M. (1) before 1778 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Rachel Gray
M. (2) before 1791 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
Wife: Alsey Galloway
D. about Nov 1826 in (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina
During the 18th century, large numbers of Scots-Irish people came to America, and headed to where land was available. A common place where many ended up was in the backwoods of North Carolina, and John Clifford’s family was among them.
John was the son of Michael Clifford, and he was born in an unknown part of Ireland sometime during the mid-1740s. John was only a small child when the family sailed to America, but his mother died on the voyage, leaving his father with three children. It’s likely they arrived in Philadelphia, and lived in New Jersey for a time before moving on to Maryland. This was a typical migration pattern for the Scots-Irish. At some point, John’s father remarried and gave him five half-siblings.
In around 1775, John settled with his family in Rowan County, North Carolina, where he would spend the rest of his life. After he came of age, he got married to a woman named Rachel Gray; their oldest known child was born in 1778, but it’s likely they been together for a few years. John and Rachel had at least three more children, then she passed away in about 1790. John took a second wife named Alsey Galloway, and they had six children born between 1791 and 1806.
John was of the right age to have served in the American Revolution, and there is evidence that he fought in his local militia along with his brothers Michael and Jacob. A document shows that he was paid 11 pounds 2 shillings for his service. There is a gap of almost four years between the birth of his oldest child and his second one, 1778 and 1782, and this was likely when he enlisted. It was the period when the theater of war had shifted to the southern colonies, so it makes sense.
1783 document ordering payment to John for his militia service.
Besides a short stint as a soldier, John's life was likely devoted to his Piedmont farm, which was challenging because with its rocky landscape, it wasn’t the best place to grow crops. John never owned slaves, but this may have been that he couldn’t afford them. In 1785, his father left him 20 shillings in his will; the small bequest was due to the fact his father recently sold him 50 acres of land at a very reduced rate.
Little else is known about John, but he seems to have lived a long life. He made out his will in 1824, leaving his land to his wife and two of his sons, and smaller parts of his estate to his other children. The will was probated in November 1826, and it’s likely this was shortly after John had died. As for the North Carolina Piedmont where he had farmed, most of his children chose to leave the area, with one relocating to Tennessee and six others to Illinois. His widow Alsey also went to Illinois during her final years – she was living with daughter Jane in 1850 at age 95.
Children by Rachel Gray:
1. Elizabeth Clifford — B. 18 Sep 1778, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 30 Sep 1827, Jefferson County, Tennessee; M. Charles Galloway (1758-1846), about 1795, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina
2. Joseph Clifford — B. 20 Jun 1782, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 23 Feb 1844, Davie County, North Carolina; M. Susannah Wells (1787-1863), 15 Apr 1809, Rowan County, North Carolina
3. Sarah Clifford — B. May 1783, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 4 May 1851, Greene County, Illinois; M. Enoch Irwin (~1787-?), 30 May 1808, Rowan County, North Carolina
4. Rachel Clifford — B. about 1787, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 16 Sep 1838, Davie County, North Carolina, M. Overton White, 10 Dec 1817, Rowan County, North Carolina
Children by Alsey Galoway:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1791, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 18 Feb 1844, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Hester L.W. Van Hart, 14 Apr 1840, New Jersey
2. Jane Clifford — B. 4 Sep 1794, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 23 Feb 1857, Greene County, Illinois; M. William Wells (1800-1871), 18 Oct 1819, Rowan County, North Carolina
3. Michael Clifford — B. 7 Jan 1795, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 24 Aug 1873, Dongola, Illinois; M. Ellender Leach (1796-1866), 1 Oct 1815, Rowan County, North Carolina
4. Mary Clifford — B. 11 Dec 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 7 Nov 1875, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Samuel Davis (1798-1888), 31 Jul 1823, Rowan County, North Carolina
5. William Clifford — B. 1804, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Barbara Thomson, 24 Jul 1824, Rowan County, North Carolina
6. Joanna Clifford — B. 1806, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 1882, Jersey County, Illinois; M. John Eaton (1812-1869), 28 Oct 1829, Rowan County, North Carolina
Sources:
“Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991
Find-A-Grave.com
Little else is known about John, but he seems to have lived a long life. He made out his will in 1824, leaving his land to his wife and two of his sons, and smaller parts of his estate to his other children. The will was probated in November 1826, and it’s likely this was shortly after John had died. As for the North Carolina Piedmont where he had farmed, most of his children chose to leave the area, with one relocating to Tennessee and six others to Illinois. His widow Alsey also went to Illinois during her final years – she was living with daughter Jane in 1850 at age 95.
Children by Rachel Gray:
1. Elizabeth Clifford — B. 18 Sep 1778, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 30 Sep 1827, Jefferson County, Tennessee; M. Charles Galloway (1758-1846), about 1795, (probably) Iredell County, North Carolina
2. Joseph Clifford — B. 20 Jun 1782, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 23 Feb 1844, Davie County, North Carolina; M. Susannah Wells (1787-1863), 15 Apr 1809, Rowan County, North Carolina
3. Sarah Clifford — B. May 1783, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 4 May 1851, Greene County, Illinois; M. Enoch Irwin (~1787-?), 30 May 1808, Rowan County, North Carolina
4. Rachel Clifford — B. about 1787, (probably) Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 16 Sep 1838, Davie County, North Carolina, M. Overton White, 10 Dec 1817, Rowan County, North Carolina
Children by Alsey Galoway:
1. John Clifford — B. about 1791, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 18 Feb 1844, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Hester L.W. Van Hart, 14 Apr 1840, New Jersey
2. Jane Clifford — B. 4 Sep 1794, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 23 Feb 1857, Greene County, Illinois; M. William Wells (1800-1871), 18 Oct 1819, Rowan County, North Carolina
3. Michael Clifford — B. 7 Jan 1795, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 24 Aug 1873, Dongola, Illinois; M. Ellender Leach (1796-1866), 1 Oct 1815, Rowan County, North Carolina
4. Mary Clifford — B. 11 Dec 1798, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 7 Nov 1875, Jersey County, Illinois; M. Samuel Davis (1798-1888), 31 Jul 1823, Rowan County, North Carolina
5. William Clifford — B. 1804, Rowan County, North Carolina; M. Barbara Thomson, 24 Jul 1824, Rowan County, North Carolina
6. Joanna Clifford — B. 1806, Rowan County, North Carolina; D. 1882, Jersey County, Illinois; M. John Eaton (1812-1869), 28 Oct 1829, Rowan County, North Carolina
Sources:
“Michael Clifford, Sr. and Descendants,” A.E. Collier, The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1991
Find-A-Grave.com
