Amasa L. Clark, 99, left, Alfred Franklin Stevenson, 89, and Albert Barber, 86, take a spin on their bicycles down Farmington streets.

The Banker Rides A Bike

And when the 99 year-old rider is joined by two friends, their ages total 274 years

by Harold L. Jenson

THREE MEN recently rode their bicycles down Farmington's main street. It's not an unusual sight in Farmington, because these men have been riding bicycles together for some years, but it was somewhat of a special occasion because two of them had made the trip to honor the third member of the group who was celebrating his 99th birthday.

HE IS AMASA L. Clark, who on June 6 began his 100th year. His two friends are Alfred Franklin Stevenson, who will be 90 years old on Dec. 22, and Albert Barber who will celebrate his 87th birth anniversary on Sept. 13.

For the "numbers-minded" readers, that's a total of 274 years represented by the three bike riders.

All three are regular riders and it is this "activity" as they call it that helps keep them clicking.

Mr. Clark, president of the Davis County Bank, which was founded by his father in 1892, generally rides to work daily. The others, long-time cyclists, are retired but still ride their bicycles for exercise. 

BANKER CLARK rides a new bike, a recent gift of his bank employees. Mr. Barber also has a new model, but Mr. Stevenson said his is "almost as old as I am," adding that it is "made up of everything, although I think originally was an Ivor Johnson."

Mr. Clark attributes-as do the others-his condition to hard work, and offered three rules he has followed to keep himself fit both physically and mentally. They are "vigorous exercise, nutritious food and tranquility derived from church service."

HE NEVER MISSES a day at the bank or at church meetings and, as his wife is not well, spends a great deal of his time in taking care of her.

He has served his church- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sainsts- as a bishop and is still active in churchu affairs, including scouting. He has served his community as councilman and mayor- and of course he is president of the bank, a position in which community service is prominent.

Next oldest of the group is Mr. Stevenson who is a bachelor, living in the house his father built. When asked why he had never married, he replied that "the women I wanted didn;t want me."

Although troubled by poor eyesight, he still manages to eep many of the neighborhood bicycles in repair, and his housekeeper, Mrs. Margaret Thayne, reports he still does a lot of work in his garden.

MR. BARBER, the "youngster," lives with a daughter, Marjorie, and only recently retired from the Miller Floral where he rode to work daily on his bicycle.

During Mr. Clark's lifetime of nearly a century, there have been great strides in all fields of endeavor, with Mr. Clark an interested observer.

To illustrate, he likes to tell this story on himself. Back in 1949, he had occasion to visit Detroit, and when he returned he realized that he had neglected to visit the Henry Ford Museum there. He was about to kick himself for being so forgetful, when he realized, "What the heck, I'd seen all the models when they were first invented."

Mr. Clark, a banker, rides to his business regularly.

Salt Lake City, July 5, 1964

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