My Clements ancestors arrived in Jackson County, Georgia (arriving from Pendleton District, SC) around 1802 which was a just a few years after Jackson County was created from Franklin County (1796). There are records for Benjamin, Charles, Culliver and James arriving within a couple of years of one another.
My focus will be on my direct ancestor James Clements and his son William (my 5th and 4th great grandfathers, respectively). [1] They both settled in the Hog Mountain area and James' land was on the headwaters of the Apalachee River - this area later became Gwinnett County in 1818. His son, William Clements probably lived to the north of James in the area that is now the sprawling Chateau Elan complex. [2]
Like so many of my ancestors, they did not remain in any one place for very long and they left Jackson and Gwinnett Counties for Carroll County in the late 1820s. Shortly after they moved to Carroll County, they moved yet again to Randolph County, Alabama. James and William both died before 1842. Some of their immediate descendants remained in west Georgia and east Alabama but some also made their way to Louisiana by 1850.
(Georgia Historical Society)
Highlights
- William Clements was a Sergeant at historic Fort Daniel during the War Of 1812. His father James supplied the troops at Fort Daniel with food. [3]
- William was the Justice of the Peace in 1812 for Jackson County Militia District 256 (Hog Mountain area now located in Gwinnett County). His father in law (Prosser Horton) was also the Justice of the Peace for the same district and same year. Note that each militia district had only one Justice of the Peace who was charged with keeping law and order; William and Prosser would likely have each served partial year terms.[4] There were several militia districts in Jackson County.
- It is possible that William was involved with the construction of the original Peachtree Road: Soldiers from Fort Daniel were employed for the road's construction.
- The home of William Clements was used as one of the geographic boundary points when Gwinnett County was created in 1818. This area was Jackson County prior to it becoming Gwinnett County.
>>More on William Clements' home site<< - The home of James Clements was very likely located near historic Fort Daniel and near Elisha Winn's home. Elisha Winn is known as the "father of Gwinnett".
As noted in my Pendleton narrative, James' brothers Charles, Culliver and James also moved to Jackson County, Georgia around 1802. Benjamin may have joined them a few years later. Charles later moved to Fayette County, Georgia (where he probably died) and Culliver moved to Tuscaloosa (and/or) Pickens County, Alabama where he died. Reuben is said to have also moved to Tuscaloosa where he died. James moved to Carroll County Georgia and then on to Randolph County, Alabama (where he died). It is not known what happened to Benjamin.
(Digital Library of Georgia)
(2019: Author photo)
NEXT
JAMES CLEMENTS
WILLIAM CLEMENTS (Son of James)
CHARLES CLEMENTS (Brother of James)
CULLIVER CLEMENTS (Brother of James)
BENJAMIN CLEMENTS (Brother of James)
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[1] Since my focus is on James and William, my research is limited on Benjamin, Charles and Culliver Clements especially after about 1820.
[2] His land may have been farther south near present day Hamilton Mill Road - see Where was William Clements' Home? for more.
[3] Georgia Archives
[4] G.J.N. Wilson, The Early History of Jackson County, Georgia, (1914, W.E. White), 2nd Edition.
[5] Dr. Larmatine Hardman's sister married the son of Almeda Jane Jackson the author's paternal 1st cousin.
(This page was updated on 2/13/2021)