Julia Clark Voorhis and Clark's Elkskin Journal

Julia Clark Voorhis in about 1861-65.  Missouri Historical Society.

If you’ve ever had the opportunity to stand in front of William Clark’s journals held within the care of the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis, you can thank his granddaughter for saving and sharing them with the public nearly 120 years after the end of the Expedition.

Julia Clark was born and raised in St. Louis and married Robert Stevenson Voorhis, an attorney. In about 1892, after she and Robert separated, Julia moved to New York City where she lived the rest of her life.

Mrs. Voorhis donated a small amount of items to the Missouri Historical Society in early 1922. However, the majority of items, including the handwritten copies of four Clark journals, and the only known existing field journal (also called the “elkskin journal”) came in 1923 as a bequest upon her death. Also included was a large collection of papers regarding various members of the Clark family.