By Doris Geoghegan
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.
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.
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.
Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives
Acquisition Source: Hardesty, A. Ray, Mrs.
