Leo Clark

Washington’s amateur photographer, Leo R. Clark, was born August 29, 1899, in Ocoya, IL, the son of Charles and Beatrice Sage Clark. He was married to Goldie Fendrick on September 10, 1929. They had one daughter, Marilyn.

He was an engineer with the Wabash and the T., P. & W. railroads for more than 50 years. Retiring in 1970, he was a member of the T., P. & W. Railroad Retirees Club, the Kennell Lake Association, and the Midwest Old Settlers & Threshers Association in Mount Pleasant, IA, the latter of which he was the “official photographer” for more than 30 years. He also served as a photographer for Eureka College for some 20 years. It is believed Mr. Clark took more than 1000 images of Washington between the late 1940s to the mid 1980s, including all aspects of the community of Washington and its people. He kept a notebook scrapbook and had many of the old photographs published in the local Courier newspaper under the caption, “Leo’s Scrapbook.”

In 1983, at the age of 83, Leo R. Clark was honored by being given the “Washingtonian Award” for his service to the community. Mayor Ronald Marshall, who presented the award, indicated that “his pictures tell us quite a bit about our community and its people. By looking at them, we can see how we have grown.” Within five years, the camera lens of Mr. Clark ceased when he died March 6, 1988 at the age of 88.