Richard Clarke (1845 - 1930), born in Yorkshire, England, was a United States frontiersman and Pony Express rider who was the original inspiration for Deadwood Dick.

On his Pony Express trips, he often had to defend himself from Sioux Indians, but lived to see his country make peace with that tribe and was present the day that President Calvin Coolidge was made an honorary tribe member.

He died in the town in which he spent much of his life: Deadwood, South Dakota.