Prescott, Arizona

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Clark Churchill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Churchill) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Churchill?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.