Clifford Ancestry Notes Part 2 - The Hollingsworths

"Elias Hollingsworth was born in Union Co. SC, probably married in Ohio, and died in Osage Co. Missouri. His wife Elizabeth Curtis was born in Harrison Co VA (Now WVa). There are supposed to have come to Madison Co IN from Clark Co. OH. Clark County was formed in 1818, about four years after the probable year (1814) of their marriage. Some years ago I searched the marriage records of the four counties surrounding Clark, but found no marriage record for Elias and Elizabeth. Her parentage remains unknown to me.

"Benjamin Hollingsworth was born in New Castle Co. DE and married and died in the area which became in 1785 Union District SC. He remained a Quaker in good standing until 26 Feb. 1780, when he was disowned "for taking up arms in a warlike manner". He was in the battle of King's Mountain (7 Oct 1780). According to an account many years later by another participant, "Ben Hollingsworth and myself took right up the side of the mountain and fought from tree to tree...to the summit." Ben was restored to Quaker membership 29 May 1790. He married Phebe Posey, daughter of Francis Posey and Mildred _____.

"The ancestry of Francis Posey has not been determined. It seems quite possible that he was descended from Francis Posey (1615-1654), who came to Virginia in 1637 and later moved to Maryland. The late James Emison of Terre Haute, IN published a book about the Posey family and identified Francis as a French Huegenot who was brought to England as a boy in the 1620s, and as a member of the French family of Poschet of Voyauz (near Cambrai). Our descent from this man remains only a possibility.

"Elias Hollingsworth was born in New Castle Co. DC and died in Union District SC. He married, at New Castle DE, Susannah Pearce. She died in South Carolina before 20 Aug. 1791, because Elias and Dinah ______ were shown on that date as husband and wife in a deed. Elias was disowned by the Quakers at least twice, the first time in 1760 for not paying his just debts. In 1763 Elias and Susannah and four children moved to Louden Co. VA and in 1766 to South Carolina where they lived in the area which in 1785 became Union District. He was reinstated in 1769 as a Quaker. With the onset of the Revolutionary War, he was disowned again 3 March 1776. He served as Quartermaster in the South Carolina militia. Later he became a Justice of the Peace.

"Valentine Hollingsworth was the immigrant ancestor. He was born at Ballyvickcrannel, Seagoe Parish, Co. Armagh, in northern Ireland (now Ulster). His father, Henry Hollingsworth, probably had come to Ireland from England in the 1620s as a part of the first Ulster plantation. Probably at a time not long after his marriage he became a Quaker. When he stopped attending the Church of Ireland services and paying his tithes, he got into trouble with the government. The magistrates began to seize his farm produce in lieu of his tithe. After several years of these losses, he emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1682. Very soon thereafter, he was a member of the first assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania and served in that body at later times."

Clifford Ancestry Notes Part 1 - Jonathon Clifford and Sarah Pierce

I've finished updating my research with information from "Clifford Ancestry", compiled by my great uncle Dick. The back of the book contains several pages of notes on the research, and I thought I'd reproduce them here.

"We have been unable to discover any record of their marriage, but the fact of the marriage is roved by a combination of family tradition, a short biography of Jonathon in the History of Plymouth, New Hampshire, and a quit-claim deed in the land records of Barnet, VT (in the Vermont Archives in Montpelier). The quit-claim deed also proves Sarah's parentage.

According to family tradition, some of Jonathon's sons walked to Indiana and entered land in Fayette County; then the parents and younger children joined them. Jonathan and Sarah are buried in Fairview Cemetery in Rush County, just west of the Fayette County line."

My Puritanical Roots II

In exploring the "Clifford Ancestry" book that I am borrowing from my grandmother, I discovered that I am descended from the Pilgrims on her side of the family as well.

Thomas Rogers was born Before 1572, Watford, Northampton, England, son of William and Eleanor Rogers. He married Alice Cosford, 24 October 1597, in Watford, Northampton, England. She was the daughter of George Cosford. Thomas died in 1620 or 1621, during the first winter after coming over on the Mayflower. He journeyed over with his son Joseph while the rest of the family stayed in Holland. Joseph survived the winter. And Thomas' Son John came to Plymouth about 1630, and there married Anna Churchman, on 16 April 1639. My family is descended from John Rogers.

John Married Anna Churchman on 16 April 1639 and Died in 1691 or 1692. He was a resident of Leiden Holland and of Duxbury MA while he was alive. Anna Rogers, his daughter, married John Tisdale.

Anna died in 1704. John Tisdale was Born in 1642, married Anna Rogers on 23 Nov 1664 and died Dec 1677. He Resided in Taunton MA. Anna and John had a daughter named Abigail.

Abigail Tisdale was born on 15 July 1667. She married William Makepeace (Born 1662 or 1663; Married 2 Dec 1685; Died Dec 1736; Resided Freetown and Taunton MA). They had a son who was in turn also named William.

William was Born in 1704 and married Experience Aldrich on 14 Jan 1724/25. He Died 15 April 1740 and Resided in Norton, MA during his life. William and Experience had a son named Peter.

Peter Makepeace was Born 18 April 1730 and married Abigail Morey on 10 April 1756. He lived in Norton MA and Died 9 Oct 1796. Peter and Abigail had a son named Amasa.

Amasa was born on 29 Nov 1777. On 18 May 1800, he married "Betsey" Babbitt. He lived in Norton MA and Chesterfield IN and died 28 Feb 1848 in Chesterfield. Amasa and Betsey had a son named Alfred.

Alfred Makepeace was Born on 3 Nov 1804 in Norton MA OR Chesterfield, Madison, IN. He Married Hannah Irish on 28 Aug 1828 in Madison Co IN and Died 3 March 1874. He was a resident of Anderson IN. Alfred and Hannah had a daughter, Letitia.

Letitia was Born 21 Aug 1842 in Chesterfield IN and Died 14 March 1926 in Anderson IN. She Resided in both Anderson and Chesterfield IN. She was married to Emery / Emory Watson Clifford on 11 Feb 1864.

Hadley Watson Clifford was Born 26 Aug 1869 in Anderson IN and Married Daisy Leota Hollingsworth on 8 Dec 1891. He Died 8 Oct 1957 in Anderson, Madison Co. IN and Resided Anderson IN while he was alive. Hadley and Daisy were the parents of Harriet Letitia Clifford, my great grandmother.

Harriet was Born 7 Dec 1898 in Anderson Indiana and Married Samuel Ray Forkner on 21 Aug 1918 in Anderson Indiana.

Kathleen Frances is Harriet's daughter and the mother of Clifford Ray Cookman, my father.

So I am the 10th great granddaughter of Thomas Rogers, passenger on the Mayflower and signer of the Mayflower Compact.