John Thomas Clemens (1887 - 1968)

Born 28 May 1887 in Saint John, Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland

Ancestors

Husband of Ethel May (Vining) Clemens — married 7 Nov 1919 in Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Mar 1968 at age 80 in Farmington, Franklin, Maine, United States

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Biography

John Thomas Clemens was born in Newfoundland in 1887, the son of Richard Clemens and Jane Cordnar.

John married Dorothy Hunt at Everett, Massachusetts on 25 Jan 1910.

He married Ethel May Vining on 7 Nov 1919 in Maine. They were the parents of fourteen known children.

His Declaration of Intention to become a US citizen dated 12 Jun 1917 in Kennebec County, Maine states that he is John Thomas Clemens, born at St John, Newfoundland on 28 May 1892 and is 5' 7" tall, 147 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes. He arrived in the US departing from St. John, Newfoundland on the ship "Bruce", arriving in New York on 22 Apr 1901.

His WWI draft registration form dated 5 Jun 1917 at Weld, Maine shows that his name is John Thomas Clemens, that he is twenty-five years of age as he was born on 28 May 1892, single, employed as a farmer by Hiram E Vining, Weld, Maine. He is declared as an alien and citizen of Great Britain. He is of medium height and build, with blue eyes. He enlisted on 12 Jun 1917 and was discharged on 20 Feb 1919, serving as a Private in Co C, 103rd Infantry.

The 1920 US census report for Dixfield, Maine shows John Clemens (27) and his wife Ethel (24) renting their home on Mill Street. John is a laborer at the spool mill (Stowell MacGregor's) at the end of the street.

The 1930 US census for Weld, Maine completed 11 Apr 1930 shows John T Clemens (37) residing on Temple Road where he rents a home for $12/month and is employed as a laborer of odd jobs.. His parents were both residents of Great Britain (Newfoundland), as was he. Residing with him is his wife Ethel M (34). John was first married at age 29 and Ethel at 24, according to this report. Their children are Ruth M (10), Ruby M (9), John R (7), Richard H (6), Burnes B [sic] (5), Vernal F (3), James T (1) and Serley [sic] (0- 1month).

The 1930 US census for Weld, Maine shows John T Clemens (47) residing on the West Side Road in a home valued at $150. He is employed as a woodman working in the woods. Residing with him is his wife Ethel (45) and their children Richard H (17), employed as a woodsman, John T (16) employed as a town worker, Bernice V (14), Vernal F (12), James T (11), Shirley A (10), Alfred S (9), Cecil F (7), Nellie J (6), Edna F (4), Phyllis J (2) and lodger Arthur Gainville (67) from Canada. Living next door on Masterman Road with the family of Roland Snowman is daughter Ruby M Clemens (19).

He passed away at Farmington, Maine in 1968 and is buried at the Robertson Cemetery, Weld, Maine.

Research Notes

John's first marriage to Dorothy Hunt is a marriage, not a marriage intention filing, officiated by a H. Barrington, Priest, at Everett, Massachusetts on 25 Jan 1910 and officially recorded on 31 Jan 1910. The parents match, birthplace matches. However, both his 1917 "Declaration of Intention" for US citizenship and his 1919 WWI draft registration state that he is single. Further, his 1919 marriage record to Ethel May Vining states that both were single and that it is a first marriage for each.

Sources

• "Canada, Newfoundland Vital Statistics, 1753-1893," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9T-VNFZ : 23 February 2021), John Thomas Clements, 28 May 1887; citing Birth, Torbay, St John's, Newfoundland, Canada, Provincial Archives, St. John's

• "Canada Passenger Lists, 1881-1922," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2Q9R-QKX : 23 February 2021), J Clement, Dec 1895; citing Immigration, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, C-4516, Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.

• "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N485-55L : 10 March 2021), John Clemens and Dorothy Hunt, 25 Jan 1910; citing Everett, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,315,512.

• "Maine, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6MTQ-FHZM : 9 March 2021), John Thomas Clemens, 1917.

• "Maine, World War I Draft Registration Index, 1917-1919," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2HM-LDYH : 11 March 2018), John Thomas Clemens, 1917-1919; citing Draft Registration, Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States, Maine State Archives, Augusta; FHL microfilm 004403794.

• "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP8C-8W1X : 3 September 2021), John Thomas Clemens, 20 Feb 1919; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.

• "Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCJ4-YT3 : 27 November 2014), John T Clemens and Ethel M Vining, 07 Nov 1919; citing Marriage, Maine, United States, State Archives, Augusta.

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZ1-ZFP : 1 February 2021), John T Clemens, 1920

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM8T-H1V : accessed 19 December 2021), John T Clemants, Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 35, sheet 2B, line 70, family 42, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 832; FHL microfilm 2,340,567

• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMM8-1KF : 5 January 2021), John T Clemens, Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 4-33, sheet 5A, line 25, family 92, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1478.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JKDQ-9PL : 7 January 2021), John Clemens, Mar 1968; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing)

• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVY-TK69 : 13 September 2020), John Thomas Clemens, ; Burial, Weld, Franklin, Maine, United States of America, Robertson Cemetery; citing record ID 26727507, Find a Grave