To America From 18th-Century Ireland — Michael Clifford

B. (probably) 1720s in Ireland¹
M. (1) (probably) 1740s in Ireland^1,2
Wife: _______ Painter
M. (2) (probably) 1750s in New Jersey³
Wife: Sarah Gray Moffatt
M. (3) (probably) 1760s in Maryland²
Wife: Elizabeth _______
D. after 16 Dec 1785 in Rowan County, North Carolina

During the early 18th century, the lure of America attracted many to leave Europe and settle in the English colonies. It was people like Michael Clifford who began populating the frontiers, although in his case, it took a few moves to ultimately land where he made his life.

Michael was born somewhere in Ireland, likely during the 1720s.¹ Some researchers have identified his parents without citing any sources, so those names won’t be considered here. It’s almost certain that Michael’s family was of Scots-Irish descent because Irish Catholics didn’t come to America in any great numbers until 100 years later. After Michael came of age, he married a woman who is believed to have had the surname “Painter,”² and they had three children together.

Sometime during the 1750s, Michael bought passage for his family aboard a ship bound for the American colonies.² An 18th-century voyage could be a hazardous trip, and sadly his wife seemed to have become sick and died onboard the ship.² He must have been devastated to have her body buried at sea, facing an unknown future with three young children to look after.

Dying wife onboard the ship to America. (AI-generated image)

Philadelphia was his likely port of entry; from there he went to New Jersey for a time. There he met and married a woman named Sarah Gray Moffatt,³ and it’s believed that they had three children together before moving on to Frederick County, Maryland.³ On February 20, 1766, Michael acquired 12 acres of land near present-day Woodsboro.³ Sarah seems to have died while he lived there, and he married a third wife, Elizabeth.² He had another two children, although it isn’t certain which woman was the mother of them because exact marriage and birth years are unknown.

Around 1775, Michael took his family to North Carolina, settling in what was Rowan County. Perhaps he found that land was cheaper there because he bought 230 acres on February 18, 1778,³ then another 640 acres on June 7th of the same year.³ The location was on Dutchman’s Creek in an area that later became Montgomery County. In 1783, Michael sold 50 acres to his son-in-law Richard Haines for the small amount of 25 shillings.⁴ He did the same for his son John in August of 1784.⁴

Dutchman's Creek today is still a wilderness. (Source: Google Maps)

It’s likely that Michael’s health was failing by 1784, because he wrote his will on December 16th,² and it was probated the following year.² Michael was survived by his wife Elizabeth and his eight children. From North Carolina, his descendants fanned out all across the United States — the deep South, the Midwest, the prairie lands, and the Far West. Today, tens of thousands of people can trace their roots to Michael Clifford. 

Children by ______ Painter:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1746, Ireland;⁵ D. about Nov 1826, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁶ M. (1) Rachel Gray;² (2) Alsey Galloway (~1755-?)²

2. Eleanor Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland;⁷ D. after 1789, Lincoln County, Tennessee;⁷ M. Charles Westerman (1750-~1820)²

3. Sarah Clifford — B. (probably) 1740s, Ireland;² M. (1) Isaac Wilcoxson;² (2) Richard Haines²

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt:
1. Jacob Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. Nancy Ann Boone (1762-1829), Rowan County, North Carolina²

2. Catherine Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. _____ Pippins²

3. Elizabeth Ann Clifford — B. (probably) 1750s, New Jersey;² M. (1) James Woods;² (2) John Jennings²

Children by Sarah Gray Moffatt or Elizabeth ________:

1. Eve Clifford — B. about 1756, Rowan County, North Carolina;⁸ M. Ebenezer Eaton (?-1810), 1777, Rowan County, North Carolina²

2. Michael Clifford — B. about 1759, New Jersey;² D. 30 Jul 1835, Sangamon County, Illinois;² M. (1) Phoebe Eaton (?-~1810), 18 Mar 1781, Frederick County, Maryland;² (2) Elizabeth Webb (~1782-?), 1811, Woodford County, Kentucky²

Sources:
1    Estimated birth and marriage dates based on rough age of his oldest child.
2    “Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991

3    WikiTree listing of Michael Clifford
4    Michael Clifford and His Family, James Monroe Clifford and Frank Powers, 1993
5    John Clifford in the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Ancestry.com
6    Probate file of John Clifford, North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
7    Find-a-Grave listing of Eleanor (Clifford) Westerman
8    Eve Clifford in the U.S. & International Marriage Records, 1560-1900