John Clifford Biography


	This biography appears on pages 813-814 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JOHN CLIFFORD. 

	A valuable farm property is that of John Clifford, situated in 
Groveland township, Spink county. It comprises six hundred and forty 
acres of land carefully improved, upon which he has made his home since 
1914. Thirty-six years have come and gone since he arrived in this 
state-years which have brought with them many changes. The work of 
progress and improvement has been carried steadily forward and in this 
Mr. Clifford has always borne his part. He came to South Dakota from 
Watertown, Wisconsin, but New York is the state of his nativity, his 
birth having occurred in Buffalo on the 25th of March, 1853. He is a 
son of Patrick and Julia Clifford and, spending his boyhood under the 
parental roof, he was taken by his parents to Watertown, Wisconsin, and 
there acquired a public-school education. His textbooks were put aside 
when he reached the age of fifteen years, and he then began earning his 
living, working out as a farm hand until he started out in farm life on 
his own account by renting a place in Wisconsin. 

	Mr. Clifford was thus engaged until he came to South Dakota, 
arriving here May 17, 1879. He secured a homestead and a tree claim, 
aggregating three hundred and twenty acres, in Three Rivers township, 
Spink county, where he made his home until removing to his present 
place. The work of improvement and development had not been begun 
thereon, but he at once undertook the task of breaking the sod and 
tilling the fields and brought the greater part of his land under a 
high state of cultivation. He planted the necessary trees and otherwise 
improved his property and as the years passed by and his financial 
resources increased he kept adding to his holdings until he now has a 
large amount of land and is considered one of the most successful men 
in his county. He makes purchases and sales when there is promise of 
profit and still continues to engage in general farming, employing 
modern methods and producing excellent results. He has made all of the 
improvements upon the farm where he now resides in Groveland township 
and also upon other properties which he has owned, and his place is an 
attractive one, indicating his careful supervision. 

	In his political views Mr. Clifford is an earnest democrat and 
upon that ticket has been elected to various township offices, wherein 
he has discharged his duties in a manner at once creditable to himself 
and satisfactory to his constituents. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen 
of America and he and his family are communicants of the Catholic 
church. 

	It was in Watertown, Wisconsin, on the 8th of March, 1886, that 
Mr. Clifford wedded Miss Lizzie Burns, a daughter of John and Mary 
Burns, who engaged both in general and truck farming. A year and a half 
after their marriage Mrs. Clifford passed away in 1887, leaving him 
with a little daughter, Julia, who is now the wife of J. Oren West. 

	Mr. Clifford was one of the earliest white men to locate west of 
Jim river in this district. He has witnessed practically all the 
development and improvement of his section and his memory forms a 
connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. 
He can tell from memory much of the history of this region and its 
development and there are few settlers who are more widely or favorably 
known. He has a very extensive acquaintance, and his example may well 
serve as a source of encouragement, showing what may be accomplished 
when one has the will to dare and to do, notwithstanding the fact that 
they must face the hardships and difficulties incident to life upon the 
frontier.