Holmes - Maternal grandmother Allie Rae Clemens - Grandfather Jeremiah Clemmens

Death of Mr. Jeremiah Clemmens.

Mr. Jeremigh Clemmens, known to many of our oldest readers, died at his country home, near Norborne, Carroll county, Mo., June 23, 1906 in the 87th year of age.  His funeral, at which were his wife and all of his 11 children, except a son William, who resides in Arkansas, took place June 25. His remains being buried beside those of his first wife. Elders S. B. Shirkey and J. S. Kliue conducted the services, the attendance being exceptionally large. He was an industrious, prosperous, correct, well disposed, honorable citizen, and stood well in his community.

If we rightly recall the matter, Mr. Clemmens was in our office Nov. 25 1899, when we gleaned some of the folling history from him. He was born near Lebanon, Penna., Dec. 14 1819, and came to Dayton, Va, when 14 years old with David Feshler and wife of Schaef-Perhiath, Penna.  The trip was made in a one-horse wagon, and the first house slept in, after starting belonged to John Zigler at Timberville, Va., and later on to Daniel Zigler.  They reached Dayton Sunday evening and young Clemmens began work the following Monday morning.  Zigler was a stone-mason and brick-layer, and Clemmens learned the trade under him, commencing when he was nine years old. At the age of 15 he laid a stone wall corner at John Beery's barn south of Edom, Va., at whaich time he had scarcely any money and few clothes.

When 23, he married Jacob Brock's daughter Elizabeth, near Cootes' Store, Va. and went to houskeeping at that place, where he remained for three years. He bought property --25 acres-- on the river, near where he lived, for which he went into debt. When his wife cried about it, he said, nobody was ever hung for debt, and the property would be paid for, and so it was. He lived at or near Edom for ten years, and then went to Madison county, Indiana, which was then "in the woods." Here he stayed eleven years, and went to Putnam county, Illinois remaining twelve years. His next move was to Carroll county, Missouri, where he has since resided. His wife died about 1879. To them were born 12 children --9 sons (one dying in infancy) and 3 daughters, George, Frank, John, Samuel, William, Charles, Jeramiah and Jacob, and Mrs. Mary Galner, Mrs. Rebecca Bowman and Mrs. Sarah Brock.  All his children wanted and have good farms quite near him, except son in Arkansas.

About 1879, his first wife died, as already stated, and about 1881 he married Mrs. Rebecca Miller, of near Moore's Store, Va., whom he met at a big annual funker of German Baptist meeting in ____. At the time she was with her __ _____ ___ the late Maum Garter, forever supervisor of Lee district, Shenandoah county. Since going west, he came back to Virginia one time with his first and three times with his second wife, their last visit during in 1853.

The parents of Mr. Clemmens came from Pennsylvania to Virginia in 1837, and first located at Cootes' Strore, and later moved to Broadway, Va., and a year ot two later, 1841 or 1842, moved to Indiana. He did what he could for his parents, building them houses in Indiana and Illinois, in which later State they lived.

Mr. Jeramiah Clemmens was among the pioneer builders in this section. He and Mr. Wm. Baker of Kratzer's Spring, Va., both then unmarried, built the old New Market Academy between 1839 and 1842. The were hired and paid by the late Dr. Solomon Henkel and sons. Mr. C. contracted with Dr. Henkel to build the foundation at Plains Mill --he remarking I may not come to see the work go up; but you are to do it. This was in the fall, and August 14, 1847, Dr. Henkel died the day the work was to have commenced, which was completed.  He built the stone church, near Tenth Legion, the _____ stone house in Broadway, and many others, which are still standing. Among the old residents of New Market, the time of the Academy building, were Liggetts, Strayers, Henkels, Windles, and Savages.

At the age of nine he was bound out to learn his trade and for several years he received no pay except his "victuals and clothes" -- both coarse. Later on he got $2.50 per month, and one pair of shoes. He worked from daylight till sundown and a little later each day, and in bad weather, and in the winter time he rode and led a horse on the barn floor to thresh out wheat and rye, or flailed it out from the stalks. H__chief cod was ___ ___ _______ _______. He knew _______ ________ ________ _______ given _____ brush you _____ _____ when Sunday came, by each beh____ tin cup full of coffee, "bearfooted" --without sugar or cream, which were rather unknown quantities --especially sugar-- homemade molasses being used for sweetening.

Clothing were of home-made flax, benny and blue jeans goods, and a suit had to last several years. Hats were made of skins and cloth, and he never heard of an overcoat in his boyhood days. Shoes were known to boys only in winter times. Tailors would come to the farmers' houses and cut out suits, which were made by women folks. Shoemakers would come to homes and make a supply of shoes, and often mended the harness. He had no advantage of schools, and churches were "few and far between," without stoves or heat in the winter. There were very few newspapers, and those were seldom seen or read by people in the country. Buggies, carriages, and spring wagons were unknown, and girls would carry their shoes in their hands until near the church or at the villages, when they stopped along the roadside and put them on and took them off soon after leaving and returning home.

We could recite other instances of his boyhood days, which would read like fiction, compared with the present day. From those hardy sons and daughters ahve sprung a more favored race, who often fail to appreciat eh sacrifices of their ancestors.