President Buchanan and Harriet Lane

Patrick holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Hisotry and a Secondary Education Certification from Westfield State College in Massachusetts and a Master of Science in Museum Education Leadership from Bank Street College of Education in New York.

Since 1981 Patrick has held leadership positions at a variety of history museusm around the East Coast. During his career he has studied, interpreted and been engaged in preservation activities for early community life in New England. New Jersey's 18th century  iron industry and farming history, as well as the political careers of WIlliam Blount,  Washingtons's 18th century Southwest Territorial Governor and two United States Presidents; Thomas Wood WIlson and James Buchanan.

In 2005 Patrick was appointed as the Executive Director of the James Buchanan Foundnation. After four year of collaborating with his neighbor, Dr. Thomas Ryan, the President of the Lancaster Country Historical Society, the two men guided their respective nonprofit boards through a new business strategy and successfully effected a merger to creat a new not-for-profit corporation under the name, Lancaster History.Dr. Ryan became the President and CEO  for Lancaster History and Patrick continued s the Director of President James Buchanans' Wheatland adding on duties as the Director of Visitor Services.

 Patrick and his wife, Sarah S. Clarke live in East Petersburg, PA where they raised their sons, Curran Walker Clarke, age 29 who lives in Tennessee and Patrick McKenzie Clarke age 21 who is in his senior year of college in North Carolina.