Irwin-Laurens-Thomas County GaArchives Biographies.....Clements, John 1853 - living in 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2004, 10:21 am Author: William Harden p. 836-838 JOHN CLEMENTS. One of the citizens of southwest Georgia who began their careers in log-cabin homes, labored with courage and industry to develop a wilderness of forest into a broad landscape of farms, and have subsequently reaped the rewards of such diligence in ample material prosperity, is Mr. John Clements, formerly of Irwin county, now a resident in Thomas county. Mr. Clements was born in Irwin county, April 7, 1853, and represents a family which has been known with respect on this side of the Atlantic since colonial times. Joseph Clements, his great-grandfather, according to the best information, was a native of Virginia, whence he moved into South Carolina during colonial times, and spent the rest of his days there. He gave distinction to the family name by having served as a soldier in the continental armies during the Revolution. Cornelius Clements, the grandfather, was born in the Darlington district of South Carolina, was reared to farm life, bought land in his native vicinity, but late in life moved to Georgia, being a resident of Irwin county at the time of his death. He married Polly Register, who was a lifelong resident of South Carolina. She reared five sons and five daughters, the sons being named Elias, Jesse, Thomas, Richard and John. Elias Clements, the father, was born and reared in Darlington district, South Carolina. His subsequent settlement in Georgia was due to a somewhat romantic circumstance rather than to any fixed purpose. When about twenty years old, in company with his father, he made a horseback journey to Alabama to visit an uncle: On their return they visited relatives in Laurens county, Georgia, where Elias concluded to tarry awhile before going back to South Carolina. He rented some land, made a crop, and in the meantime met his fate in one of the fair young women of that locality. His marriage took place shortly afterward, and the result was he never returned to his native state. He continued to make his home in Laurens county until 1852, in which year he moved to Irwin county, buying a farm two miles south of Irwinsville. This part of Georgia, was still without railroads, and for some years after his settlement, Hawkinsville, fifty miles away, was the most convenient market and depot of supplies. After several years he sold his first place and bought an improved farm five miles north of Irwinsville, where he resided until his death, at the advanced age of eighty-seven. The young lady in Laurens county whose heart he had won was Elinzabeth (so she spelled her name) Turner, a native of that county. Her father was Ephraim Turner, a native of South Carolina and an early settler in Laurens county, where he spent the last years of his life; and her mother's maiden name was Sally Clements, who survived her husband and died in Irwin county. Mrs. Elias Clements died in 1882 at the age of sixty-two. Her six children were Mary, Cornelius, Ruth, John, Loupiney and Rachel. The boyhood of John Clements was passed on a farm in Irwin county during the war-time era of the sixties. He made the best of limited opportunities to obtain an education, and became sufficiently advanced to teach one term of school in his home county. While living with his parents he bought a tract of timbered land near the old home, and his father later gave him another small acreage adjoining. On that he built a double "pen" house of round logs, and in that humble home he and his bride began their wedded career. After some years his family removed from this home to Ocilla in order that the children might have school advantages, while he remained to direct the operations of his farm. Mr. Clements prospered from year to year, and bought land until he was the owner of about two thousand acres. He built a commodious frame house to succeed the primitive dwelling of logs, and after a few years the family returned to occupy this home. The improvements on his farm compared favorably with any in Irwin county, and he was raised among the most progressive farmers of that county. In 1910, having sold his Irwin county property, Mr. Clements moved to Thomas county, where he bought his present fine farm of five hundred and sixty-five acres on the Summer Hill road four miles northwest of Boston. This homestead is well improved and has excellent buildings. In addition, he is interested in farming lands south of Boston and in Grady county, and owns some town real estate in Boston. On the 25th of November, 1877, Mr. Clements married Miss Narcissa M. Pate. Mrs. Clements is a native of Wilcox county, this state, and a daughter of James and Jane (Moore) Pate. It is thought her father was born in Pulaski and her mother in Gwinett county, and they spent their last years in Wilcox county. The nine children in the Pate family were Bennett, John, Mary, Nancy, Sarah, Elizabeth, Narcissa, James H. and Samuel. Mr. and Mrs. Clements have reared eight children, as follows: Jane, Loupiney, Annie, Emily, James E., Bessie, Mattie and Willie. Jane married Henry Lee Yarbrough, and her three children are Louise, Alma and Elmer. Loupiney died at the age of nineteen. Annie married James D. Gibbs and they are the parents of two sons, Clifford and James. Emily married George F. Moore and has two children, Lucile and Cecil. Bessie married Mr. G. B. Sweatt, of Irwin county. Willie married Anna L. Meadows of Thomas county. The other children are unmarried. Mr. Clements and wife are active members of the Methodist church, and he was trustee and steward of his church in Irwin county. Fraternally he affiliates with Horeb Lodge No. 281, A. F. & A. M. He was secretary for both the local and county Farmers Union in Irwin county, and is still a member of the organization. In politics he has always adhered to Democratic principles. During his residence in Irwin county he served as a member of the local school board and also as county school commissioner. He held the office of postmaster at his home village of Tapley from the time it was established until discontinued through the operations of the rural free delivery. Additional Comments: From: A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA BY WILLIAM HARDEN VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 1913 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/irwin/bios/gbs348clements.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.8 Kb