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William Clement II, in his own words |
| If he could speak to us today, William Clement II might describe his life as follows. |
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My name appeared in the records of Amelia County first in 1739 when I and my father were sworn in to serve on a grand jury.  I was appointed an Amelia County constable in November 1741. My job was to inspect plantations to control the quality of tobacco—our colony’s most important crop. |
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My first wife, Mary, and I had five children: Isham, Mary, Martha, William, and Rebecca Clement. No one knows what happened to our daughters. I married Ann Walker in 1758 and we had three children: Edmund Walker Clement whom we named for Ann’s father, John Clement, and Ann Clement. |
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I prepared my will in the summer of 1764 leaving land, half-interest in a mill, and 14 slaves to my wife and children. My will had the peculiar feature of appointing a different executor for my two sets of children. |
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My son Edmund established Clement Town in 1796 that is the predecessor of the present-day Clementown Mills near the Appomattox River. He later went to Spartanburg, South Carolina, with his family and his mother, Ann, who married John White in 1768. |
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On 20 Aug. 1747 William Clement Jr. obtained a patent for 74 acres in Amelia County but sold this land 17 June 1748 to William Compton for £11. William’s wife, Mary, signed the deed and relinquished her dower right. |
Was William’s wife Mary Harwood? |
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Isham Clement, the eldest son of William and Mary Clement, named a daughter Mary Harwood Clement suggesting we consider whether William’s wife was be Mary Harwood. Indeed in 1738 Charles City County court “ordered that summons do issue, directed to Sheriff of Amelia County to cause personal appearance of said [William] Clements” as a witness against Samuel Harwood. While that alone would not seem significant, a Samuel Harwood was living with William Clement Jr. in Amelia County in 1744. Since no Harwoods were otherwise in Amelia County, this was perhaps Mary’s brother. |
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It is notable that William’s sister Barsheba Clement married Samuel Major, also a Charles City County name. Further, William’s brother Benjamin was said to have married a daughter of Isaac Hill of King and Queen. Yet Samuel Harwood, possibly Mary Harwood’s brother, had a stepfather of this name in Charles City County. The Hills, Majors, and Harwoods were Charles City neighbors and we have concluded the Clements of Amelia County were closely connected to these Charles City families. |
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While we cannot place Mary Harwood precisely among the Charles City County Harwoods, she is most likely a granddaughter of Agnes Cocke and Joseph Harwood, who had two grandsons named Samuel Harwood—either of which could be Mary’s brother who was visiting in Amelia County in 1744. |
William marries Ann Walker |
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With Edward Walker, surety, William married 2nd “spinster” Ann Walker in Amelia County 23 Nov. (bond) 1758. Ann was the daughter of Edmund Walker whose Amelia County will of 8 Nov. 1766 named neither his daughter Ann nor her husband, William, both of whom were dead, but left their daughter Ann Clement “Negro man Billy (Nan’s son).” |
William’s grist mill |
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When William’s father died, the land and plantation on which he was living, with a grist mill was bequeathed to William’s brother Francis Clement from whom William purchased the property 22 May 1760 and sold a half interest in the mill to Henry Cox, of Cumberland County for £50. William’s son Isham Clements inherited half the mill from his father. |
William makes his will |
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Here is the last will and testament that William prepared. |
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Will of William Clement
17 June 1764 |
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(Abstract) |
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I appoint wife Ann Clement executor for Edmund Walker, John Clement & Ann Clement. I appoint son Isham Clement for rest of children. |
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To my son Isham Clement Negroes Ned and old Phyllis & land I formerly lived at containing 275 acres … “my part of the mill with 10 acres adj. mill house; but my estate is not to be divided until Tabb’s debt by the mill and by the Negroes work,” working Negroes as they now stand, and not interrupting wife of house servant or household affairs. |
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To daughter Mary Clement Negro Jean. |
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To daughter Martha clement Negro Cate. |
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To son William Clements Negroes James and Hannah and land had of George Evans containing 150 acres. |
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To daughter Rebecca Clement, Negro young Phyllis. |
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To son Edmund Walker Clement Negroes Lucy and young Caesar. |
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To daughter Ann Clement, Negro Sarah |
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To wife Ann Clement, Negroes Daniel, old Caesar & Temp, also land and plantation where I now live & and my remaining estate for life or widowhood, and then to be divided between four children Rebecca, Edmund, John, and Ann, except land that I give to sons Edmund & John, the land where I now live, the other part of the legacy to be divided between aforementioned. |
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William Clement |
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Witnesses to the will were his mill partner Henry Cox, John Wright, and Dudley Jolley. |
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William died within two years of writing his will, which was probated 26 June 1766. Ann renounced the will 25 July 1766 as she presumably wished to retain her one-third dower right to his property. |
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John Cook, Richard Phillips, and Christopher Ford valued the personal property of William Clement, including one old Bible and 14 slaves, at £638.9.4. |
Ann marries and goes to South Carolina |
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Edward Tabb was surety when widow Anna Clement married John White in Amelia County 28 Jan. (bond) 1768. Ann left a will in Spartanburg County, South Carolina (will proved 6 Feb. 1809 ). |
Descendants of William Clement II |
Information about the children of William Clement II, their descendants, and allied families previously found at Virginians.com is
now available as Southside Virginia Genealogies.
Learn more  |
| Names found in this topic include the following. |
| | Isham Clements (c.1740-c.1803), |
| | Mary Clement, |
| | Martha Clement, |
| | William Clement III, |
| John Tabb, |
| | Rebecca Clement, |
| | Edmund Walker Clement (1759-1845), |
| Elizabeth Harris, John James, |
| John White, Isham Clements, John Tabb, |
| | John Clement (-1782), |
| John Clement, |
| Sarah (—) Clement, |
| Edmund Fowler, Alexander Fowler, Sarah Bugg, |
| Edmund Clement, Richard Phillips, |
| Margaret Montgomery, John Montgomery, Roseanna Roddy, |
| Nancy Clement, |
| | Ann (Clement) James, |
| John James, Edward Tabb, |
| William James, Thomas James, |
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| Notables |
This family topic includes the following notable individuals.
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Notes |
This topic, which represents .09% of all the family history material at Virginians.com,
includes 36 citations and the names of 44 individuals.
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