We have actual land documents and an estate administration [1] from early Pendleton District. These documents list several Clements men living close together and whose names can be found listed together in numerous documents: Benjamin, Charles, Culliver, James and Reuben. These same men can later be found in the Jackson County, Georgia records. It is presumed that these Clements men are brothers. They arrived in Pendleton District in the early 1790s. It is not known with any certainly where they resided prior to Pendleton. As noted, some researchers have speculated that they were from the present day area of Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and that they fought as Patriots during the American Revolution but the author has not seen anything definitive prior to the early 1790s period. At least one researcher claims that there was a Brazeal/Braziel family relationship through marriage which seems to "fit" with not only the Pendleton location but also later with their Georgia location which was near present day Braselton, Georgia.[2]
The 1794 Estate administration documents of Jesse Clements are available from the SC Archives. The administrators for his estate are Benjamin, Charles and Culliver Clements. There are also two other Clements men listed as buyers: Reuben and James. Based on a review of these estate documents, Jesse appears to have been a merchant and based on the names of many of the buyers/noteholders, he was probably operating somewhere near the downtown area of Pendleton. The inventory of his estate includes a wide variety of items and numerous items in bulk such as 1 dozen cutter knives, 12 pair shoe buckles, 11 lady's fans, 2 dozen buttons, 2000 saddle tacks, 3 testaments and 3 bibles, 29 bushels of salt, etc.
The only document in the estate records that indicates the familial relationship these men shared is a record from 1796 that states that Jesse is the brother of Charles. So, it is likely that Benjamin and Culliver were his brothers as well since they were all administrators. There were no children or widow listed so Jesse was likely a bachelor. I did not find any land records or sales so Jesse may have rented his land and he may have even lived and worked from the same building on the downtown square of Pendleton.
We know that James was born between 1751-1760 based on the 1840 Randolph County, Alabama census and Culliver was born between 1761-1770 based on the 1840 census for Pickens County, Alabama.
The relationship of Reuben and James to these other men is somewhat cloudy. If they were all brothers, why were they not all named as administrators? One possible reason is that James and Benjamin may have been too young but this doesn't appear to be the case since Culliver is younger than James based on the 1840 census. The most likely possibility is that they decided among themselves which 3 would handle his estate. Benjamin, Charles and Culliver might have even been involved with Jesse's business affairs and they were best suited as administrators. As administrators, they would have been required to post bond too, and this may have been a factor. In this case, the bond was 100 pounds Sterling (roughly $12,000 today).
One interesting signature as a witness on the bond posted by Benjamin, Charles and Culliver is J.B. Earle. This is likely John Baylis Earle who was a SC Congressmen and Military Leader. He lived near present day Anderson, South Carolina on an estate which he named "Silver Glade". His grave is located a short distance from the lands that the Clements family owned.
Benjamin, Charles, Culliver, James, and Reuben can all be found listed closely together on the 1800 census for Pendleton District. Only Benjamin is listed on the 1810 census for Pendleton (age 45+). We know from the tax digests that James, William and Culliver moved to Jackson County, Georgia sometime after the 1800 census. Culliver may have owned land in Georgia as early as 1788 but he apparently did not live in Georgia until after the 1800 census. [3]
One "fly in the ointment" of this tidy Clements family group is another Clements man living in the same general area in Pendleton District: Isaac Clements. Isaac appears to be Captain Isaac Clements a Revolutionary War soldier from Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He is living next to a "B. Clements" on the 1810 census and his son Hugh is living next to a "Benjamin Clements" on the 1820 census. Are Hugh and Benjamin brothers? Or, are Hugh and Benjamin 1st cousins? This particular Benjamin is likely the Benjamin Clements shown on the 1800 census living near Benjamin, Charles and James. Is this Benjamin the son of Benjamin or the son of Isaac? Captain Isaac Clements and his wife are buried near present day Honea Path, SC which is the area where James, Charles and Reuben are shown to have owned land (see maps below). Hugh also moved to North Georgia where he died in Murray County. Interestingly on the 1820 census that lists Hugh and Benjamin is the name Robert Telford whose descendants also moved to Jackson County, Georgia. Robert was a Revolutionary War soldier and he is buried in a small cemetery east of Belton and north of Honea Path. The grandparents of the Civil War Governor of Georgia Joseph Brown are buried in the same cemetery.
Regarding the Estate administration records for Jesse Clements, there are several names which may be of interest for further research since their descendants may have made their way to Jackson County, Georgia: Walter Bell, James Jack, Claiborne Harris, Aaron Broyles and John and Adam Williamson. The Jack family is of interest because Charles Clements married Nancy Jack. There is a James Jack listed on the 1790 census for Pendleton living near the Telford family. The Telford family is known to have lived near Belton and Honea Path. John and Adam Williamson are living near Benjamin Clements on the 1810 census for Pendleton and Adam Williamson may be the same Adam Williamson that became the brother-in-law of William Clements by marrying the daughter (Elizabeth) of Prosser Horton. Adam was also in the War of 1812 and is listed in the Fort Daniel documents along with William Clements.
According to Drost [3], Reuben was listed on the 1790 census for Cumberland County, NC (present day Fayetteville). Reuben went to Pendleton and then on to Tuscaloosa and it doesn't appear that he spent any time in Georgia.
There are several land records at the South Carolina archives which indicate the lands owned by these Clements men. I have also located an early map of the Pendleton area showing where many of them lived. It appears that their lands extended from just south of present day Williamston and west of Belton and Honea Path, east of Anderson. See maps below.
BENJAMIN CLEMENTS
Other than the estate documents for Jesse Clements, I found no documents for Benjamin. There is an early document dated June 24, 1771 for a Benjamin Clements in a land memorial for Peter Mazyck. The land was located between the Congaree and Wateree Rivers. This may be a different Benjamin Clements than the Benjamin that can be found in Pendleton: The Wateree and Congaree Rivers referenced likely puts this land east of Columbia, SC. The Mazyck family was a well known and prominent "old Charleston" family, descendants of the first French Huguenots to settle in SC.
CHARLES CLEMENTS
There are several records for Charles Clements in Pendleton District.
March 1, 1792: 641 acres on Cherokee Creek, Hencoop Creek, Pea Creek, Rocky River. Edward Graham's land adjoining as well as Clements land (no first name listed). Surveyed by Robert McCann and certified by Bremar.
March 20, 1792: 871 acres on Cherokee Creek. Samuel Smith, Peter Hall adjoining landowners and one side adjoins his existing land. Surveyed by James Millwee and certified by Bremar.
November 5, 1792: 826 acres on Broadway Creek. James Clements noted in document.
December 1792: 450 acres on branch of Broadmouth Creek. Culliver Clements noted in document. One interesting name noted is Andrew Williamson - is this Andrew related to General Andrew Williamson? Could he be the same man?
October 27, 1797: Charles is noted on a plat for Benjamin McCants on a branch of Hencoop Creek. A James McConnell is also noted - is this McConnell man related to the Jackson County, Georgia McConnell's?
March 26, 1799: 151 acres on Broadmouth Creek. Joseph Brown, Culliver Clements and Andrew Williamson appear on this document. Note that this Joseph Brown is probably Joseph Emerson Brown who is buried near Honea Path, SC and the same man that is the Great Grandfather and namesake of Georgia Governor Joseph Emerson Brown (Civil War era).
CULLIVER CLEMENTS
The author found a land record for 1797 for Culliver Clements for 214 acres on the Great Rocky Creek. Adjoining land owners shown are Reuben Clements and James Clements. The plat shows the land to be located at the convergence of Great Rock Creek and Little Rock Creek.
JAMES CLEMENTS
December 15, 1797: 175 acres on Big Rocky Creek and Little Rocky Creek. Surveyed for Charles Clements; B. Arnold, Dept. Surveyor, certified by Waring. No adjoining landowners are indicated but possibly adjoined on one side by John Haggar, Esq.?
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[1] It should be pointed out that the Estate records list a dispute file in the "District Court of Washington" which is not to be confused with Washington, DC. The Washington District was an older district in South Carolina which comprised most of western part of the state.
[3] The early Georgia censuses are incomplete and cannot tell us much, if anything.
[4] http://benjaminclements.blogspot.com/
(This page was updated on 2/6/2021)