Emory Ellison Clark [RG4455.AM]

HISTORY NEBRASKA MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID

RG4455.AM:  Emory Ellison Clark, 1883-1958

Papers:  1924-1955

North Platte and Alliance, Nebraska:  Law enforcement officer

Size:  1.5 cu.ft., 3 boxes

BACKGROUND NOTE

Emory E. Clark was born on November 22, 1883, on his father’s ranch at Graneros, near Pueblo, Colorado.  In 1888 he parents, John F. Clark and Georgia D. (Smith) Clark, moved into Routt Co., Colorado, to another ranch, where E.E. Clark was brought up, working as a cowboy.  In 1907 he began to fulfill his youthful ambition to work with the law, and left the ranch to become deputy sheriff of Routt Co.  He later became under-sheriff, and sheriff for four years before moving his own family to Denver.  During World War I he served as chairman of the Routt Co. draft board and organized a volunteer unit, the First Colorado Cavalry.  Clark worked with the Colorado State Constabulary for about a year.  In 1920 he went to work for the Nebraska Stock Growers Association, serving for a part of the time before 1941 as chief of the cattle theft investigation department.  From 1941 until his retirement in 1955, Mr. Clark served the Nebraska Brand Committee as chief investigator and assistant chief inspector.  From the content of the material in this collection, it appears that, at least during the 1930’s he also held the position of Deputy State Sheriff.  After retirement he left Nebraska for Fowler, Colorado, where he died in March of 1958.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection consists of three boxes of material arranged in three series:  1) Reports, 1941-1947 and 1951-1955; 2) Criminal investigation records, 1924-1938 and 1951-1952; and 3) Miscellany.  Series 1 consists of E.E. Clark’s monthly reports submitted to the Nebraska Brand Committee.  These reports relate to his activities, mainly in the western part of Nebraska, as chief investigator and assistant chief inspector.  In this capacity Mr. Clark was in charge of operations of brand inspectors, and investigated violations of state laws concerning cattle thefts and inspection and shipping of cattle.

Series 2 consists mainly of statements of persons accused of various crimes.  Most of the statements are the post-interrogation, witnessed reports given and signed by the accused or other persons concerned in the investigations.  The bulk of these cases were concerned with cattle thefts, murder, and robbery.  Series 3 includes lists of criminal investigations during the years 1931-1934, as well as undated material and personal information about E.E. Clark.

INVENTORY

Series 1 – Reports, 1941-1947

Box 1

Folder

1. 1. 1941, August-December

1. 1. 1942, January-June

1. 1. 1942, July-December

1. 1. 1943, January-May

1. 1. 1943, June-December

1. 1. 1944, January-May

1. 1. 1944, June-December

1. 1. 1945, January-June

1. 1. 1945, July-December

1. 1. 1946, January-June

1. 1. 1946, July-December

Box 2

Folder

1. 12. 1947, January-June

1. 13. 1947, July-November

1. 14. 1950, January-June

1. 15. 1950, July-December

1. 16. 1951, January-June

1. 17. 1951, July-December

1. 18. 1952, January-July

1. 19. 1952, August-December

1. 20. 1953, January-June

1. 21. 1953, July-December

1. 22. 1954, January-June

1. 23. 1954, July-December

1. 24. 1955, January-April

Series 2 – Criminal investigation records, 1924-1952

Box 3

Folder

1. 1. 1924

1. 1. 1925

1. 1. 1928

1. 1. 1929

1. 1. 1930

1. 1. 1931

1. 1. 1932

1. 1. 1933

1. 1. 1934

1. 1. 1935

1. 1. 1936

1. 1. 1937

1. 1. 1937-1938 (Investigation of the murder of Sheriff Lawrence Smoyer in June 1937)

1. 1. 1938

1. 1. 1939

1. 1. 1951

1. 1. 1952

Series 3 – Miscellany

1. 1. Lists of criminal cases handled between 1931-1934

1. 1. Letters concerning this collection and biography of E.E. Clark; undated list of cases handled; miscellaneous statements

Subject headings:

Cattle brands — Nebraska

Cattle industry and trade — Nebraska

Clark, Emory Ellison, 1883-1958

Crime and criminals

Law — Nebraska — Branding

Law enforcement

Nebraska State Brand and Mark Commission

Nebraska Stock Growers Association

DAB/HEK/ab          01-18-1967

Revised TMM        10-19-2018