Abraham Clark

Abraham Clark ( * February 15, 1725 in Elizabethtown, New Jersey colony of the Kingdom of Great Britain, United States today, † September 15, 1794 in Rahway, New Jersey, USA ) was an American politician and founding father of the United States. He participated in the War of Independence in part, sat as a delegate for New Jersey in the Continental Congress where he signed the Declaration of Independence, and was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Clark was a land surveyor, lawyer and employee of the Provincial Assembly. Later he was elected sheriff of Essex County Main (New Jersey) and 1775 in the Provincial Congress. He was a member of the safety committee.

Beginning of 1776 the delegation from New Jersey against the independence from Britain. As the struggle for independence to the main point at all advanced, the state Congress all its delegates replaced by men who advocated for independence. On June 21, Clark was appointed along with John Hart, Francis Hopkinson, Richard Stockton and John Witherspoon new delegates. They met on 28 June in Philadelphia and signed there in early July, the Declaration of Independence.

Clark remained for the year 1778 in the Continental Congress. New Jersey elected him twice again, from 1780 to 1783 and from 1786 to 1788. Clark abdicated before the Constitutional Assembly of his state in 1794.

The City Clark in northeastern New Jersey is named after Abraham Clark. He was buried in the cemetery of Rahway.

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