Thomas Clarke: "Mt Vernon; born in Baltimore Md, May 13 1835, came to this county in 1850, has been engaged in the hardware business for several years for himself and as salesman for others. He married Miss Carrie Brenizer in 1861, has two children Capitola and Claude." (The history of Linn county, Iowa: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics ... Publisher Western historical company, 1878, page 708).