Judge Clark Guild was born in Dayton March 13, 1887, son of Lucius and Maria (Wheatley) Guild. Judge Guild grew up in Dayton. He attended schools in Dayton and, for a short period, attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He worked at various jobs after leaving UNR. These included surveying for the Western Pacific Railway, Walker River Valley survey, and followed by railroading in Nevada and Idaho.
In 1908 he was elected county auditor and recorder of Lyon County and held that office until 1916. In the meantime he had three years of private tutoring in the law, and was admitted to the Nevada bar in 1914. He was district attorney of Lyon County from 1916-1924.
In November, 1924, he was elected judge of the Eighth Judicial District comprising Lyon and Churchill counties, and was reelected in 1926. In 1930 he was elected judge of the First Judicial District, which was made up of Lyon, Churchill, Storey, Ormsby, and Douglas counties. By special appointment he also acted as an associate justice of the Nevada Supreme Court. Judge Guild was a member of the Nevada State and American Bar associations.
Judge Guild was a loyal native son. He is best known as the "Father of the Nevada State Museum and one of the co-founders of the Nevada Day Celebration.