As noted, James was in Pendleton District of South Carolina in the 1790s living just south of present day Williamston. Along with several of his brothers, he left Pendleton District and moved to the new frontier of Jackson County, Georgia where he and his son William appear in the earliest known Tax Book (1802). They settled on the Apalachee and Mulberry Rivers. 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. James' land was on the Apalachee River near Fort Daniel. Fort Daniel was one of several forts erected along the frontier to protect the settlers from the frequent Indian attacks that occurred along the frontier border. As previously noted, James supplied provisions for the soldiers at Fort Daniel during the War of 1812 and his son William was a sergeant in command at Fort Daniel.
In December 1818, the land around Fort Daniel where James lived became part of the new county of Gwinnett and the land around the upper part of the Mulberry River was split among 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.
We do know that William Clements and his father (James) are listed on the 1820 census for Gwinnett County. Gwinnett was formed from parts of Jackson County so they did not move: The land they lived upon became a part of the new county of Gwinnett. Charles Clements is shown as living very close to William Clements on the 1820 census (age 45+). There is also an Andrew Clements listed living near James Clements but nothing is known about Andrew. He might be Culliver simply listed by a different name or a son of Culliver, Charles or Benjamin.
Descendants of James Clements
The only known children of James Clements are William, Elizabeth, Sally and Polly. Most of these children were likely born in NC or SC. William is noted to be James' son on several documents. The daughters and their husbands are named in the Alabama Supreme Court Case (Click here for more). There may be other children; For example, in the 1832 Georgia Land Lottery there is a listing for ORPHANS of James Clements. This could be a son of James. Interestingly, this James Clements is shown living in MERCKS District at the time.
- William married Winifred Horton, daughter of Prosser Horton, Revolutionary War soldier from Orange County, NC. Prosser lived near present day Braselton, GA.
- Elizabeth married Captain Samuel Hamilton, Esq. on January 3, 1813 in Jackson County, Georgia (Benjamin Watts, J.P.). Capt. Hamilton was a Justice of the Inferior Court of Gwinnett and a Tax Receiver for Gwinnett. He was probably a soldier in the War of 1812.
- Sally married Richard J. Watts on May 15, 1809 in Jackson County Georgia. The marriage ceremony was performed by Elisha Winn (the de facto "Father of Gwinnett"). Richard's name can be found in the early Gwinnett Inferior Court records where he was appointed as a road commissioner to layout a road from Lawrenceville to the Yellow River (this is probably present day Higway 20, more or less).
- Polly (1786-1840) married Thomas Francis McAdams on January 3, 1809 in Jackson County, Georgia (Benjamin Watts, J.P.). They are buried in the Cassville Cemetery in Bartow County, Georgia.
*Benjamin Watts the Justice of the Peace that married both Elizabeth & Polly and Richard J. Watts the husband of Sally Clements are likely brothers.
James Clements sells 550 acres of land along the Mulberry River in Jackson County GA to his son William, witnessed by son-in-law Richard J. Watts, August 27, 1817
(Jackson County Historic Archives, Jefferson, GA)
James' land grants were in Jackson County but became Gwinnett County in 1818 and thus there is no record for whom the land was sold to when James left for Carroll County.[1] This land was likely very close to the Fort Daniel site since there are records for James providing provisions to the Fort during the War of 1812. His land bounty grant plat indicates that his land was on the Apalachee River. Adjacent landowners were Bates to the NE and NW and Morris on the SE. The Apalachee was the boundary line on the SW.
(Georgia Archives)
One final plat of interest is one for John Berry. His plat shows "Clements' lands adjoining his plat on 2 sides. The text on the plat is difficult to decipher but it clearly states either "N of South fork of the Mulberry" or "W of South fork of Mulberry". John Berry had a son named William that may have been the William Berry that was an early preacher for Walnut Fork Baptist Church - the church where James Clements' brother Culliver was both a founding member and a deacon. This Berry family may have been from Orange County, North Carolina (like the Hortons). [2]
Another name that should be very familiar to Atlanta historians is Meredith Collier. His Jackson County land was also located on the headwaters of the Apalachee. Meredith moved from Jackson County to what is now the Ansley Park area of Fulton County, the City of Atlanta. This was DeKalb County when Meredith settled there. Meredith served in both the Georgia House and Senate. A son of Meredith was Washington Collier and the home that "Wash" Collier built still stands on the hill overlooking Ansley Golf Course. Ansley Golf course now occupies land once owned by my paternal 4th great grandfather Robert Lemon. [3]
(Author photo, 2017) |
[3] See my book Decatur and Atlanta First: They Were Presbyterians for more on the Collier family.