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47. EDWARD4 CLIFFORD (Charles3, James2, unknown Clifford1); born 1755 or the mid 1760s (see later), probably in New Jersey; died summer 1833 in Harrison County, Kentucky;467 buried in Rocky Springs Cemetery, near Breckenridge, Harrison County (see Map 8). Possibly Edward was the first person buried in this cemetery. There is at least one stone for an Edward Clifford buried in Rocky Springs Cemetery, but the inscription is not legible.468 Edward married circa 1789 probably in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, either a first wife or RUTH [-?-].469 Ruth was still alive in 1834, the time of the "Edward Clifford heirs" to John Berry document (see later).

As of this writing (2003), I have not found a primary source stating that Charles Clifford's son Edward Clifford of Westmoreland County and then Fayette County, Pennsylvania, was the Edward Clifford who lived and died in Harrison County, Kentucky in the nineteenth century. But the circumstantial evidence, I feel, is overwhelming.

I could find no other Edward Cliffords in that area of North America in the late eighteenth century other than our Edward Clifford who was taxed in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, through 1795.470 As will be documented in detail later, Edward Clifford then disappeared from the Fayette County tax lists, but the next year, 1796, an Edward Clifford appeared for the first time on the Harrison County, Kentucky, tax lists. This Edward Clifford continued to be reported in Harrison County through the 1830 federal census. For more information on early Cliffords of Kentucky, see end note #470.

More circumstantial evidence that he was our Edward Clifford comes from the 1850 federal census of Harrison County, Kentucky, where Edward's two oldest sons, Robert (born 1790) and James (born 1795), were listed as born in Pennsylvania; whereas the other children were born in Kentucky. Additional evidence for Harrison County Edward being our Clifford comes from the movements of two other children of Charles Clifford. Charles Clifford's son Robert Clifford (#49) died in Bourbon County, Kentucky (probably in a part that became Harrison County in 1794) in 1791. And Charles's daughter Mary (Clifford) Whitsett (also spelled Whitesides) and family were also living in Harrison County in the early part of the nineteenth century. Indeed, Mary's husband, Joseph Whitsett (as Whitesides), witnessed the will of Robert Clifford in old Bourbon County, Kentucky. Also, one of Harrison County Edward's grandsons (James S., #536, son of Robert) married a granddaughter (Rebecca Hall, #618) of Mary (Clifford) Whitsett. And the given names of Edward Clifford's children certainly have the Clifford "ring," for example, Robert, James, Charles, Thomas, Mary and Jane.

A very important piece of circumstantial evidence that Edward Clifford of Kentucky was our Edward Clifford, son of Charles Clifford, comes from March 2002 emails of Claude Donald Clifford (see #1709), who descends from Harrison County Edward Clifford's son Robert Clifford (#49).471 According to Don Clifford, he had been told many times that his great great great grandfather Edward Clifford was from Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and that Edward was the first person buried in the Rocky Springs Cemetery, Harrison County, Kentucky.

A final important point is that I can not prove that Harrison County Edward Clifford was not Edward, son of Charles Clifford. For the past 30 years I have been collecting records of persons with the surname Clifford who lived in North America prior to the nineteenth century. There is nothing in this database that would suggest another Edward Clifford for that time period and area. I feel the circumstantial evidence that Harrison County Edward was our Edward Clifford is so compelling that I am listing him as such without a qualifying "tentative."





View of Rocky Springs Cemetery, near Cynthiana, Kentucky, in the area of the cemetery where Cliffords are known to be buried. The stone, lower left, is a Clifford stone but the inscription is not readable. Photos taken 26 March 2004. With permission of (see under #1800)
Amanda Lewis




Map 8. The Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky, area, showing some of the locations mentioned in the text in regards to Edward Clifford (#47), Robert Clifford (#49), and Mary (Clifford ) Whitsett (#50).


About Harrison County, Kentucky

Present-day Harrison County is bordered on the north by Grant, Pendleton and Bracken Counties; on the east by Nicholas County; on the south by Bourbon County; and on the west by Scott County. The county is in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, with an elevations ranging from 540 to 1060 feet above sea level. The topography has been described as gently undulating to hilly. Tobacco is a major agricultural product.

The South Fork of the Licking River, which flows north through the middle of the county, is the main stream. Some of the streams emptying into the South Fork in Harrison County are shown on Map 8. The North, or main, Fork of the Licking flows through the northeast corner of Harrison County, joining the South Fork at Falmouth in Pendleton County. Streams draining Harrison County and flowing into the North Fork of the Licking River include Richland Creek, Stony Creek, Harrison Creek and Beaver Creek. Since there are no townships in Kentucky, land is described in metes and bounds, and specific drainage systems are often mentioned in deeds involving land transactions.

Early Kentucky settlers encountered numerous native American tribes, such as the Shawnees from north of the Ohio River, and the southern Cherokees and Chickasaw.472 These people probably used the Harrison County, Kentucky, region more for hunting and warring forages than as a native homeland.

The county was named in honor of Benjamin Harrison, an early Kentucky pioneer and a senatorial elective of Bourbon County, part of which became Harrison County. Pertaining to the counties of our concern:473 In 1786, Bourbon County, Virginia (now Kentucky), was constructed from part of Fayette County, Virginia (now Kentucky). In 1792 Kentucky became a state. In December 1793 (effective February 1794), Harrison County, Kentucky, was established from part of Bourbon County, Kentucky; and in 1800 Nicholas County was constructed from part of Bourbon County and part of Mason County.

Kentucky counties are not divided into townships. Federal censuses are reported by precinct or district numbers; for genealogy purposes, the post office is often instructive. With no townships, one might expect a large number of counties (the basic unit of government in Kentucky); and Kentucky, with 120 counties, has the third largest number in the United States-next to Texas with 254 and Georgia with 158 counties.474

Present-day Harrison County has a land area of 310 square miles, and in the year 2000 a population of 17,983 (circa 58 persons per square mile). The median household money income in 1997 was estimated at $31,971.475 The county seat and principal urban area is Cynthiana; its population in 1990 was 6,497. Cynthiana was established in 1793, soon after Kentucky became a state, on land donated by Robert Harrison, who named the town after his daughters Cynthia and Anna.476 The courthouse address is 190 West Pike Street, Cynthiana, Kentucky 41031-1426.

During the Civil War, Cynthiana was the site of the Battle of Cynthiana, fought 11-12 June 1864, when General John Hunt Morgan's Division raided Union forces at Cynthiana. There were three separate battle with Morgan's forces: one pitting Morgan against the 168th Ohio National Guard and the Harrison County home guard; another pitting Morgan against the 171st Ohio National Guard; and the third had Morgan against a combined force of Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan troops under the command of Stephen Gano Burbridge, a native of Scott County, Kentucky. On 12 June 1864, Morgan's forces were defeated by Brigadier General Burbridge.


According to Charles D. Clifford (#1981) (Fort Mitchell, Kentucky), family legend maintains that Charles had a first wife, and Edward was a son of Charles and first wife. Apparently it is Edward who has a stone in Fort Palmer Cemetery, Fairfield Township, with the inscription "E. Clifford 1755-" there being no death date. The stone is a memory stone. The "1755" possibly is an error by the person inscribing the stone. I thought perhaps the first "5" of the inscription might have been a 6 instead of a 5 (5 and 6 on old weathered stones can look similar); that is, the year is 1765. However this is not the case. The inscription in 2002 is still clear (see photo 6), and there is no doubt the inscriptions reads "E. Clifford 1755-."


Photo 6. Edward Clifford (#47) "memory" stone in Fort Palmer Cemetery. Probably the stone was set at the same time that Charles and Jane Clifford's stone were placed. Their is no question that the birth year reads "1755," but is this correct? Photograph taken March 2002 by Donna Mohney, RD # 1, Box 477A, Ligonier, Pennsylvania 15658 and .


The 1810 federal census for Harrison County, Kentucky, has Edward born between 1765-1784, and the 1830 federal census has him born between 1760-1770.477 (The 1820 federal census for Edward in Harrison County only reports his age as over 45.) If Edward was born between 1765-1770, this might explain why there are no records of Edward serving in the Revolutionary War. One born in the mid 1750s would seem to be the right age for the war. Both Edward's father and brothers James, born 1758, and Robert, possibly born circa 1760 or possibly in the mid-1750s, were in the war.478 Being born in the 1760s would also explain the statement by Edward's brother James about James being "eldest Brother and heir at law" in the Fayette County deed479 (see under James, #48). The statement could be interpreted that James was eldest brother of Robert, Edward, and Joseph; or that James was eldest brother now that Robert had died. Regardless, James, who was born 1758, would have been elder brother of Edward according to the statement in this deed.

I have found only two Westmoreland County documents in the name of Edward Clifford. One was the 1794 deed480 (initiated in 1786) between Edward's brother James Clifford and Barnabas McShane and John Erskine-see under James Clifford (#48) for a discussion of this deed and see Appendix 4 for the entire deed. In this deed, James Clifford on 25 September 1786 sells six tracts of land to Barnabas McShane, one being "in the name of Edward Clifford adjoining William Espy and William Stewart in Tyrone Township, Fayette County… ." Also note that until 1783, Fayette County was part of Westmoreland County. The other document is Charles Clifford's Westmoreland County will, written 1815, in which Charles leaves $100 to his son Edward.481

I can not resolve the quandary about Edward being a son of Jane (Gordon) Clifford or, as family legend suggests (but with no primary source, to my knowledge), a son of Charles and a first wife. Of course if Edward was born in the 1760s, and James was his eldest brother, he would be a son of Charles and Jane (Gordon) Clifford.

Edward was in the Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 1790 federal census, Tyrone Township.482 Edward was taxed in Tyrone Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in 1786 (single man), 1787, 1789, 1791 (single man-although he was apparently married by this time, his son Robert being born in 1790), 1793, and 1795.483 There were no lists for 1790, 1792 and 1794. Edward's second known child, James, was born 1795, also in Pennsylvania. Since the Fayette County, Pennsylvania, tax list is from 1785-1799, and Edward was not on it after 1795, Edward would have left the area after 1795 and before 1800. This is confirmed by the early tax records of Harrison County, Kentucky, which have Edward first listed in 1796.484 He was taxed for 200 acres of third rate (or Number 3) land, one horse and 2 cows. (For tax purposes, land in Kentucky was classified as first rate land (for example, bottom land), second rate land and third rate land. The land was also called number 1, 2, and 3 land.) Edward's land on Twin Creek was originally entered and surveyed for Thomas Hinkson485 and a grant issued to Thomas Hinkson. In 1806, besides one male over the age of 21 (Edward), one male over 16 and under 21 was with Edward, and this supports other documents that Edward's son Robert was born in 1790. By 1808, Edward still had the 200 acres but at that time had six horses.

Edward apparently moved from Pennsylvania to Kentucky about 8 years after his brother Robert Clifford and sister Mary and her husband Joseph Whitsett and family moved to Kentucky. Robert Clifford, who died in 1791 in Bourbon County, Kentucky, probably present-day Harrison County, was taxed in Bourbon County in 1789-see under Robert Clifford (#49). Joseph and Mary (Clifford) Whitsett were in present-day Harrison County, Kentucky, by 1790 when their daughter Jane Whitsett was born there-see Mary Clifford (#50). Also, Joseph Whitsett was on the 1790 reconstructed federal census for Bourbon County, Kentucky. Probably all three Clifford siblings, Mary, Robert and Edward, lived (and died) within a 20 miles radius of Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky.

I followed Edward's tax records through 1826; he continued to be taxed for his 200 acres of third rate land in the Twin Creek area of Harrison County. His son Robert first appeared in the Harrison County tax records in 1813, son James in 1816, son Charles in 1818, and son Thomas in 1827.486 Other than tax records, my first record of Edward Clifford in Kentucky is June 1799 when Edward Clifford was a member of a grand jury in Harrison County in the case of William Lumley versus Alexander Doyle (trespass, assault and battery-defendant did not appear).487 Edward was on another grand jury in Harrison County in September 1800;488 and in July of 1800, he was appointed overseer of the road leading from "the rocky springs to Leeslick," and was "to keep it in repair."489 Edward was in the Harrison County federal censuses of 1810 through 1830.490 In 1830, the district was given as Licking River, West Side. In 1803 and 1814, Edward Clifford's name was on the list of miscellaneous claims against Harrison County,491 and in 1811 Edward was listed on the sale bill in the name of the estate of James M. Harrison.492

There are few deeds in the name of Edward Clifford in Harrison County, Kentucky. One was an 1824 land transaction where Edward bought 200 acres (additional acres?) on Twin Creek, Harrison County, from the McMillin heirs for $150.00.493 In 1829, Edward Clifford, along with Manuel Blair, David Lemon and George Lemon, attested to ?Alford Davis (and his family) being a free man of color.494

I could not find a will for Edward, but there was an estate inventory on 10 September 1833, and a sale, listing purchasers, on 19 September 1833, recorded 8 November 1833, in the name of Edward Clifford, deceased, of Harrison County, Kentucky.495 About 90 percent of the purchases (total sale was $314.00) were by Cliffords, namely James Clifford, Robert Clifford, John Clifford, Lindsey Clifford, Ruth Clifford, Thomas Clifford, and Charles Clifford. Other purchasers were George R. Chandler (husband of Edward's daughter Mary), John Sellers (husband of Edward's daughter Jane), George Lemon, George Jones, John Conrod, Sidny Fisher and Thomas Williams. Names of purchasers combined with census and other data give at least a tentative list of  Edward and wife's children. The entire sale and list of purchasers is in Appendix 5. The legal document of this sale, where George Lemon, Administrator of Edward Clifford's estate, reported on the particulars, is recorded in Harrison County May Court, 1835.496

A deed of 13 September 1834 (almost one year to the date of the personal estate sale) between Edward Clifford heirs and John Berry, confirm that all the Cliffords purchasing items in the estate sale were Edward's children and their spouses.497

Edward Cliffords heirs to John Berry.498
49 3.20 Harrison Twin Creek

This indenture made and entered into this 13th day of September in the year 1834 between Robert Clifford and Nancy his wife, James Clifford and Rachel his wife, Charles Clifford and Ann his wife, Thomas Clifford, John Clifford, Lindsey A. Clifford and Nancy his wife, George R. Chandler and Polly his wife late Polly Clifford, John Sellars and Jane his wife late Jane Clifford, heirs of Edward Clifford deceased of the One part and John Berry of the County of Harrison and state of Kentucky witnesseth that the said parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred and fifty Dollars to them in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath given, granted, bargained, sold, released, conveyed and confirmed and by these presents doth give, grant, bargain, sell, release, convey and confirm unto the sd party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever all that tract or parcel of land lying and being situated in the County and state aforesaid on the waters of Twin Creek [?and] bounded as follows towit. Beginning at a stone set up ____? the ground in John Berrys line thence N 891/2W 70 poles _____? stone set up in the ground thence S 144W to a stone set up in the ground in Thomas Williams line? thence with his line N 891/4E 70 poles to a sugartree and white oak corner to John Berry thence with his line N 144 poles to the Beginning containing Forty nine acres, 3 rods and 20 poles. To Have and To Hold the above described premises and every part and parcel thereof and the appurtenances unto the sd party of the second part and his heirs and assigns forever and the title to the above described premises and every part and parcel thereof and the appurtenances the said party of the first part doth warrant and defend to the said part of the second part his heirs and assigns forever against the claim or claims of them the said party of the first [part] and their assigns and against the claim of the widow of said Edward Clifford, deceased, for Dower. In testimony whereof the said parties of the first part have herewith subscribed their names and affixed their seals this day and date above written
interlined before signed.

Robt Clifford
Nancy Clifford
James Clifford
Rachel Clifford
Charles Clifford
Ann her X mark Clifford
Thomas his X mark Clifford
John Clifford
Lindsey A. Clifford
Nancy her mark X Clifford
George R. his X mark Chandler
Polly Chandler
John his X mark Sellars
Jane her X mark Sellars.

Commonwealth of Kentucky, Harrison County, Towit
I Samuel Endicott, clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do certify that this deed from Robt Clifford, James Clifford and others to Jno Berry was produced to me in my office the 13th day of Septr 1834 and acknowledged by said Grantors to be their act and deed and the said Nancy Clifford, Rachel Clifford, Ann Clifford, Nancy Clifford, Polly Chandler, late Polly Clifford and Jane Sellars, late Jane Clifford, wives of the within named Grantors being examined by me separate and apart from their said husbands declare they did freely and willingly seal and deliver said writing and wished not to retreat it and acknowledged said writing again shown and explains to them to be their act and deed and consented that the same might be recorded which is done this 19th day of Septr. 1834.  


The John Berry purchasing the Clifford land from the heirs of Edward Clifford was probably the John Berry, father of Octavia Berry, who married Lindsey Clifford (#537). John's wife was Elizabeth (Claypole) Berry (for more information on the Berry family see under Lindsey Clifford.

The disclaimer about dower rights of Edward's widow, Ruth (who was never mentioned by name in this deed) probably meant that she had agreed to forego her dower rights, as such a statement was probably necessary for John Berry to obtain clear title.

The deed pinpoints Edward's location to the waters of Twin Creek (which is a tributary of the South Fork of the Licking River-see Map 8). Since nothing was said about the North Fork or South Fork of Twin Creek, I suspect Edward's land was on the main stream, probably in the Breckenridge, Rutland, and Hell's Half Acre area of Harrison County.

Note the "Clifford ring" to Edward and Ruth's children. Although probably not the intent, one could say that six of the eight children were named after brothers or sisters of Edward.

In January 1835, the same Clifford heirs (but no mention of the widow of said Edward Clifford, deceased, for Dower) sold 85 1/2 acres and 26 poles of land on Twin Creek, Harrison County, to a John Rennaker of Harrison County for $6.12 and 1/2 cents per acre. George Lemon witnessed this deed.499 In May 1835, a "Settlement" document in the name of Edward Clifford, deceased, mentions receipts from "the widow," D. B. Lemon, Robert Clifford, Lindsey Clifford, John Clifford, Joseph Vanderen (Vannsdell?), and Jacob Lemon. This settlement also mentions an agreement between "John C. Coonrod [Conrod] and the wife of John Sellers."500 In 1839, a "Settlement" document was recorded listing a payment to Ruth Clifford.501


Some chronological events for Edward Clifford; sources cited elsewhere

1755. Born-according to stone "E. Clifford" in Fort Palmer Cemetery.

1765-1770. Born-according to calculations from the 1810 and 1830 federal censuses for Kentucky.

1786. Living in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, as named in deed of "eldest brother" James (born 1758).

1786-1789. Taxed in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

1790. In federal census for Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Eldest son Robert born in Pennsylvania.

1795. Last year taxed in Fayette County. Second son James born in Pennsylvania. Last record of Edward living in Pennsylvania.

1796. First year taxed in Harrison County, Kentucky.

1799. First non-tax record of Edward in Kentucky: on grand jury in Harrison County, Kentucky.

1800. Taxed in Harrison County, Kentucky.

1802. Son Charles born in Kentucky.

1803. Edward Clifford's name was on the list of miscellaneous claims against Harrison County, Kentucky

1810. In federal census for Harrison County, Kentucky.

1815. Mentioned in his father's will.

1820. In federal census for Harrison County, Kentucky.

1824. Grantee in Harrison County deed.

1829. Mentioned in an attestation document.

1830. In federal census for Harrison County, Kentucky.

1833. September. Estate inventory and sale for Edward Clifford, deceased.

1834. September. Indenture between Edward Clifford heirs (named) to John Berry, land in Harrison County, Kentucky.



 
Children of Edward and Ruth [-?-] Clifford or another wife, or both:

+   211 i. Robert5 Clifford; born 23 March 1790 in Pennsylvania; died 14 April 1855; married Nancy Azby.
+   212 ii. James Clifford; born circa 1795 in Pennsylvania; died late 1860 or January 1861; married Rachel Azby.
+   213 iii. Charles Clifford; born circa 1802 in Kentucky; married (first) Ann Baskill; married (second) Catherine Stewart.
+   214 iv. Jane Clifford; born circa 1804 in Kentucky; still alive in 1880; married John Sellers (or Sellars).
+   215 v. Mary (Polly) Clifford; born circa 1804 in Kentucky; died summer of 1866; married George R. Chandler.
  216 vi. Thomas Clifford; born circa 1806-1810.502 Thomas was on the Harrison County tax lists for 1827 and 1828, the last year of records that I looked at. Other than these tax records and his father's estate settlements in 1833, I could find no records for Thomas Clifford in Harrison County. Possibly he was the Thomas Clifford who married 4 March 1837 [-?-] ?Delish in McCracken County, Kentucky.503 There was a Thomas Clifford and a Patrick Clifford enumerated in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in 1850; and there was also a Thomas Clifford in Scott County, Kentucky, in 1850; but all these Thomas Cliffords were born in Ireland.504
+   217 vii. Lindsey A. Clifford; born circa 1810; married Nancy Jones. The given name is spelled both Lindsey and Lindsay in documents; for consistency, I will spell it Lindsey throughout.
+   218 viii. John Jackson Clifford; born circa 1812; died 1872; married Mary (Molly) Boggs.
      The 1810 federal census for Harrison County, Kentucky could indicate Edward had another daughter, born between 1785 and 1794.505


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Contents
Acknowledgments
Charts, Maps and Documents
Photographs
Major Locations
Ralph Z. Clifford Chart
Introduction
Generation One
Generation Two
Generation Three
Generation Four
George Beavers(17) - Naomi Beavers(28)
Jane Clifford(30) - Mary Sellers(46)
Edward Clifford(47)
James Clifford(48) - Mary Clifford(50)
Joseph Clifford(51) - Sarah Clifford(55)
Charles Clifford(56) - Elizabeth Clifford(58)
Generation Five
Generation Six
Generation Seven
Appendices
References
Hugh F. Clifford
Index
End Notes

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Copyright © Canada, by Hugh F. Clifford
2003


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Last updated 8.12.2003