William Brigham Clarke Esq, 32°
(Apr 15, 1848-Feb 24, 1905)

32° Consistory of Western Missouri, Kansas City

Occupation: Attorney, banker, investor, established the banking house of W. B. Clarke later reorganized as the First National Bank; president of Kansas City's Merchants' Bank; major stockholder of the Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company; organized a corporation controlling all of the salt coming from Salt Lake City. and the United States Trust Company.

Interred: Mt Washington Cemetery, Kansas City, MO

William B. Clarke was born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 15, 1848 and attended the public and private schools there. He then took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar. He gained a broad knowledge of the banking industry working in two of the largest banks in Cleveland. He struck out westward in 1869 and in 1871 he opened a bank in the then tumultuous environment of Abilene, Kansas which was then a headquarters for the Texas cattle trade. He was successful in building a prosperous banking business there however when the cattle trade moved out of Abilene a year later he moved to Junction City and opened up the banking house of W.B. Clarke. W. B. Clarke was later reorganized as the First National Bank but he held a continuing financial interest in the bank until his death. In 1886 he moved to Kansas City as president of the Merchants' Bank simultaneously becoming a heavy stockholder in the Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company. In 1888 he organized the United States Trust Company which he controlled as president until his death. In 1891 he organized a corporation controlling all of the salt output from Salt Lake City.

Brother Clarke married Kate E. Rockwell of Warsaw, Illinois and they became parents of two sons, William Rockwell Clarke and Bertrand Rockwell Clarke, graduates of Yale and Williams College respectively. He died in Santa Barbara, California on February 24, 1905.

Brother Clarke was a Mason and a 32° member of the Valley of Kansas City Scottish Rite.

William Clark was also a past president of the Kansas City Commercial Club, the Kansas City Club and the Kansas City Country Club, served on the National Republican Committee for three presidential campaigns and was treasurer of the Diocese of Western Missouri for many years.