Maurice B. Clark

Maurice B. Clark (1827–1901) was a partner in a produce business with John D. Rockefeller Sr., along with Clark's two brothers, James and Richard.[1] Clark was from Malmesbury, England and moved to the United States in 1847.[2] He studied with Rockefeller at Folsom's Commercial College in Ohio.

His business career began with the firm of Otis & Sinclair. He went on a partnership with John D. Rockefeller in 1856, forming a grain and produce business named Clark & Rockefeller. In 1858, a new partner was added, George W. Gardner, later Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, and the Rockefeller name was removed to become Clark, Gardner & Company until 1862.[3]

They had become the largest grain dealers in Cleveland.[4] Gardner withdrew from the partnership and it became Clark & Rockefeller once more and other partners were added afterwards to become Clark, Rockefeller, & Co in 1864.[2] During the American Civil War (1863), the two partners went into the oil business. Eventually, Rockefeller bought Clark's (and his brothers') share of the company at auction for $72,500.[5]

Following this, Clark went on to start another oil company, the Star Oil company, which passed through several names and changes of partner, becoming Clark Brothers & Co, and Clark, Payne, & Co. In 1868, he joined new partners to form the Clark, Schurmer, & Scofield Company, which then became Clark, Scofield, and Teagle.[2] Following his work in the oil industry, he helped to organize the Cleveland Co-operative Stove Company. At the time of his death, he presided over the board of directors and he had been the company's president for twenty years.[6]

In addition to his work in the business community, he served one term in the City Council of Cleveland, representing the "old fourth ward" from 1872 to 1873.[2] He was also a prominent abolitionist, and one of the charter members of the First Wesleyan Methodist Church, known for its abolitionist outlook.[7]