Remembering Benjamin Clemons

1835-1929

[Editor's Note: This old death notice taken from the Jackson Times (December of 1929) is a good look at earlier times in Breathitt County. Benjamin Clemons died at age 94, a most remarkable Breathitt Countian. Here his son, H.C. Clemons, recounts some memories of Mr. Clemons. Again, remember this account was written in 1929, thus most of those mentioned are long since departed, as is Mr. H.C. Clemons.]

Benjamin Clemons died November 29, at 4 p.m., at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Dulcena Fugate, from heart failure. He was born at the mouth of Riley on Troublesome Creek, then in Perry County, on April 5, 1835. He was 94 years, 7 months, 24 days, and 4 hours old at the time of his death. Mr. Clemons was four years of age when Breathitt County was established in 1839, and was seven years old when Jackson was established in 1842.

In 1858 he was married to Miss Rebecca Jones, daughter of Wiley Jones (note: Wiley and Elizabeth Jones are the great-great-great grandparents of Charles Hayes and are buried in the Clemons Cemetery at Wilstacy.). To them were born nine children, five of whom preceded him to his grave, Those surviving are James Clemons of Quicksand, C.C. Clemons of Wynnewood, Oklahoma, Ben Clemons of Parlier, California, and Mrs. Ellen Combs, of Akron, Ohio. His wife Rebecca died in 1876, leaving him a large family to rear. He was married the second time to Miss Evaline Back, daughter of Isaac Back, and to this union five children were born, four of whom are living: H.C. Clemons of this city, Larkin Clemons and Dulcina Fugate of Press, this county, and Farrish Clemons of San Francisco, California. His wife died August 2, 1911, and he made his home with his children. Mr. Clemons leaves a large number of descendents, there being 8 children, 62 grandchildren, 111 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren for a total of five generations until his death. He was a member of a family of fifteen children, eight brothers and six sisters, all of whom preceded him in death.

The funeral service was held Sunday, December 1, at the home of his daughter. It was conducted by Rev, R.L. Clemons, Rev. Blaine Hagins, and Mr. Dell Clemons. The body was laid to rest in the family cemetery near his home (note: in the Clemons Cemetery at Wilstacy). He was a member of the Baptist Church for more than sixty years and a faithful servant of the Lord.

Mr. Clemons lived to see many changes take place. He saw both our county and town established. He remembered when the nearest school or church was fifty miles from his home, the nearest cook stove being a hundred miles away. There was not a road wagon in the county. The people rode oxen when traveling. There was no such things as gasoline or coal oil near here. He never saw a match until he was a grown young man. A long pine stick was used in place of a lamp; a flint rock was used to start a fire.

In his boyhood Mr. Clemons enjoyed hunting and fishing. He once traded one pound of ginseng for four fish hooks. He enjoyed relating instances of his early life. Some of the things so vivid in his mind, even in his advanced years, were the great number of fish in the streams. He once killed a bass that measured 36 inches long and 17 inches across. He killed his first deer at the age of 14 on November 14,1848, on South Fork with an old flint lock rifle that belonged to Bob Davis. He has seen as many as five hundred wild turkeys in one day, and heard as many as five hundred wolves barking in a single night. One night he caught sixteen wolves in a wolf pen. He killed three deer in one day, and said he had seen twenty deer at one time on a hillside. When only twelve years of age Mr. Clemons and his brother challenged a black bear for a fight, using a case knife as their weapon. Wild pigeons were plentiful in his boyhood, he having seen as many as 10,000 at a time. Other wild animals and fowls were in great numbers.

Mr. Clemons was a very active young man and joined in all the sports known when he was young. He was a good wrestler, jumper, and fast runner. He often told about his courtships when in his teens and how he had walked 40 miles in a day to see his sweetheart. There were no trains or machines to ride on then. In those days if a man could read, spell, and write his name he could hold a certificate to teach school. Mr. Clemons only attended school fifty-two days when he was a boy. He could remember when calico sold for $1 a yard and nine yards was used for a woman's dress. He owned one of the largest orchards in the county and had sold thousands of bushels of apples for 10 cents a bushel and hundreds of pounds of meat at 5 cents per pound. He made apple brandy in a pure copper kettle and sold it for 25 cents a quart.

At the age of 19 Mr. Clemons worked one year for $100, He was offered 1,100 acres of land for only $4. Ten years ago the timber off this same tract sold for $22,000. He saw 4,000 acres of land sell for a dog, a gun, and a shot bag. Mr. Clemons voted in eighteen presidential elections and seventy-three regular elections.

He was born and reared on a farm and a great lover of farm life. He was honest in all his dealings with his fellowman. He believed strictly in the golden rule, teaching his children that honesty was the best policy. He was one of the county's oldest and most highly esteemed citizens. He lived a good life and died with his faith in God.

Oh father, how we miss thee

No tongue on earth can tell,

But by the grace of God

We will meet thee, father

Where our loving Savior dwells.

---H.C. Clemons