"The name Clements, with its varied spellings, was derived from the Latin 'Clemens' and is found wherever Roman civilization extended. The Romans left the name in Britain, where the German and French Conquests found and modified its spelling to suit the new language. In French the name became Clements, like the stem of the Latin word; or sometimes a female form was used, as Clare Clemence, wife of the great Conde, and as such was introduced into England at and after the Norman Conquest. In modern English the name came to be spelled Clements according to the genius of the langueage. Clemens is pure Latin, Clement is pure French, the form Clements only is pure English and the correct form of the name. Clemmons, Clemmens, Clemants and like variations are aberrant forms arising from negligent following of various local mispronunciations."

- "Origins of Clements - Spalding and Allied Families of Maryland and Kentucky"

This Clements Family History References:
The prirmay source of the genealogy and history for John Clements of Charles County, Maryland is found in the book by J W S Clements 1928 "Origins of Clements - Spalding and Allied families of Maryland and Kentucky" (see link above). Other books include: "Early Settlers of of Maryland" Edited by Gust Skordas, "Across the years in Prince Geroge's Coounty [Maryland]" by Effie Gwynn Bowie, and serveral books by Thomas W Spalding. There are also references which refer to Clements in the Mudd Family.

Clements DNA Project Information:
Kevin Clements (b. 13 FEB 1961) submitted blood samples to the Clements DNA Project. The DNA results confirmed the Clements family of Charles County MD descends from one John Clements (b. 1647), most likely a native of Clopton, Middlesex County, England, who arrived in the colony about 1675. He was a tailor by trade. His wife was Elizabeth Plunkett.

Many of the descendants of this family migrated to KY c 1802 in the Catholic Migration from MD to KY. Kevin Clements participation in the Clements DNA Project confirmed he descends from Bennett Hanson, son of William, son of John of Charles County, Maryland.

John Clements

• Born: 1647 in Clopton, Middlesex, England
• Died: after 1728 most likely in Charles, Maryland
• Occupation: Tailor


• Father: Unknown.
• Mother: Maiden Name Pomphrett (changed to Pomfret, a family name yet in Maryland, which degenerated to Pumphrey), b. abt 1625 according to documents
• Parents' Marriage: Marriage: abt 1645 in Clopton, Middlesex, England


• Brothers: John's will expressly refers Jacob Clements and William Clements Sr., as his brothers.


• Spouse: Elizabeth Plunkett
• Born: 1650 in Clopton, Middlesex, England
• Died: 1728 in Bryantown or Port Tobacco Hundred, Charles County, Maryland
• Father [Unconfirmed]: Thomas Plunkett - b. before 1634 in England. d. 17 JULY 1717 in Prince George's County, Maryland - Probate
• Mother [Unproven]: Hathaway - b. Before 1638


• Marriage: abt 1680 in Charles, Maryland

There appears to be a lot of speculative information on the Internet regarding Elizabeth's ties to the Pluckett family from Ireland. And there certainly are many records of the Clements lines in Ireland and their ties to the Plunkett family. See "Clements-Spalding and Allied Families of Maryland and Kentucky"

John & Elizabeth were both Catholic. Most records of Catholic churches were initially destroyed by order of King Henry VII in p580. As I understand, records are scarce until some time after 1681. However, I read that many of the records of the Catholic church located in Clopton, Middlesex, England were preserved and now maintained by the London Metropolitan Archives. So it is possible that more information could be in existence.)

• Children:
• John Clements – b. 30 Jan 1673 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Jacob Clements – b. 1681 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• William Clements – b. 1685 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Edward Clements (Clemens) – b. 1687 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland. d. 1751 in Maryland
• Samuel Clements – b. abt 1689 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Daughters - Records say it is suspected there were daughters, but their history is lost, but one probably married Henry Bames.

William Clements

• Born: 1685 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Died: 1754 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland


• Spouse: Mary Hanson – b. abt 1700 in Charles, Maryland. d. abt 1749 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland


• Marriage: abt 1725 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland


• Children:
• Oswald Clements – b. 1726 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Elizabeth Clements – b. abt 1727 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Bennett Hanson Clements – b. 1732 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland. d. 1777 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Clothilder Clements – b. 1734 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Henrientta Clements – b. abt 1736 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Mary Clements – b. abt 1740 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• William Clements – b. 1742 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland

Bennet Hanson Clements

• Born: 1732 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Died: 1777 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland


• Beleive Overton – b. abt 1735 in Charles, Maryland, d. abt 1760 in Bryantown, Charles, MD


• Marriage: abt 1753 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland


• Children:
• Bennet Hanson Clements – b. 1754 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Edward Clements – b. abt 1756 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Henrietta Clements – b. abt 1758 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Oswald Clements – b. abt 1760 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland

Bennet Hanson Clements

• Born: 1754 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland
• Died: 5 Oct 1804 in Montgomery Cty, Maryland


• Spouse: Charity Davis – b.1748 in Charles, Maryland. d. 1804 Montgomery, Maryland.


• Marriage: abt 1768 in Charles, Maryland


• Children:
• Basil Clements – b. 16 Jan 1770 in Brayntown, Charles, Maryland
• Ann Clements – b. abt 1772 in Brayntown, Charles, Maryland
• Mary Clements – b. abt 1776 in Brayntown, Charles, Maryland
• Mildred M. Clements – b. abt 1780 in Brayntown, Charles, Maryland
• Gustavus Clements – b. abt 1784 in Brayntown, Charles, Maryland

Basil Clements

• Born: 16 January, 1770 in Bryantown, Charles, Maryland


• Spouse : Mary Morgan – b. 1772 in Bardstown, Nelson, Kentucky. d. Jan 1823 Kecks Church Post Office, Martin, Indiana.


• Marriage: Jan 1826 in Martin, Indiana


• Children:
• Francis Clements – b. 17 April 1800 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• Nancy Clements – b. 1803 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• Patrick Clements – b. 7 July 1803 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• John Clements – b. 1804 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• Sarah Clements – b. 14 April 1807 in Bardstown, Nelson, Kentucky
• Julia Ann Clements – b. 1812 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• Jane Clements – b. 2 Feb 1813 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• Mary Elizabeth Clements – b. 2 Feb 1813 in Bardstown, Nelson, KY
• Basil Clements – b. 1824 Casey Creek, Casey, KY

John Clements

• Birth: 1804 Bardstown, Nelson, Kentucky
• Death: 11 Feb 1833


• Spouse: Mary Queen – abt. 1804 - 1806 Martin, Indiana


• Married: 24 May 1825, Martin, Indiana


• Children:
• John S. Clements – b.1827, d. 29 June 1904 in Martin Cty, Indiana (1850,60,80,1900 Census w/ wife Lucinda, 1870 w/ sons Thomas & Uriah)
• Pius R. Clements – b.1829, d. 28 Nov 1902 in Evansville, Indiana
• Basil Clements – b.1831 – Found in 1880 Census w/ wife Malinda J. (35) and John S. (5)
• Sarah Clements – b.1833 (married George Wood Barrett on 28 Mar 1857 – No Children.
  George b. 1836 Indiana.
  George’s Parents: Elijah Barret (b.1813 KY, d.18 Oct 1856.
  Married 1830 in TN to Rebecca Barrett b.1810 Tennessee. d.20 Mar 1841)

Pius Richard Clements

• Birth: Abt 1829 in Martin, Indiana
• Death: 28 Nov 1902 – Evansville, Vanderburgh Cty., Indiana. Buried in the Hospital Cemetery, Evansville, Vanderburgh Co., Indiana
• Occupation: Farmer


• Spouse 1: Sarah Ann Miles
• Spouse 2: Priscilla Elizabeth Miles

NOTE: Sarah Ann Miles and Priscilla Elizabeth Miles were sisters. Their parents were Charles Miles and Elizabeth ‘Clements’. (Elizabeth is related to the same Clements family from the line of Jacob Clements b. 1681, son of John Clements born in England in 1647.)

Married Sarah Ann Miles 4 Nov 1854 in Brown Township, Martin, Indiana. She was born May 1835 in Washington County, Kentucky, and died abt 1864 in Hutton Valley, Howell, Missouri. She was buried in White Church Cemetery, Howell County, Missouri.

Married Priscilla Elizabeth Miles 29 Jan 1866 in Daviess County, Indiana. She was born Sep 1842 in Casey County, Kentucky, and died 10 May 1912 in Washington, Daviess, Indiana. She was buried 1912 in St. Peter’s Cemetery. The 1880 Census shows that Pius parents were both born in Kentucky.

• Children with Sarah Ann Miles:
• John Clayton Clements - b. 24 Jan 1857 in Indiana, and died 13 May 1906 in Phelps County, Missouri
• James Austin Clements - b. abt 1859 in Perry Township, Martin, Indiana, and died in Hutton Valley, Howell, Missouri
• Charles P Clements - b. abt 1862 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana
• Mary A. Clements - b. abt 1864 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana


• Children with Priscilla Elizabeth Miles:
• Eliza H. Clements - b. abt 1866 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana
• Francis Clements - b. Apr 1868 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana
• Pauline Perla Clements - b. abt 1869 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana
• Alice Clements - b. abt 1871 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana
• Basil Clements - b. abt 1874 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana. d. 3 Mar 1913 in Evansville, Vanderburgh Co. Indiana
• Pius M. Clements - b. 18 Jun 1876 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana. d. 19 May 1910 in Washington, Daviess, Indiana
• Henrietta Matilda Clements - b. 9 Jun 1879 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana
• George W. Clements - b. Feb 1883 in Reeve Township, Daviess, Indiana

Basil Clements

• Born: abt 1874
• Died: 3 Mar 1913 in Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana. Records show removal to Washington, Indiana from Joseph Schaefer & Son Funeral Home.


• Spouse: Edna Alice Wampler – b. 4 Aug 1881 in Indian Springs, Martin, Indiana, d. 2 Dec 1957 in Greenville, Darke Co., Ohio. Buried at Springlawn Cemetery in New Paris, Preble, Ohio


• Married: 11 Jul 1899 in Martin County, Indiana.


• Children:
• Sheldon Oswel Clements - b. 24 Aug 1900 in Marin County, Indiana
• Ula Ines Clements - b. 4 Aug 1902 in Martin County, Indiana. d. 17 Sep 1967 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio. Buried at Lakeview Cemetery, Ohio
• Zula Agnes Clements - b. 10 Sep 1904 in Martin County, Indiana. d. 25 Sep 1984 in Sarasota, Sarasota, Florida. Burried at Michigan Memorial Cemetery in Huron Township, Michigan
• George Orel Clements - b. 3 Jun 1907 in Martin County, Indiana. d. 15 Nov 1994 in Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona
• Joseph Onerd Clements - b. 28 Jan 1909 in Rutherford Twp, Martin, Inidana. d. 20 Apr 1913 in Washington, Daviess, Indiana

Sheldon Oswel Clements

• Birth: 24 Aug 1900 Martin County, Indiana
• Died: Deceased - Date unknown
• Made First Communion at St. Simon’s RC Church, Washington, Indiana on 28 May 1911. He was ten.
• WWI (World War I) Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

Criminal prosecution for death of step-father 24 July 1916. (The Evening Repository, Canton, Stark Cty, OH. Willard Library, Evansville, IN – on microfilm, 3 articles)
In July, 1916 Sheldon's step-father, George W. Sheets, drank very heavily (as was his habit) and after an argument with wife Edna, he headed up the stairs in a rage. When Mr. Sheets was four or five steps from the top, 15-year old Sheldon believed their lives were in danger and struck Mr. Sheets with a spindle from the stairway, causing George to fall backwards down the steps. George Sheets was unconscious when the neighbors and the local physician, Dr. Williams, arrived and he died the following morning.
At his mother’s direction, Sheldon walked to the sheriff’s office and turned himself in. He was arrested for manslaughter and incarcerated in the Canton jail. Eventually the verdict came back as justifiable homicide. This would haunt him the rest of his life and the family lost communication with him after he enlisted to fight in WWI.

In September 1918 Sheldon was living with his mother in Hartville, Stark Co, Ohio, where he registered for the WWI armed services. This was the last his mother and siblings heard from him. Shortly after 1918 his mother Edna and her children went to live near her father, Francis Marion Wampler, who lived near Dayton, Ohio.

A 1984 letter in the the files of brother, George Orel Clements, shows Sheldon as married with 4 children. Further info available in transcripts of conversations with E. Carlson (24 MAY 2004, transcription in process)

• Spouse 1: Mildred M. Wittenbrook - b. 6 APR 1903
• Marriage Certificate dated 2 JULY 1921 in Canton, Ohio
• Father: Hernest Wittenbrook ; Mother Edith (Longfellow) Wittenbrook
• Sheldon married a second wife and had 4 children according a family letter (see above notations).


• Affair / Spouse 2: Ethel Leona Cox - b. abt 1895, d. 1945
• Sheldon & Ethel probably were not legally married. A 1984 letter from Sheldon to his brother, George Orel Clements, refer to him as married with 4 children. However, Birth Records of the children (twins) confirm Sheldon was their father.


• Children with Mildred M. Wittenbrook:
• 4 Children. Names and dates unknown.


• Children with Ethel Leona Cox - Twins:
• Ethel Nona Clements (known as Nona) – b. 27 Nov 1933, d. 9 June 2011 Ashes spread over a pond near Dayton, Ohio
• Sheldon O Clements – b. 27 Nov 1933, d. 19 Dec 1976

Sheldon O Clements

- No middle name, just the letter "O"

• Birth: 27 Nov 1933
• Birth Certificate: Cournette Drive, New Troy, Township of Pike, Montgomery County, Ohio
• Born in their grandmothers home (Amanda Alice Folk) in Northridge, Ohio
• Death: Dec 19 1976



Sheldon's (and twin sister Ethel Nona Clements, known as "Nona") birth father, Sheldon Oswel Clements, left shortly after their birth. I now believe he was legally married to Mildred M. Wittenbrook at the time and residing in Canton, Ohio. It is rumored that Sheldon Oswel Clements was a traveling salesman when he met Ethel Leona Cox and conceived the two twins. Of no coincedence, Sheldon Oswel Clements' mother had moved to the Dayton, Ohio area, where Ethel Leona Cox resided.

While the twins were toddlers at most, their mother, Ethel Leona Cox, married Howard Moore. Mr. Moore loved the twins and raised them as his own. The family and neighbors referred to Sheldon as "Howard Moore Jr." and his sister as "Nona Moore". They even attended school under these names. In 1945 the twins mother, Ethel Leona Cox, died. Sheldon and Nona were just 11 years old at the time. Shortly after Ethel's death, the State of Ohio determined that Howard Moore had not legally adopted the twins and removed them from their home, placing them in an orphanage. It was also at this time the children were told their legal names, which was a shock to them.

Sheldon repeatedly ran away from the orphanage, living on the banks of local rivers. He frequently climbed a large tree to enter the bedroom of his cousins on the second floor of their home. He would leave his clothes in his cousins laundry basket to be washed, beleiving his aunt did not know. He was known to drink, smoke, swim in a gravel pit and hop trains with his friend Joseph A. Donahue (who later married his twin sister Nona).
- Stories shared by Leola Folk and Joseph Donahue with Kevin Clements

In 1947, Carl Marx Fold and Leola (Donahue) Folk became the legal gaurdians of Sheldon and Nona (age 13), moving them to their residence in Colorado. Carl Folk was Pastor of a local church. Sheldon excelled under the guidance of Carl and Leola Folk and gave his life to Christ.

Nona and Leola did not get along. Not long after moving to Colorado, Nona ran away from home and was soon after found by the local sherrif. After discussions with the sherrif and the Folks, the sherrif arranged for Nona to live with his family until relatives from Ohio could travel to Colorado to pick her up and become her legal guardians.
- Story shared by Ethel "Nona" (Clements) Donahue with Kevin Clements

• Spouse: Joan Shelby Decker – b. 5 Aug 1938 in Turlock, Stanislaus, CA. d. 20 Dec 2009 in Huntington Beach, CA


• Married: Aug 11 1957 in Turlock, California


• Children:
• Colleen Joan Clements, b. 17 March 1959 in Turlock, Stanislaus Cty, CA.
• Kevin Carl Clements - b. 13 Feb 1961 in Turlock, Stanislaus Cty, CA.
• Karen Paulyne Clements - b. 6 Dec 1964 in Fullerton, Orange Cty, CA
• Colette Elizabeth Ivanovna Clements - b. 1 Oct 1966 in Fullerton, Orange Cty, CA
• Christopher Sheldon Clements - b. 5 Nov 1968 in La Habra, Orange Cty, CA

Kevin Carl Clements

• Birth: 2 Feb 1961 in Turlock, Stanisslaus, California


• Spouse 1: Colleen Elizabeth Konieczny - b. 25 Mar 1961 California
• Spouse 2: Barbara Ann Seitz - b. 10 Mar 1953 in Toledo, Ohio


• Marriage 1: 14 Jan 1983 in Hollywood, California at the World Opportunities International Chapel.
• Marriage 2: 1 May 2004 Beaverton, Oregon at Oak Hills Church
  
• Children with Colleen Elizabeth Konieczny
• Kaitlin Elizabeth Clements - b: 19 July 1983 in Fountain Valley, Orange Cty, California
• Christian Daniel Clements - b: 16 Dec 1984 in Bellflower, Los Angeles Cty, California
• Collin Andrew Clements - b: 13 Apr 1987 in Huntington Beach, Orange Cty, California


• Step Children - Children of Barbara Ann Seitz
• Thomas Scott Eddy - b: 11 Aug 1987 in Monterey, Monterey Cty, California
• David Grant Eddy - b: 12 May 1990 in Monterey, Monterey Cty, California