William Clark, brother of Revolutionary War hero George Rogers Clark, was born in Caroline County Virginia on August 1, 1770. Along with Meriwether Lewis, Clark lead the "voyage of discovery" ordered by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the route across America's new territories of the Louisiana purchase. In addition to sharing command, Clark also had recordkeeping duties. Especially important were the maps he created of the party's route and the identification of native flora and fauna.
In May of 1804 the expedition started up the Missouri River from a camp near St. Louis. By late fall, the explorers reached what is now North Dakota and spent the winter there. The following spring they continued along the Missouri and in late summer crossed the Rocky Mountains. They obtained horses, supplies, and valuable information from the Indians they met on their journey. Following the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia Rivers they made their way to the Pacific coast, which they reached in November of 1805. The party spent the winter on the coast of what is now Oregon and began the trip home in March of 1806. The explorers returned along nearly the same route by which they had come, reaching St. Louis in September of 1806 after traveling a total of 8,000 miles (12,800 kilometers).
After Lewis's death in 1809, Clark became responsible for the publication of the expedition's journals. Clark also held several public offices in St. Louis, including governor of the Missouri Territory and later, superintendent of Indian Affairs.
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