from The History of Hendricks County (Indianapolis: B.F. Bowen & Co., 1914)--pages 559-560
In examining the life records of self-made men, it will invariably be found that indefatigable industry has contributed the basis of their success. True, there are other elements which enter in and conserve the advancement of personal interests—perseverance, discrimination and mastering of expedients—but the foundation of all achievement is earnest, persistent labor. At the outset of his career Mr. Clark recognized this, and he did not seek any royal road to the goal of prosperity and independence, but began to work earnestly and diligently in order to advance himself, and the result is that he is now numbered among the progressive, successful and influential business men of Hendricks County.
William P. Clark, the son of Alfred and Sarah (Aker) Clark, was born January 28, 1851, in Butler County, Ohio. Alfred Clark was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1820, his wife being born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in July, 1834. She came to Butler County, Ohio, when she was seven years of age with her parents, and is still living in Irving, Indiana.
William P. Clark came with his parents from Butler County, Ohio, to Marion County, Indiana, when he was two years old and lived there until 1875, when he moved to the farm where he is now living. He was married April 14, 1880, to Elma Anderson, daughter of Edward and Amanda (Willits) Anderson. Mrs. Clark was born near Knightstown, Indiana, February 22, 1862. Her mother died when she was only nine months old and she was taken to her grandmother's at Noblesville, Indiana, where she lived until she was nine years old. She then went to the home of Isaac Harden, in Washington Township, Hendricks County, where she remained until her marriage to Mr. Clark.
Mr. and Mrs. Clark have four children: Leola May, who was born March 17, 1881, and died after reaching womanhood, having married Harry Gray; Walter Raymond, who was born November 19, 1883, and died March 20, 1887; Sarah Louisa, born May 2, 1886, died March 9, 1887; and Alford A., the only child living, was born November 14, 1888. He married Merley Sarkey, daughter of Charles and Viola Sarkey, of Clermont, Indiana, and is living with her father on the old home farm.
The subject carries on a general farming business, also raising Poland-China hogs and Shorthorn cattle, and has one hundred and sixty acres on the home place, besides forty acres in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana. He votes the Democratic ticket. Mrs. Clark is a member of Shiloh Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Clark built his fine home in 1908 and put up every building on the farm. He made all of the improvements just as they stand, for when he got the farm it was badly run down. He has laid over two thousand rods of drain tile.