[12259] living - details excluded
[20884]
"It has been long know that Mark Twain was related to the Clemens family of Buffalo Township, Washington Co., PA. Only recently has the exact relationship been determined. A letter found in Missouri, written in 1811, indicates that Mark Twains great-grandfather, Jeremiah Clemens was a brother of James Clemens, who settled in Buffalo Township in 1774. James and Jeremiah were sons of Ezekiel Clemens who was bornt at Salisbury, Massachusetts in 1696, moved to Pennsylvania 1701, to New Jersey about 1725, likely to Virginia in 1765, where he died about 1778.James was in Loudon County, Virginia in 1757.
After the 1788 decision Abraham's brother, Jeremiah and his Sons, Ezekiel? Gershom and James began to cultivate the farm and cut trees on it. Robert Shaw in 1789 sued the four Clemens' for trespass. They responded in 1793 by saying that "their right of possession is derived from said Abraham Clemens, heir at law of Abraham Clemens the elder and Ezekiel Clemens, deceased". The suit was finally dismissed in April 1800 after the land suit was settled and after the death of Robert Shaw.
In connection with this suit Samuel Clemens, evidently of Rockbridge County, was summoned to appear at Staunton as a witness.
The commonwealth of Virginia to the sheriff of Rockbridge County
Greeting, you are hereby commanded to summon Joseph Stricklin and Samuel Clements to appear....at the courthouse in...Staunton on the 4th day of Sept court next to testify and the truth to say in behalf of' Jeremiah Clements and others.....in a certain matter ...,.between Robert Shaw, plaintiff and said Jeremiah Clements and others. defendants...this 10th day of August 1791.
Samuel was born about 1770 and in 1789 was a minor, but by August 1791 he had reached 21. There is no record of what he said as a witness. On Aug 20-1792 Jeremiah Clements, Ezekiel Clements, Gershom Clements, Major Dowell, Samuel Hite and John Purris were ordered to appear in court Sep 2-1792 in the case of Clements vs. Shaw. One of them became ill and this letter, written by Samuel Clemens, grandfather of Mark Twain, is on file. The original is reproduced on the next page. For comparison on the following page is the Samuel9 Clemens marriage bond in Bedford County. Bedford was the county south of Rockbridge.
My brother, being in company last Sunday, was a week then started, told me he was a-going to Richmond for papers respecting a suit in this court between Clemens and Shaw....After being gone some days a messenger came to me and informed me that he, my brother, was sick and requested me to come to him. I went and found him some what recovered. As he informed me, he also told me he had taken unwell after he started and proved unable to prosecute his journey.
Samuel Clemens
Sworn to before me this 6th day of Sept" 1792 Alex St. Clair
St. Clair was a magistrate at Staunton.
Robert Shaw's claim to the farm was based on the followings:
Oct 18-1753 Robert McClenachan put in a claim for the Clements land, since "Abraham Clements, in whom the said land is since become vested, (is) not,...an inhabitant of this colony". McClenachan was granted a patent Sep 16-1765. In 1791. when he willed the farm to his son, Alexander, Robert Shaw was living on it.
The long chain of events in both law suits is listed below. It covers the period 1739 to 1800. The final disposition was at Richmond on November 1-1798.
[20885]
[S211]
Norvan L. Johnson
_Unknown Johnson ____
| (1747 - ....)
_William Johnson ____|_____________________
| (1775 - 1855)
_Hugh Johnson _______|
| (1798 - 1858) m 1819|
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_Mary Hosic _________|_____________________
| (1776 - 1855)
_Calvin Johnson _____|
| (1824 - 1912) m 1849|
| | _____________________
| | |
| | _Calvin Johnson _____|_____________________
| | | (1775 - ....)
| |_Mary Ann Johnson ___|
| (1798 - 1866) m 1819|
| | _____________________
| | |
| |_____________________|_____________________
|
|
|--Martha I Johnson
| (1864 - 1891)
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|_____________________
| |
| _____________________|
| | |
| | | _____________________
| | | |
| | |_____________________|_____________________
| |
|_Permelia Davis _____|
(1830 - 1895) m 1849|
| _____________________
| |
| _____________________|_____________________
| |
|_____________________|
|
| _____________________
| |
|_____________________|_____________________
[11313]
[S15]
Sullivan County Indiana Cemetery Records
[11314]
[S15]
Sullivan County Indiana Cemetery Records
[11315]
[S15]
Sullivan County Indiana Cemetery Records
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_Thomas Martin ______|
| (1750 - 1805) m 1772|
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|--Hutson Martin
| (1781 - 1838)
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|_Susannah Walker ____|
(1754 - 1840) m 1772|
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