As noted, the Clements brothers were in Pendleton District of South Carolina in the 1790s living just south of present day Williamston. They left Pendleton District and moved to the new frontier of Jackson County Georgia. Jackson County's western boundary was the edge of the vast Indian lands which were shortly to become bona-fide counties of the State of Georgia through various treaties.
In December 1818, the land in the Hog Mountain area where Charles lived became split into Hall, Gwinnett and Jackson Counties. The early land records are available for Hall and Jackson Counties but due to the Gwinnett Courthouse fire (deliberately set by some knuckleheads) in 1871, most of the land records for the early years of Gwinnett are lost forever. So, we have Charles appearing in the early tax digests of Jackson County but nothing for him in Gwinnett except for the 1820 census.
The CLEMENTS families descend, and direct, from the Arm strong, Jack, Bonner, and Clements lines. From much research I am convinced that the Armstrong, Jack, and many of the Clements clan first settled in Pennsylvania. Several ship loads of above were in Penn. and North Carolina in the very early part of the 17th century. This is proven in the archives of Penn. and N.C. and by courthouse records of land grants, early tax lists, and by census records and family histories. Honorable Judson Clements of Georgia was the son of Dr. Adam Clements, the fifth child of Charles and Nancy Jack Clements. He is found in Congressional Records and in “Who’s Who in America.” He was a Georgia lawyer of note and served his state for 38 years on the Interstate Commerce Commission. He stated, and it is on record, that he descended from pioneers who started out in the state of Penn. and thence into N.C., S.C., and on into Georgia. The pro genitors of the Clements families who settled in Cass County, Texas before and after the Civil War, were Charles Clements and his wife, Nancy Jack Clements. A brief history of them and of their ten children follows: Charles Clements (First Generation), and your direct ancestor, was born in North Carolina, on or about the year 1760 (proven by census records). He grew up in that state and lived during the time of the American Revolution and was, 1 feel sure, a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He married Miss Nancy Jack before 1795. She was born in South Carolina, and from such research made over a period of several years, it would appear that they came early into the 96th District of S.C. and were living in Pendleton Co., when the f 790 Census was taken. Living near there was James Jack. None of their children were born in S.C., but by census records we prove that at least three of their ten children were born in S.C. Before Charles Clements left the 96th Dist. of S.C. (by research in Court House records of Anderson, Pendleton Co., S.C.) we find that Charles Clements had acquired several hundred acres of land. In at least two transactions a Charles Clements had acquired tracts of land in that same area. 1 think Charles Clements, Jr., was your ancestor and that Charles, Sr., was his father. And in the above county, we find Jesse Clements and Gulliver Clements (they being brothers of above Charles Clements). When Charles Clements migrated into Georgia, he first settled in Jackson Co. and acquired land. Jesse Clements and Gulliver Clements also moved into that area at about the same time. Charles Clements lived in the Jackson County area until 1823, and we next find him living in Fayette Co., Georgia. He spent the rest of his life in that County. He served as Sheriff of the County for several years, owned lands there, and was an outstanding citizen of that area. He sold all of his lands in Jackson and G win net Co., Ga. before he moved into Fayette Co. He died there Dec. 21, 1846. Nancy Jack Clements died Oct. 21, 1839, and they are buried near the old homestead, which is near to Palmetto, Fayette Co., Ga. Charles and Nancy Jack Clements had seven sons and three daughters, as follows: 1st - Lovick Pierce Clements, born in S.C. in 1795. He married Mahala Bonner, born in Ga. in 1819. She was his second wife, and they were married near Rome, Ga. Both died in Queen City, Texas. 2nd - William Clements, born in S.C., December 9, 1796. Died in Texas Dec. 1839. 3rd - James Clements, born in S.C., Feb. 8, 1799. He came first to Cass Co. in 1840 and died in Bell Co., Texas -- was married twice and reared a large family. 4th - Mary Clements (called Polly), born June 16,1801 S.C. She never married and was 89 years old when she died. She inherited her parents’ old home stead, and is found in the 1880 census of Fayette, Co., Ga. She also wrote a very fine will in which she mentioned (and by name) all her brothers and sisters, and thanks to her, much proof of the History of the Clements Family was proven, not only by her will, but by census records, also. 5th - Dr. Adam Clements, horn August 15, 1804, in Jackson Co., Georgia; died Nov. 15, 1886; being a prominent physician and also a minister of the gospel; He married Miss Mary Hill Park in Muskegee Co., Ga. She died in Walker Co., Ga. They reared a large family, and many of their descendants are in Ga. to this day. 6th - Charles Clements, Jr., born in Jackson Co., Ga., Sept. 12, 1809; died in Fayette Co., Ga., Oct. 23, 1859. He married a Miss Sarah Elder, reared a large family, and they spent their lives in Georgia, were prominent citizens, and were living in Fayette Co., Ga. when the 1850 Census was taken. They had seven Children at the time. 7th - Israel Clements, born Jackson Co., Ga. May 27, 1812. He died in Brown County, Texas in 1869 and left a number of descendants. 8th - Nancy Clements, born Jackson Co., Ga. July 22, 1835. She married Johnson Watts, and when Lovick Clements and his brother, Jesse Clements left Georgia and migrated into Texas, Nancy Clements and her husband left Georgia with them. However, they stopped in route in the state of Alabama, and I have no further data on them. A kinship exists, in some way, with Johnson Watts and the Watts family of Texarkana, Texas, as proven by the old family bible owned by a descendant of Charles Clements who now lives in Atlanta, Ga. 9th-Jesse Clements, born in Jackson Co., Georgia, Dec. 22, 1816. He was the youngest son and was married to Jerusha Bonner in the Fayette Co. area in the year 1838. She was born in 1824 and was an own sister to Mahala Bonner who married Lovick P. Clements, an older brother of Jesse Clements. They were living in Fayette Co., Ga. when the 1850 Census was taken, and at that time they had the following children: Susan - born Ga. - Age 13 years Charles -born. Ga. Age 10 years Nancy -born Ga. Age 8 years Zadock -born Ga. Age 6 (Grandfather of Mary Endsley Glass) William -born Ga. Age 3 years Mary T-born Ga. Age 2 years. Sterling, born Queen City, Texas (your father); I feel sure you have his birth, marriage and death dates, and ail your mother’s data also. Ira, born Queen City, Texas, reared a fine family, and lived near Queen City. Bird -I have no data on him. And now, to continue with the children of Charles and Nancy Jack Clements - the tenth, and last child was: 10th - Margaret C. - born Sept 5, 1820; died in Atlanta, Ga., May 19, 1898; Married twice, first to Alfred Mills Watts; second time to a Mr. Garrison; She was a very fine woman and reared a nice family. |
1. Lovick Pierce Clements first married Martha Mannen on October 21, 1830 in Fayette County, Georgia. He then married Mahala Bonner on July 5, 1836 in Fayette County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Zadock Bonner. See more on the Bonner family here. Mahala's brothers and parents are buried at the Old Camp UMC cemetery near Carrollton, GA.
Lovick and his 1st cousin Jesse (son of William Clements) married Bonner sisters: As noted above, Lovick's 2nd wife was Mahala(Mahala) Bonner and Jesse married Jerusa. The Bonner family has a significant history in Fayette County. See more about the Bonner family in my page regarding Jesse Clements here.
Lovick and Mahala Bonner Clements wound up in Texas where they are both buried in the Queen City Cemetery, Cass County, TX. He lived to be 87 years old. [4]
One interesting connection with Lovick and a possible Hollis ancestor of mine: On January 24, 1838, in Campbell County, GA, Lovick sold 2 tracts of land to Elias Hollis (303-3/4 acres total). These lots were in District 7 which is now Fulton County near the town of Fairburn. This is an interesting transaction because of the Methodist Church connection between these ancestors of mine (Horton, Clements, Dorris, Hollis, etc.). The land lots were 87 (1/2) and 106, 7th district, present day intersection of South Fulton Parkway, Rivertown Road and Cascade Palmetto Highway at the termination of Pea Creek (largely rural/residental land). The other half of LL87 was sold to William Panell. One of Elias' sons married a Pannell.
2. William may be the William that married Eleanor McFarland on Nov. 24, 1826 in Jackson County, Georgia.
There is a newspaper clipping from February 1827 for a William C. Clements who died in Fayette County. Unknown if this is the same William - some sources say William moved to Texas where he died in the 1830s.
4. The Will of Mary Clements (Dec. 6, 1873) specifically names her deceased father Charles (Sr.), brothers Lovic P. and Adam and sisters Nancy Watts and Margaret Garrison and her grandsons Judson C. Clements and C.T. Clements (sons of Adam). Jesse Clements and Sarah Ann Roberts are noted but not specifically named as siblings. The Will notes Land Lots 149 and 168. The Will can be found online at Familysearch.com - Fayette County Will Book A, pages 551-555.
Land lots 149 and 168 are just east of the present day city of Fayetteville. Part of LL 168 is within the city limits on Highway 85 and is a mixture of rural and commercial use - a small part of the northern end of the "main drag" of Fayetteville lies on this lot. LL 149 is just to the east near the intersection of the Flint River and McDonough Road - it appears to still be used as farmland.
5. Dr. Adam G. Clements and his son Judson Claudius Clements lived in Walker County Georgia and they both were members of the Georgia House of Representatives. A law school graduate, Judson was a small town attorney for several years. He then turned to politics and became a member of the Georgia Senate (in addition to his serving in the Georgia House). Judson was a 1st Lieutenant in the 1st Georgia Infantry (State Guards), possibly in Stovall's Brigade. He was wounded near Atlanta during the Battle of Atlanta. Judson was hired by President Benjamin Harrison as an attorney to negotiate the purchase of the lands that now comprise the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Judson served on the Federal Interstate Commerce Commission for many years and was its commissioner under several US Presidents.[1]
According to his obituary, Judson was the Interstate Commerce Commissioner for 25 years; Admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1869. From 1881 to 1891 he was a member of the House of Representatives. He was appointed by 5 Presidents: Cleveland, McKinley, Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson.
In addition to Adam's son Judson serving with the Confederate Army, Adam had several sons that also served: William F. (Captain), Julius P. (Ass't Surgeon, 23rd GA Reg't), James W. (Ass't Surgeon, 23rd GA Reg't), Cicero T. (Sergeant-Major, 8th GA Batt'n), and John A. (1st GA, POW at Camp Chase). [1]
8. Is Johnson Watts, the husband of Nancy related to the Richard J. Watts that married Sally Clements, the daughter of James (father of Charles Sr.)?
I located two land plats for Charles in Jackson County, Georgia. Based on the 1820 census [1], he lived on land that became Gwinnett in 1818. One might presume that Charles lived on the larger of the two plats and since he lived near his nephew (William Clements) this would likely place the 300 acre tract in the area of Braselton, Chateau Elan or possibly as far south as Hamilton Mill [2].
Charles Clements' land on Watts Creek and the Mulberry. No other geographic landmarks are provided. Watts Creek is no longer a named creek - it is presumed to have been along the upper portion of the Mulberry
(Jackson County Historic Archives)
(Jackson County Historic Archives)
[1] Sartain, James Alfred, History of Walker County, Georgia, 1932.
Other names worthy of note: Meredith Collier, William Ezzard and Isham Medlock are also listed on this same 1820 Gwinnett census - a few pages before Charles, William and Elijah. Meredith later moved to what is now the Ansley Park area of Atlanta. Attorney and Judge William Ezzard moved to Decatur and then to Atlanta where he was a 3 term Mayor (Atlanta). Isham Medlock's descendants moved to western Gwinnett (Now Peachtree Corners). There are named roads still in existence for the Collier (Road) and Medlock (Medlock Bridge Road) families.
[3] See my research on the likely location for William Clements' home.
[4] Cass County Texas has cities named Douglassville and Atlanta.
General References: Fold3, Wikipedia, Find-A-Grave.