Person:John Clarke (158)

Comic actor who had originally trained for the law. Schoolmate of Edwin Booth, who got him interested in the stage. After his marriage to Asia, he was associated with Edwin (now his brother-in-law) in the management of the Winter Garden Theatre in New York, and several others. He made his first appearance on the stage in 1851 and was considered noteworthy by the end of the decade.

Following the assassination of President Lincoln, Clarke came into possession, via his wife, of two letters, written by his brother-in-law, John Wilkes Booth. He turned them over to the Philadelphia Inquirer which printed one of the letters. His actions lead to his arrest and imprisonment in the Capitol Prison in Washington D.C. for a month. Once released, he notified his pregnant wife that he wanted a divorce. He wanted to distance himself professionally from the name of Booth. They made up, however, and remained married, and she bore him two sons, Creston (1865; he had a twin sister who died in infancy) and Wilfred (1867), who became actors. They stayed married in name only as Clarke sought the life of a bachelor, "He lives a free going bachelor life and does what he likes," wrote Asia to her brother Edwin.

In 1867, he went to London, where he made his first appearance at the St. James's Theatre. His success was so great that he remained in England for the rest of his life, except for four visits to America.

Sussex, England, 1871 census:^[3]

Clarke, John S. Head 40 yrs Annuetant b. "America"

      Asia B. Wife 35 yrs b. "America"

      Edwin Son 10 yrs Scholar b. "America"

      Creston Son 5 yrs Scholar b. "America"

      Wilfred Son 3 yrs Scholar b. "America"

      Asia Dau 11 yrs Scholar b. "America"

      Adrienne Dau 7 yrs Scholar b. "America"

Gatton, Elizabeth Sevt 18 yrs Cook b. Brighton, Sussex

Cross, Emily Sevt 23 yrs Nurse b. Tunbridge Wells, Sussex

Duffey, Mary Sevt 21 yrs Housemaid b. Manchester, Lancashire

London, England, 1881 census:^[4]

Clarke, John Head 48 yrs Actor b. "United States"

      Asia Wife 45 yrs b. "United States"

      Asia Dau 21 yrs b. "United States"

      Adrienne Dau 17 yrs b. "United States"

      Creston Son 15 yrs b. "United States"

      Wilfred Son 13 yrs b. "United States"

Hawley, Thomas Svnt 19 yrs Servant b. Beverley, Yorkshire

Williams, Janey Svnt 30 yrs Servant b. London

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Find A Grave.

   John Sleeper Clarke

2. ↑ England. FreeBMD Death Index, 1837-1983. (Free UK Genealogy)
   Vol. 2A, p. 258.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Sussex, England. 1871 Census Returns of England and Wales
   Folio 30, p. 51, #261 (30 Osbane[?] Villas).
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 London, England. 1881 Census Returns of England and Wales
   Folio 33, p. 4, #13 (110 Haverstock Hill).