Minor Clark Papers, 1935-1978 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Doris Geoghegan

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Collection Overview

Title: Minor Clark Papers, 1935-1978

Primary Creator: Clark, Minor (1913-1979)

Extent: 1.5 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 06/30/1980

Subjects: Fisheries., Natural resources.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Minor Clark Papers were donated to the Eastern Kentucky University Archives by Mrs. Ray Hardesty, the sister of Mr. Clark. Much of he collection was damaged extensively in the December, 1978 Frankfort, Kentucky flood, requiring fumigation.

The collection consists of four series: Correspondence, Financial, Miscellaneous and Memorabilia. Most of the material dates from Clark's tenure as Commissioner of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for the state of Kentucky, and almost all touches upon some facet of his work in that department. Some exceptions are: a file of material relating to the work of the Water Pollution Board of which Clark was a member, and a rough draft of an outline of the management of fisheries for American occupied Japan; a project Clark worked on when he was attached to the staff of General Douglas MacArthur immediately after World War II.

Collection Historical Note

Minor Edward Clark was born at Waddy, Kentucky, Shelby County on August 5, 1913. He graduated from Waddy High School and from Eastern Kentucky State College in 1935 with a bachelor's degree, having majored in zoology and minored in chemistry. He was a graduate student at Western Kentucky State College and for two years was also a graduate student at University of Kentucky in Fisheries Research. He later attended Princeton University, the University of Arizona and one year of special fisheries and languages instruction in California.

Clark became the first graduate biologist with Kentucky Game and Fish Division in 1936 where he was in charge of biological stream surveys until 1940 when he was placed in charge of the Fisheries section of the Division.

Enlisting in the Navy in 1942, Clark was attached to General Douglas MacArthur's Headquarters Staff where he wrote the First General Plan for Fisheries Management during American occupation of postwar Japan.

He became Superintendent of Fisheries with the Division of Game and Fish in September, 1946, and while serving in that capacity was also made Assistant Director of the Division of Game and Fish.

When this Division was made the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources in 1952, he became Assistant Commissioner and served in that capacity until June, 1958, when he became Acting Commissioner. He was appointed Commissioner in August of 1958, in which capacity he served until his retirement in July, 1971.

Clark was also President of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners, and chairman of the Ohio River Sanitation and of the Kentucky Water Control Commission for seven years.

Minor Clark died in Frankfort on September 16, 1979. Mrs. Clark had died a few years previously. They had no children.

Subject/Index Terms

Fisheries.
Natural resources.

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Hardesty, A. Ray, Mrs.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Folder 1: Oversize Materials],
[Tray 3: Artifact Box],
[All]

Box 2

Barcode: 31234014051104

Folder 1: Correspondence, 1949-1963

Prominent correspondents have been listed separately; others are available, but not itemized.

Item 1: Alben Barkley to Minor Clark, 18-Mar-49
Item 2: Earle Clements to Minor Clark, Feb-62
Item 3: Earle Clements to Minor Clark, 4-Apr-62
Item 4: John Sherman Cooper to Minor Clark, 3-Nov-58
Item 5: Keen Johnson to Minor Clark, 28-Jun-63
Item 6: Stewart Udall to Minor Clark, 11-Jun-62
Item 7: Henry Lee Waterfield to Minor Clark, 6-Aug-58
Item 8: John C. Watts to Minor Clark, 12-Jun-62
Item 9: John C. Watts to Minor Clark, 19-Nov-63

Folder 2: Correspondence, 1964-1969

Prominent correspondents have been listed separately; others are available, but not itemized.

Item 1: Edward Breathitt to Minor Clark, 27-Nov-67
Item 2: Tim Lee Carter to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 3: Tim Lee Carter to Minor Clark, 4-Dec-70
Item 4: Earle Clements to Minor Clark, 6-Jan-69
Item 5: Earle Clements to Minor Clark, 2-Dec-69
Item 6: Earle Clements to Minor Clark, 8-Dec-69
Item 7: Marlow Cook to Minor Clark, 23-Mar-67
Item 8: John Sherman Cooper to Minor Clark, 6-Jun-66
Item 9: Gaylord Nelson to Minor Clark, 13-Sep-63
Item 10: Lawrence A. O'Brien to Minor Clark, 28-Sep-65
Item 11: Lawrence A. O'Brien to Minor Clark, 28-Sep-65
Item 12: Lawrence A. O'Brien to Minor Clark, 29-Sep-65
Item 13: Katherine Peden to Minor Clark, 8-Dec-67
Item 14: Katherine Peden to Minor Clark, 3-Aug-68
Item 15: James A. Rhodes to Minor Clark, 29-Sep-66
Item 16: Nelson Rockefeller to Minor Clark, 27-Sep-66
Item 17: Henry Ward to Minor Clark, 27-Feb-67
Item 18: Henry Ward to Minor Clark, 23-Mar-67
Item 19: Henry Ward to Minor Clark, 9-May-67
Item 20: John C. Watts to Minor Clark, 6-Aug-69

Folder 3: Correspondence, 1970

Prominent correspondents have been listed separately; others are available, but not itemized.

Item 1: John B. Breckinridge to Minor Clark, 21-Feb-70
Item 2: John B. Breckinridge to Minor Clark, 2-Mar-70
Item 3: John B. Breckinridge to Minor Clark, 2-Jul-70
Item 4: John B. Breckinridge to Minor Clark, 13-Aug-70
Item 5: Bert Combs to Minor Clark, 28-Oct-70
Item 6: Marlow Cook to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 7: John Sherman Cooper to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 8: John Sherman Cooper to Minor Clark, 9-Dec-70
Item 9: William Natcher to Minor Clark, 2-Mar-70
Item 10: William Natcher to Minor Clark, 18-Mar-70
Item 11: William Natcher to Minor Clark, 23-Mar-70
Item 12: William Natcher to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 13: Carl D. Perkins to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 14: Gene Snyder to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 15: Frank A. Stubblefield to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70
Item 16: John C. Watts to Minor Clark, 19-Aug-70

Folder 4: Correspondence, 1971-1978

Prominent correspondents have been listed separately; others are available, but not itemized.

Item 1: John Sherman Cooper to Minor Clark, 28-Jun-71
Item 2: Thruston B. Morton to Minor Clark, 27-Jan-71
Item 3: William Natcher to Minor Clark, 28-Jun-71
Item 4: Carl D. Perkins to Minor Clark, 28-Jun-71
Item 5: Carl D. Perkins to Minor Clark, 6-Jul-71
Item 6: Henry Lee Waterfield to Minor Clark, 28-May-71
Item 7: John C. Watts to Minor Clark, 28-Jun-71
Item 8: John C. Watts to Minor Clark, 2-Jul-71

Folder 5: Correspondence, 1958 (B-L)

Congratulatory letters received by Minor Clark as a result of his being named commissioner of Fish and Wildlife Resources August 1958. These are arranged alphabetically.

Item 1: J. D. Coates to Minor Clark, 29-Aug-58

Folder 6: Correspondence, 1958 (M-W)

Congratulatory letters received by Minor Clark as a result of his being named commissioner of Fish and Wildlife Resources August 1958. These are arranged alphabetically.

Folder 7: Correspondence, c. 1945

Draft of the outline drawn up by Clark for management of the fisheries of occupied Japan in 1945.

Folder 8: Correspondence, 1957

Report on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources by the Wildlife Management Institute.

Folder 9: Correspondence, c. 1962-1964

Materials concerning public works projects in Kentucky.

Folder 10: Correspondence, 1970-1971

Information provided Clark as part of his work on the Kentucky Water Pollution Control Commission.

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[Folder 1: Oversize Materials],
[Tray 3: Artifact Box],
[All]