Theodore Kent Clifford (abt. 1844 - 1908)

Born about Dec 1844 in Hardee County, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Turney) Clifford — married 7 Mar 1867 in Pickaway, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Biography

Theodore Clifford is a part of US Black heritage.

Theodore Clifford was a West Virginian.

Theodore Kent Clifford, eldest son of Isaac Clifford and his first wife Mary Satilpa (Kent) Clifford, was born in Dec 1844 in Hardy County, Virginia.^[1]

Military Service

Private Theodore Clifford served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: 27 Aug 1864
Mustered out: 31 Dec 1864
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Company C, 45th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

Theodore was 19 years of age when he enlisted with the Union Army during the Civil War on 27 August 1864. He enlisted as a substitute for George McCrea for a period of one year and his enlistment included two-thirds of a $200.00 bounty (presumably George McCrea received the first third). ^[2]

I Theodore Clifford born in the State of Virginia (Hardy Co.) aged Nineteen years, and by occupation a Farmer Do hereby acknowledge to have agreed with said George McCrea, I do hereby acknowledge to have enlisted this Twenty Seventh day of August 1864 to serve as a Soldier in the Army of the United States of America, for the period of one year, unless sooner discharged by proper authority : I do also agree to accept such bounty, pay, rations, and clothing, as are, or may be, established by law for soldiers. And I do solmenly swear that I will bear true and faithful allegiance to the United States of America; and that I will observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the Officers appointed over me, according to the Rules and Articles of War.^[2]

He was described as 5' 8 1/2" tall, and was born in Hardee County, Virginia, working as a farmer.^[2] He was assigned to Company C, 45th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry.^[2] He also applied for and received a pension for his service.^[3] Theodore is part of the African American Civil War Memorial. His plaque Number is C-58.^[4]

The 45th Regiment of US Colored Troops, organized on 1 July 1864 and mustered on 4 November 1865, was involved in the following battles/skirmishes:^[5]

1 Oct 1864 - Chapin's Farm, VA

7 Oct 1864 -

13 Oct 1864 - Hatcher's Run, VA

Marriage and Family

Theodore Clifford and Sarah Jane Turney (or Tierney?) were married 7 March 1867 in Pickaway, Ohio.^[6] Theodore and Sarah had at least 11 children:

• Sarah S Clifford, born 3 Mar 1869, Grant County, West Virginia^[1][7][8]
• James D. Montall Clifford, born 1 Aug 1870, Grant County, West Virginia^[9][8][7]
• John William Henry Clifford, born 9 Aug 1871, Grant County, West Virginia^[10][7]
• Bettie A Clifford, 1873–?^[7]
• Mary N. Clifford, born 15 Apr 1874, Grant County, West Virginia^[11][7]
• Minnie V. Clifford, born 23 Nov 1876, Grant County, West Virginia^[12][7]
• Theodore F Clifford, born 30 Aug 1880, Piedmont, Rockingham County, Virginia Cite error 4; Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content"Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XT4R-2B6 : 28 January 2020), Theodore K Clifford in entry for Teodore Clifford, 30 Aug 1880, Rockingham County, Virginia, Register of Births, page 373, image at https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99XF-N6XL?i=529, image 530 of 680 ^[1]
• Isaac H Clifford, 1885–?^[13][1]
• Orpha M. Clifford, born Sep 1886, Ashley District, Rockingham County, Virginia^[14][1]
• Artha M. Clifford, born 15 May 1887, Ashley District, Rockingham County, Virginia^[15]
• Maggie A. Clifford, 1888–?^[1]

Occupations

After the end of the Civil War, Theodore and his new wife returned to Theodore's family home, by then in Grant County, West Virginia.^[8] Theodore initially went to work as a farm laborer,^[8] probably on his maternal grandfather's farm. By 1880, Theodore had heard the call to ministry and was preaching in Pendleton County, West Virginia.^[7] He was licensed to preach in Hagerstown, Maryland in the fall of 1887.^[16] In time, he became a well known minister in the Church of the Brethren. By 1900, he was preaching in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia^[1]

Death

Died 16 Mar 1908.^[17]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMJ3-8M9 : accessed 4 February 2021), Theo* K Clifford, Central District Harrisonburg town, Rockingham, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 60, sheet 4A, family 72, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,726.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Compiled Military Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers. The National Archives at Washington, D.C. View Full Source Citations; database and digital images, "U.S., Colored Troops Military Service Records, 1863-1865," Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007 (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2021)
   • View Record
3. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration. General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T288, 546 rolls; database and digital images, "U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934," Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000 (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2021); citing The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; NAI Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; NAI Number: T288; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773-2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288; Roll: 86.
   • Ancestry Record 4654 #1756594
   • View Image
4. ↑ National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, online <https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/>, acquired 2007; index only collection, "U.S., Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865," Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007 (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2021).
5. ↑ Data compiled by Historical Data Systems of Kingston, MA, Copyright 1997-2000; database, "U.S., American Civil War Regiments, 1861-1866," Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 1999 (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 February 2021)
6. ↑ "Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDXP-63V : accessed 18 October 2015), Theodore Clifford and Sarah Turney, 07 Mar 1867; citing , Pickaway, Ohio, reference ; FHL microfilm 0288395 V. 6.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6} "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6T3-FBQ : 14 November 2020), Theodore Clifford, Pendleton, West Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 45, sheet 33C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,411
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZHW-WNH : 2 January 2021), Theodor Clifford, 1870.
9. ↑ "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RY-BV9 : 30 January 2020), Theadore or Theodore Clifford in entry for James D. Montall Clifford, 1870.
10. ↑ "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RY-BVQ : 30 January 2020), Theadore Clifford in entry for John W. Henry Clifford, 1871.
11. ↑ "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RY-DCQ : 30 January 2020), Theodore Clifford in entry for Mary N. Clifford, 1874.
12. ↑ "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RY-D6Y : 30 January 2020), Theodore Clifford in entry for Minnie V. Clifford, 1876.
13. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X568-V88 : 28 January 2020), T K Clifford in entry for Isaac H Clifford, 1885.
14. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VR5M-MQV : 28 January 2020), T.k. Clifford in entry for Orpha M. Clifford, 1886, Ashley District, Rockingham County, Virginia, image 6 of 646 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YG-PQD1-K?i=5 : accessed 10 Feb 2021)
15. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VR5M-KN3 : 28 January 2020), Theodore Clifford in entry for Artha M. Clifford, 15 May 1887, Ashley District, Rockingham County, Virginia, page 538-A, image 33 of 646 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YG-PQDL-V?i=32 : accessed 10 Feb 2021)
16. ↑ The Herald and Torch Light, p. 3, Hagerstown, MD, 10 Mar 1887
17. ↑ "United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6H8-P4R : 20 August 2019), Theodore K Clifford, 1907-1933; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,634,451.