Born: Stow, Ohio, 1830.
Died: McMinnville. Tennessee, 1908.
He had the advantages of the farmer boys of those days and in that section. To these he added two years in Hiram College. At the age of twelve he was baptized by Alanson Wilcox, and to render this act of submission to his Master's will he walked three miles and returned before changing his clothes. He was in the work of the ministry at twenty. Before coming to Illinois, he served churches in Ohio, New York, Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. In this State he served at Princeton, Ohiotown, Belleplain, Antioch (now Toluca), Augusta, Table Grove, Greenville, Salem, Duquoin, Blandinsville and Hamilton. Besides this, he evangelized in twenty-two States and Provinces. His public ministry reached through fifty-eight years.
He held many formal debates on various subjects pertaining to religion. Probably the last of these was in 1903, on "Instrumental Music in the Church of Christ," at Henderson, Tennessee, with Joe S. Wallick [sic - Warlick].
His last pastorate was at Tullahoma, Tennessee. Later, he moved to a ranch near McMinnsville, and preached almost every Sunday to the mountain people, although he was in his seventy-ninth year.
Mr. Stark was a brave and true soldier of the great Commander. He was passionately devoted to his Leader, and carried his banner triumphantly through the storm and smoke of every battle. Sincere and frank as a child, he could have but little patience with the duplicity of sectarian chiefs. Yet his heart was as tender as it was true.