The Clarks: An American story of wealth, scandal and mystery

[mtmynd]

The following link is a slide show/history-mystery that is a fascinating look into a man and his life (including children) who I have never heard of, but yet he was very well known in America at one time.

A story of wealth and excess that is quite amazing -

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35266269/ns ... ginSlide=1

[Barry]

Cecil, that was fascinating. Thanks for posting it. I, too, had never even heard of this man, though I had heard the term "Clark's Folly."

Two things that really made me perk up, even gave me chills a little bit...On slide 14 it says Clark's second wife Anna's maiden name was La Chapelle. I dated a La Chapelle, middle mane Anna, from age 19 to 21. We hadn't spoken in years, about seventeen, in fact, (her age when we began dating), until just last Monday, when I 411'd her out of the blue on a whim and we caught up for an hour over the phone. The second thing is on slide 24, where it says that Hugette attended Miss Spence's School for Girls. My last name is Spence. Nothing really strange, just coincidence, but still weird when the universe reaches out and grabs you like that. Thanks for being the conduit. And thanks for introducing into my consciousness this most deliciously mysterious enigma.

Peace,
Barry

[silent woman]

"I never bought a man who wasn't for sale."

[mtmynd]

Thx, Barry. Glad you enjoyed this slide show. It borders on the curious how these two names, 'La Chapelle' and 'Spence' figure into your own life.

I was drawn into the story because initially I had never heard of this man who was so wealthy as to be such an unknown. And the story of his youngest daughter who continues his mysterious ways, albeit differently than her father, but strange nonetheless. The story was very well done and uniquely told with those pictures, IMHO.

______

Hi, JT... how be you?

Yes, indeed, old Mr Clark I'm sure knew what he had spoken given all he'd accumulated during his lifetime. I also imagine that statement he also knew well applied to himself and his extravagances, he also being 'bought', in a manner of speaking, by his image of what wealth can buy... in his case everything which is a tremendous responsibility.

[stilltrucking]

He went back east and studied geology for a year. He knew what he was looking for.

Fascinating story about his daughter and all those houses...kind of eerie.
thanks for posting.

[mtmynd]

he knew what he was looking for but i'm not sure he had any idea how it would end, you think?

right about the houses and all... and his own train track to bring in the coal... talk about excess, eh?

glad you enjoyed, too, JT. i've got a bit of a thing about biographies/autobiographies since a young pup, be it books or documentaries on tv and movies. this character was priceless (!).