Joseph Clements (1722 - abt. 1788)

Born 12 Apr 1722 in St Stephen's Parish, Cecil, Maryland, British Colonial America

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1788 at about age 65 in Rutherford, North Carolina, USA

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Biography

• Joseph was eleven years old when his father died.
• Probably about ten years later, he left his native Cecil Co. MD and began a migration South with his brothers. Andrew and Cornelius, and others.
• Joseph was in SC as early as 1751 as proven by a document entitled "Early Mitchusson Timeline" which details the activities of a man named William Mitchusson. Joseph is mentioned in a letter dated March 2 1751/2, from Charles Hall to Matthew Toole, interpreter for the Catawba Indian Nation in SC, where Mitchusson was cited as being in the possession of a horse that had been stolen from one of the Catawba Indians. The letter ended with the following: "[PS] Joseph Clemens sold this Indian's horse to John Grubbs. John Howell of Santee told Tears that Clemens stole his horse. Jos. Clements lives at Broad River. That Clemens, he believes, run away and is now at Savannah town."
• NOTE BY LKCL: The Broad River begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina in present day Rutherford County, and runs south into South Carolina for 220 miles. It unites with the Saluda River near Columbia, South Carolina and forms the Congaree River that flows into Lake Marion near Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
• From the "Mitchusson" document we can conclude that Joseph was living on the Broad River in South Carolina in or before 1751, that he "runaway" and was living "at Savannah Town" in Georgia.
• Georgia Records show that Edward Brown, father-in-law of Joseph's brother, Andrew, and 37 other subscribers petitioned the Colonial Council for permission to settle on vacant lands on the north side of the Great Ogeechee River about 100 miles from its mouth. The petition states the group had been in GA "since the beginning of last spring (1754)". Among the group of 37 subscribers were Joseph and his brothers, Andrew and Cornelius.
• Joseph and his brother, Andrew, are mentioned in a a Georgia Colonial Record of the Governor and Council at a meeting of the Council in the Council Chamber in Savannah, Monday, September 13, 1756. His Excellency John Reynolds, Esqr, informed the board of a meeting he had with Edward Brown of Mount Pleasant settlement of the Great Ogechee, whereby, Edward Brown had told him of an incident between the settlers of that community and the Indians. On September 4, 1756, the settlers had missed some horses from their pens and suspected that the Indains had stolen them. A party of eight which included Edward Brown, Andrew Lambert and his son James Lambert, Andrew Clements and his brother Joseph, Arthur Thomas, Jacob Deptford, and Solomon Kemp, went looking for them. They came up on the party on the next day and followed them for about 50 miles when suddenly, the Indians ran out at them, giving a war hoop and firing at them, shooting one of the men through the hat (Andrew) and wounding several of the horses. The settlers returned their fire and saw two Indians drop, which he believed were dead or wounded. Though they had fired not more than five or six shots, the Indians continued to fire upon them until they were out of reach.The settlers then returned to Mount Pleasant. His Excellency said that he had conversed with five or six of the persons involved and they all related the same story. The Board then advised his Excellency to write immediately to the "Head Man of the Creeks" desiring such satisfaction for the insult shown our people as which we should give them on like occassion.
• Found in the South Carolina Colonial Archives regarding Indian Affairs, there is evidence that Governor Glenn of South Carolina exchanged correspondence with His Excellency, Governor Reynolds, of Georgia regarding the same incident. However, in this correspondence,there is an "added twist". It is mentioned in the correspondence that Joseph Clements was suspected of stealing an Indian's horse and was being sought by the Colonial authorities in SC for questioning on the matter. It is not known if such an interview ever took place.
• The South Carolina record mentions that Joseph is believed to have gone to "Transylvania". After some research by this writer, it was discovered that the area that later became Rutherford Co. NC was called "Transylvania" at the time of the South Carolina "incident".
• If Joseph did "go north" it was not before May 20, 1757 because that is when his son, Cornelius Clements, was born "near Augusta, GA" according to the Rev. War Pension Application filed by Cornelius.
• NOTE BY LKCL: This record in the South Carolina Colonial Archives appears to be in reference to the same incident mentioned in the "Mitchusson" document.
• The mention of "Transylvania" and the fact that this area is, in fact, part of present day Rutherford County, NC is also important as will be proven by later developments.
• Mention of the Clements settlement on the Great Ogeechee in 1756, and a reference to the "Indian Affair" that involved Joseph Clements, Andrew Clements, and Edward Brown is also found in the document "Queensborough Township" Scotch-Irish Emigration and the Expansion of Georgia,1763-1776" by E.R.R. Green, a member of the Department of History at the university of Manchester, England. Source for the info cited by Green is "Colonial Records of the state of Georgia", VII, 360,392, 395, 399; IX, 348, 668. On page 186 of this document, Mr. Green relates how the land settled by the Scotch-Irish in 1763 had been previously occupied. He says, "There had been some penetration of this section by settlers before the treaty of 1763. Andrew Lambert, who gave his name to the creek which was to be the center of the township, petitioned for 300 acres on the Great Ogeechee in 1756. To the south, Edward Brown and the Clements family had settled. In September 1756 these out lying settlers had almost precipitated an Indian War. Brown and seven others had pursued a party of Creek horse thieves and had killed three of the Indians."
• The same "Indian Affair" in Georgia involving Joseph and his brother, Andrew, is told in the History of Screven County by Dixon Hollingsworth. On page 8 is found the following; "The earliest royal grants in the area were on Brier Creek and on the Ogeechee River, and settlements developed in these two areas. The largest Ogeechee settlement was in present day Jefferson County and the Brier Creek settlement was in present day Burke County. As might have been expected, these encroachments led to trouble with the Indians. In August, 1756, citizens of Augusta sent a letter to Governor John Reynolds complaining about the situation. They pointed out that Augusta's trade with the Indians depended on peaceful relations. "We sincerely wish that there had been no settlement made on Ogeechee" they wrote, pointing out that if war with the Creeks broke out, the Indians could use the illegal settlements against the whites. What the Augusta residents feared did indeed come to pass, and soon. In September, four Indians stole three horses from Andrew Clements' pen at the Ogeechee Settlement. Local residents who gave chase were later identified as Andrew Lambert, James Lambert, Andrew Clements, JosephClements, Edward Brown, Solomon Kemp, John Tadford, and Arthur Thomas. The settlers caught up with the Indians at their camp, and, according to their story, the Indians opened fire. Andrew Clements, according to later testimony, was shot through the hat and a bullet grazed his cheek. Clements cried out to his friends, who were some distance behind him, 'Will you stand and see me killed?' Edward Brown fired and killed one of the Indians and the other settlers then opened fire and killed two others. The fourth Indian, who was wounded, ran into a thicket and continued to fire at the white settlers as they left the scene. There was much anger in the province because of the killing of Indians, particularly in Augusta, and their demands that the Ogeechee settlers be brought to justice. The crisis brought about by this Ogeechee incident frightened the entire colony which had virtually no military force to defend against an Indian attack."
• From these varying accounts of the "Ogeechee Indian Affair" it is plain to see that the Clements did not leave the Ogeechee settlement immediately after the incident as some time was taken by Governor John Reynolds to investigate the incident, interview the settlers involved, report on the incident to his General Council, discuss the incident with Governor Glenn of Colonial SC, etc.
• We do know that Joseph was back in the Congreees, SC on May 1, 1758 when records show that a daughter, Lucretia, was born there to Joseph and Sarah Clements. Records also show that the infant, Lucretia, was baptized on Easter Day, April 15, 1759 in an Orangeburg SC Church.
• We also know that Joseph was in NC in 1764. Mentioned in the "Descendants of Thomas Henry of the Catawba River Henrys" is the following entry: "Land Grant: 21 Apr 1764, South Carolina.File # 250(982): gR # 11, bK 17, P. 53 (18,50) Plat" Surveyed for Thomas Henry, 600 acres on Cherokee Ford of Broad River including Joseph Clements improvements. By Francis Beaty, John Neill, and Benjamin Shaw, CB Iss21 Apr 1764." This identical record is also found in "North Carolina Land Grants in South Carolina" in the section entitled "Grants issued from Mecklenburg Co. NC in 1764".
• For a brief period of time, Joseph actually went even farther north, just across the North Carolina/Virginia border to Pittsylvania Co. because his name is listed on the 1767 Pittsylvania Co. List of Land and Tithes taken by Hugh Innes. Listed on the same line with Joseph are Gabriel Clements and Vardiman Clements, in that order, which usually indicates that they are living in the same household, with Gabriel being the older of the two since his name is listed first. To be named on the Titheables list in such a manner meant that Gabriel and Vardeman were 16 years of age or older, but not yet 21. This writer believes that Gabriel and Vardeman are sons of Joseph. Why did Joseph leave North Carolina and travel further north into Virginia? This writer believes it is probably related to the incident in South Carolina regarding the search for Joseph for questioning regarding the stolen horse from the Catawba Indian, and he was "moving around" in an attempt to evade capture by the South Carolina authorities.
• NOTE BY LKCL: I found a copy of the1767 Pittsylvania Tax List on a website for the Descendants of Abel and Abraham Pennington of NC who were originally from Cecil Co. MD. The writer of the document had inserted notes by the names of many of the people on the list, citing those persons who had connections to Cecil Co. MD families. Beside the names of Joseph, Gabriel, and Vardaman Clements was written {Swede/Finn and Cecil County MD and DE connections}. Two names above Joseph Clements on the 1767 Pittsylvania Tax List are Thomas Anderson and James Anderson who are thought be belong to the Mans Anderson family that was so closely associated with the Anders Clementsson family in New Sweden and in Cecil Co. MD.
• Below is a series of land transactions in NC in the area that ended up being in present day Rutherford Co. NC that involved Joseph and his sons:
  • 21 Apr 1764, Mecklenburg Co. NC, Thomas Henry 600 acres on CherokeeFord of Broad River including Joseph Clements improvements.
  • 2 Apr 1766, Mecklenburg Co. NC, File No. 852, Grant No. 138, Book 23,p. 209. Plat surveyed for Abraham Clements, 150 acres on the North Fork of Pacolet, including the place he now lives on.
  • 27 Apr 1767, Mecklenburg Co. NC, File No. 2049, Grant No. 484, Book 23, p. 44. Plat surveyed for Samuel Young, 250 acres on North Fork of Pacolet below Abraham Clements Survey.
  • 23 Jun 1768, Mecklenburg Co. NC, Deed Abstracts 1763-1779, p. 137,Vol. 4, pp. 800-801. Abraham Clements conveys to James Howard, for 50 pounds of money, the land on which Clements now lives on South side of Pacolet.
  • Jul 1768, Tryon Co. NC, Abraham Clements was witness to a deed of conveyance of land from Charles & Janet McKnight to William Byars.
  • 14 Apr 1770, Tryon Co. NC, a Deed of Sale from Phillip Hinson to Abraham Clements for 100 acres of land.
  • 14 Apr 1775, Tryon Co. NC, a Deed of Sale from Bartlett Henson to Jacob Clements for 100 acres of land that had been deeded to him by Abraham Clements.
  • 21 Oct 1776, Tryon Co. NC, Jacob Clemens of Tryon Co. NC to Wm. Robson of same, land W side of Broad River, small island granted to Phillip Henson and conveyed to Abraham Clemmens, then Bartlet Henson to Jacob Clemmons. Jacob and Elizabeth Clemmons seal. Wit: John McKinney, Thomas Dills.
  • 12 Feb 1779, Tryon Co. NC, granted Elias Alexander 50 acres on N. side of Main Broad River, bordering Thomas Dills, higher up than Dills; includes Gabriel Clemmons' improvements. 2 pounds. 9. Granted John McKinney 100 acres on S. side of Main Broad, borders his own land on lower line; includes Abraham Clemmons improvement. 3 pounds.14. 1779, List of Prisoners, Ninty Six Jail (Tories), a list of persons being held for varying amounts of fees before being removed by habeas corpus. Among those listed were Abraham Clements, 40.0.0 pounds.
  • 21 Jan 1780, Rutherford Co. NC, Gabriel Clemons enters 100 acres on both sides of Maple Branch between Willis' waggon road and the waggon road by Sam McMurry's.
  • 1778-1780, Rutherford Co NC Land Entries, Improvements for Gabriel Clemens and Abraham Clemens.
  • March 1780, Rutherford Co. Deeds, Joseph Clements of Rutherford Co. NC to Arthur Taylor Jr. (son of Arthur Taylor Sr.and Celia). Proved Oct **1783. Who is this Joseph? According to the Revolutionary Pension papers for Clement Clements, he moved to Darlington SC with his parents about 1770 but that he was living with his "widowed mother" when the Revolutionary War started in 1775.
  • 1782 Rutherford Co. NC Tax List, Neely (Cornelius) Clements.
  • Jan 1783, Rutherford Co. NC, Court of Common Pleas, Abraham Clements treason. Land forfeited.
  • Oct 1784, Rutherford Co. NC, Court of Common Pleas, Ordered that letters of administration issue to John McKinney as chattels rights and credits of Abraham Clements dec'd, gave bond with David and Anthony Dickney for sum of 100 pounds.
• NOTE BY LKCL: This places Joseph Clements in Mecklenburg Co. NC in 1764. Mecklenburg County was created in 1762 from Anson Co. NC -Tryon County was created from Mecklenburg County in 1769 - Rutherford County was created in 1779 from Tryon and Burke.
• Revolutionary War Pension Records for his son, Cornelius, show that it was in 1779 when he moved to Rutherford Co. NC.
• Listed on the 1790 Rutherford Co. NC Census, Morgan District is Rachel Clements with 5 male children listed in her household. She is listed next to Cornelius Clements, son of Joseph. This writer believes that Rachel is the widow of Abraham Clements, brother of Cornelius and the five males are her sons: (1) Thomas Clements, born 1765 in SC, who was in TN between 1803-1809, in KY in 1810 on the Census, then moving back to TN at then end of 1810 until 1815, then moving to Tuscaloosa Co. AL by 1820 where he lives for the next 20; (2) Mannan Clements, father of William Clements who married Anna Thacker; (3) Andrew Clements, born 1769 in NC who married Sarah Skaggs; (4) William Clements born 1770 in NC who was the father of Emanuel Clements who married Martha Hardin; and(5) Jacob Clements, born 1775 in NC who married Frances Sims. All five of these men are proven descendants of the Cecil Co. MD Clements because of DNA perfect matches between descendants of these five men and descendants of the Cecil Co. MD Family Line of Anders Clementsson."

Sources

• Biography lklanier originally shared this on 01 Nov 2013: By Linda Kaye Cope Lanier, via Ancestry.com
• Maryland, Births and Christenings Index, 1662-1911: FHL Film Number- 13887.
• Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1669-1999: Birth Place- Earleville, Cecil, Maryland, USA. Historical Society of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Collection Name: Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel: 117
• "Delaware Baptisms, 1697-1886," database, FamilySearch ([1] : 30 January 2015), Joseph Clemens, 12 Apr 1723; from Baptism, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States, reference ID p142, Delaware Public Archives
• "Delaware Baptisms, 1697-1886," database, FamilySearch ([2] : 30 January 2015), Joseph Clemens, 11 Aug 1723; from Baptism, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States, reference ID , Delaware Public Archives
• "Delaware Births and Christenings, 1710-1896," database, FamilySearch ([3] : 12 December 2014), Joseph Clemens, 11 Aug 1723; citing ; FHL microfilm 6,693.
• "Delaware Births and Christenings, 1710-1896," database, FamilySearch ([4]: 12 December 2014), Joseph Clemens, 11 Aug 1723; citing ; FHL microfilm 908,217.
• "Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995," database, FamilySearch ([5] : 12 December 2014), Joseph Clements, 12 Apr 1722; citing SAINT STEPHENS PARISH,CECIL,MARYLAND; FHL microfilm 13,887.