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Based on our charter, the Kent-Clifford Reunion is held biennially on even years. Every other reunion must be held within 100 miles of the "historical homeplace", Williamsport, West Virginia. The 2016 reunion was held in Moorefield. Why Moorefield?
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Based on research by family historians, the earliest records we have found show our Kent and Clifford ancestors residing in Hardy County. |
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Evan Kent and Priscilla Robinson
Evan Kent was born around 1784 and stated he was born in Virginia. We are unsure if his birth was in current day Virginia or West Virginia. Although his marriage certificate has not been located, Evan married Priscilla Robinson/Roberson around 1815. Priscilla was born around 1794. Although census records list her as a mulatto born in Virginia, her death record lists her birthplace as Georgia, which could have been an error made by the county clerk or her daughter, Elizabeth Kent, who provided the information. The first record found listing Evan was the Hardy County Personal Property Tax List of 1815. He is listed as being a free mulatto and paid taxes for 1 white tithe, 2 horses, 1 tan yard, and 1 free negro (himself). We do not know who the 1 white tithe (taxable person) was, but we do know the 1815 tax was important because it was used to aid in paying for expenses incurred during the War of 1812. Evan is listed in the Hardy County Personal Property Tax List in 1817 and 1818 as well. Evan and Priscilla began having children in 1816. Their descendents were: 1. Mary Satilphia Kent (b. 1816 in VA and d. 1852 in Hardy Co, WV) m. Isaac Clifford (b. 1824 in VA and d. 1903 in WV) about 1843 in WV 2. Elizabeth "Betsy" Ann Kent (b. 1824 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1881 in Grant Co, WV) 3. Rebecca Kent (b. 1827 in Grant Co, VA and d. abt 1906 in Grant Co, WV) 4. Mary A. Kent (b. abt 1830 in VA) 5. Artimita Kent (b. 1831 in VA and d. 1855 in Hardy Co, VA) 6. Fillmore Kent (b. 1832 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1858 in Hardy Co, VA) m. Ann Rebecca Bruce (b. 1813 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1884 in Grant Co, WV) in abt 1852 7. James Robinson Kent (b. 1833 in VA and d. 1930 in Williamsport, Grant Co, WV) m. Lucinda Duke (b. 1836 and d. 1923 in Williamsport, Grant Co, WV) in 1872 in Grant Co, WV 8. John Henson Kent (b. 1836 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1907 in Williamsport, Grant Co, WV) m. Virginia Flora Jones (b. 1844 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1881 in Grant Co, WV) in 1867 in Grant Co m. Mary Jane Bruce (b. 1841 in VA and died bef. 1900 in WV) in 1882 in Grant Co, WV Evan and Priscilla continued to live in Hardy County until their deaths. In the 1860 census, Evan was listed as a literate 78 year old mulatto laborer with an estate of personal property valued at $100. He has no dollar amount listed for real estate, which means he did not own the land on which he lived. Evan died around 1868. In 1870, Priscilla was living in Grant County with many family members in her household. She died of old age in Williamsport, Grant Co, WV in 1872. Her occupation was listed as a farmer. |
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Isaac Clifford and Julia A. Lewis
Isaac Clifford was born in New Jersey about 1776. The earliest documentation of Isaac Clifford is a March 1796 court proceeding in Hardy County, VA. Isaac appeared as a plantiff in a lawsuit against James Ryan, who was charged with battery and false imprisonment. Witnesses for Isaac came as far as New Jersey, stating he was a "free negro". The next month, Isaac and Julia were married in Hardy County. The couple was listed in the 1800 Cumberland, MD census and in 1804 there was record of Isaac selling animals in the same town. The couple were found in Hardy County in all later records. Isaac and Priscilla began having children in 1798. Their descendents were: 1. Abraham Clifford (b. 1798 in VA and d. 1860 in Meadville, Crawford Co, PA) m. Anne Peck in 1824 in Hardy Co VA 2. Isaac Clifford (b. 1799 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1865 in Meadville, Crawford Co, PA) 3. David Clifford (b. 1800 in Hardy Co, VA) 4. Jacob Clifford (b. 1803 in VA and d. abt 1853 in PA) m. Sally Smith (b. 1805 in VA and d. 1832 in VA) in 1823 in Hardy Co, VA m. Mary Lett (b. 1812 in MD and d. aft 1860 in PA) in abt 1834 5. John Clifford (b. 1813 in Hardy Co, VA and d. 1888 in Cleveland, OH) m. Lucinda (b. 1813 in PA and d. 1850 in Erie, PA) in abt 1835 in PA m. Mary (b. abt 1824 in LA and d. 1894 in Cleveland, OH) in abt 1850 6. Elizabeth Clifford (b. 1810 in VA and prob d. in PA) m. John Peck (b. 1800 in VA) in 1824 in Hardy Co, VA 7. Rebecca Clifford (b. 1815 in VA and d. 1880 in PA) m. Jacob Smith (b. 1823 in PA and d. aft 1880 in PA) in PA 8. Tabitha Clifford (b. 1817 in Hardy Co, VA) 9. Mary Jane Clifford (b. 1818 in VA) After Isaac's death in Hardy County in 1831, Julia moved to Meadville, Crawford County, PA where she lived with her children until her death in 1870. Julia is buried in Greendale Cemetery in Meadeville, PA. |
