Steven B. Clement

Stephen Clement's family seems to be connected to France. Rosa GAHN Wright, Selina Kull's daughter, relates the following: In a conversation May 3, 1983, great granddaughter Selina Kull who was ten years old when Stephen died in 1910, remembered him as short and stocky and "very French ". She stated that he came to the US from France when he was eight years old as a part of a group -- a colony through New Orleans. However, the Limestone County, Alabama 1850 Census records show him as a farmer born in Tennnessee; 1860 Census shows him to be a carpenter; his birth as North Carolina, the 1870 Census indicates Virginia and the 1880 Census indicates North Carolina again. No records of immigration through New Orleans have been found. However, there is a loss of records for the year 1829 which might show this family entering. There was one Charles Clement, mechanic, age 24 entering January 18, 1830 on the vessel Brigantine Motion from Havre, France. However, that would mean Charles would have been a father at age 15 and his wife 14.

Also, in conversations that W. D. Sharp had with his mother, Edna CLEMENT Sharp, Grandfather Stephen was referred to as "a Frenchman" who came to America when he was very young. Aunt Elsie CLEMENT Lovell, another granddaughter of Stephen, in 1975, stated that the family remembered "Stephen was a 'Frenchman'; he came to America from France when he was very young."

Stephen worked on river boats prior to his marriage in 1848. The river may have been the Elk which was navigable and large where it joined the Tennessee.

Rosa says that in a conversation in 1974, Selina remembered Stephen hitting lots of objects with his cane. Great granddaughter Selma Kull remembered him being angry on one occasion and pushing a person off a porch with his cane. Selina remembered him as witty and that he chewed tobacco. He would come to her house to baby sit while her parents, Julius and America Kull would make the overnight trip into Huntsville. There are various spellings of the name: Clements, Clemment, Clemons, and Clemmond; but, most frequently Clement on early documents.

The 1860, Limestone County AL Census shows that Sarah Jane's children by Arthur Delap were living with Stephen and Sara Jane. They were: William A. H. Delap, age 17, a farm laborer, and Artetia V. A. Delap, age 14. Also, Sarah Jane's mother, Mary H. PHILLIPS Smith-Kaeiser, age 76, is listed as living in the home of Stephen and Sarah Jane Clement in 1860.

The 1900, Limestone County AL Census shows Stephen Clement, (on that Census spelled: "Clemons"), living with Andrew and Ada and their six children (at the time). It states that he was age 78 and that he and his mother and father were born in France. (The Census was taken by a William R. Peck. The Clements were living in the Sand Springs Pct. #3.)

More About Stephen B. CLEMENT:
Burial: Limestone County, AL, Delap/Clement Cemetary; near Cedar Hill