Disappearance of Marvin Clark

Marvin Clark
Born Marvin Alvin Clark
ca. 1851 (1851)
Marion County, Iowa, U.S.
Disappeared October 30, 1926 (aged 74–75)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Status Missing for 90 years, 1 month and 6 days
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg)

Marvin Alvin Clark (born ca. 1851 – disappeared October 30, 1926)[1] was an American man who disappeared under mysterious circumstances while en route to visit his daughter in Portland, Oregon during the Halloween weekend, 1926.

Clark's disappearance made national headlines in 2011 when it was reported that a John Doe discovered in 1986 may have been him, though a positive DNA identification was unable to be made. Clark's case has the distinction of being the oldest active missing person case in the United States.[2]

Early life

According to U.S. census records, Clark was born circa 1851 in Iowa.[1] Both of Clark's parents were from New York.[1] Clark moved to Oregon with his wife, Mary Clark, as early as 1910; according to the 1910 U.S. Census, Clark resided in Holbrook, Oregon.[3] Clark was at one time the town marshal of Linton, a district that would later become part of Portland.[4]

Disappearance

On Saturday, October 30, 1926, Clark left his home in Tigard, Oregon around 1 p.m.[5] to visit his daughter, Sidney McDougall, formerly of Seattle, who was a resident and manager of the Hereford Hotel[6] at 735 Hoyt Street in Northwest Portland.[7] The initial report of Clark's disappearance on November 6, 1926 by The Morning Oregonian stated that he had embarked to Portland by stagecoach, though a report published the following week said he had traveled by bus.[8]

According to sightings, Clark was seen at the terminal on Yamhill Street in downtown Portland, dressed in a dark suit and slacks. This was the last reported sighting of him.[7] According to the newspaper reports, Clark had suffered from paralysis and could not properly use his right arm; he also walked with a limp, a distinction that police hoped may help elicit sightings of him.[7] His daughter offered a $100 reward for information leading to his discovery.[8]

On November 9, 1926, The Bellingham Herald, a newspaper in Bellingham, Washington, reported that Clark's wife, Mary, had received a "disconnected" postcard purportedly written by Clark that was postmarked in Bellingham, and that there had been witnesses who saw Clark at two hotels in the area on November 2 and 3.[9] The news article read: "The letter indicated that the aged man’s mind is wandering as it was badly jumbled despite the fact that Clark is highly educated, being a graduate of two universities."[9]

Discovery of John Doe

In 1986, nearly sixty years after Clark's disappearance, loggers discovered a nearly complete human skeleton in the woods between Tigard and Portland. Though no identification could be found with the body, an 1888 V nickel, a 1919 penny, a pocket watch, leather shoes, and a Fraternal Order of Eagles pocket knife and four tokens with the inscription “D&P” were found near the body.[10] Also discovered was a .38 revolver along with a spent shell, were found near the remains.[2] A pair of wire-rimmed glasses were also discovered.[11] Upon an autopsy of the John Doe, the state medical examiner Dr. Karen Gunson discovered a bullet hole in the skull, and effectively ruled the death a suicide.[2] The estimated age of the John Doe was 35 to 55 years old.

Several days after the discovery, Clark's granddaughter, Dorothy Willoughby, came forward, suspicious that the John Doe may have been her missing grandfather, but a positive identification could not be made at the time. Willoughby died in 1991.[2]

2011 development

In 2011, Dr. Niji Vance of the Oregon state medical examiner's office revisited Clark's missing person file, and forensic pathologists were able to retrieve sufficient DNA from the skeletal remains of the John Doe, which had remained in storage since its 1986 discovery.[2] In a 2014 article published by The Oregonian, it was stated that the medical examiners were unable to locate maternal descendants of Clark in order to make a positive identification.[2] “They’re looking for a maternal link,” said Vance. “Someone on his mother’s side, and following that lineage to shore it up. There’s an association there but it’s not strong at this point.”[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLB7-GL7 : accessed 27 November 2016), Marvin A Clark, Holbrook, Multnomah, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 121, sheet 4A, family 80, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1288; FHL microfilm 1,375,301.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Laine, Martin (April 30, 2014). "Oldest active missing persons case in U.S. may soon be solved". Digital Journal. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLB7-GL7 : accessed 27 November 2016), Marvin A Clark, Holbrook, Multnomah, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 121, sheet 4A, family 80, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1288; FHL microfilm 1,375,301.
  4. ↑ Quinn, Rob (April 24, 2014). "Stagecoach Passenger Is Oldest Active Missing-Person Case". Newser. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  5. ↑ Pursinger, Geoff (April 30, 2014). "Mystery of man's 1926 disappearance may be close to solved". The Times. Pamplin Media. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
  6. ↑ Kuehn, Duncan (June 26, 2014). "DNA Needed to Solve One of the Oldest Missing Persons Cases". Geneaology Bank. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 "Missing Man Sought: Search Under Way for Marvin Clark, 75, of Tigard". The Morning Oregonian. November 6, 1926.
  8. 1 2 "Reward Up For Clark; Tigard Resident Disappeared Several Days Ago". The Morning Oregonian. November 11, 1926.
  9. 1 2 "Aged Man Missing: Relatives Trace Him from Oregon to Bellingham". The Bellingham Herald. November 9, 1926. p. 5.
  10. ↑ "DNA sought to close 1926 missing-person case". New York Daily News. The Associated Press. April 30, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  11. ↑ Sebens, Shelby (April 30, 2014). "Oregon skeleton may solve one of oldest U.S. missing persons cases". The Chicago Tribune. Reuters. Retrieved November 26, 2016.

External links

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