Chase A. Clark

Chase A. Clark
18th Governor of Idaho
In office January 6, 1941 – January 4, 1943
Lieutenant	Charles C. Gossett
Preceded by	C. A. Bottolfsen
Succeeded by	C. A. Bottolfsen
Personal details
Born	August 20, 1883(1883-08-20) Amo, Indiana
Died	December 30, 1966(1966-12-30) (aged 83) Boise, Idaho
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Jean Burnett
Residence	Idaho Falls
Profession	Attorney
Religion	Presbyterian

Chase Addison Clark (August 21, 1883 – December 30, 1966) was an attorney, politician, and United States federal judge from Idaho. He served as the 18th Governor of Idaho from 1941 to 1943, and was a member of the Idaho Democratic Party.

Born in Hendricks County, Indiana, Clark attended the public schools of Idaho Falls, and graduated from high school there in 1900. He attended the University of Michigan and read law to enter the bar in 1904. He entered private practice of law in Mackay, Idaho in 1904. He was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 1912, and was a judge advocate general of the State of Idaho from 1914 to 1915, but left to fight in World War I in 1916, achieving the rank of Lieutenant in the United States Army. After his return, Clark resumed his private practice in Mackay, moving to Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1930

Clark returned to politics in the 1930s, serving in the Idaho State Senate (1933–36) and as mayor of Idaho Falls (1937–38). He was elected governor in 1940, defeating the Republican incumbent, C. A. Bottolfsen. Bottolfsen defeated Clark to regain the governorship in 1942.

On February 18, 1943, Clark was nominated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Idaho vacated by Charles C. Cavanah. Clark was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 5, 1943, and received his commission on March 10, 1943. He served as chief judge of the court from 1954 to 1964, assuming senior status on April 30, 1964. He continued to serve in that capacity until his death, in 1966, in Boise, Idaho.

Clark was a member of a prominent Idaho political family. He was the younger brother of Barzilla Clark, who preceded him as governor, and the father-in-law of Frank Church, a four-term U.S. Senator. Clark's daughter, Bethine Clark Church, was active in Idaho Democratic politics as of 2006. A nephew, D. Worth Clark, also represented Idaho in Congress.

Notes

• Chase A. Clark at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Party political offices
Preceded by John F. Nugent	Democratic Party nominee, U.S. Senator (Class 3) from Idaho 1928 special (lost)	Succeeded by James P. Pope
Preceded by C. Ben Ross	Democratic Party nominee, Governor of Idaho 1940 (won), 1942 (lost)	Succeeded by Charles C. Gossett
Political offices
Preceded by C. A. Bottolfsen	Governor of Idaho January 6, 1941 – January 4, 1943	Succeeded by C. A. Bottolfsen