Soon after the close of the American revolution, several families of the name of Clement, being United Empire Loyalists, moved into British Provinces. The names of two of them, both Lewis Clement, are mentioned in Sabine’s “Loyalists,” though neither of them settled in Upper Canada. Another man of that name, John Putman Clement, of German descent, an officer on the royal side in the war of the revolution, and born in the District of New York, July 21, 1759, came from the Mohawk Valley, and settled in the township of Niagara, and married Mary Ball, who had thirteen children. He died in 1858. These children, in the order of their birth, were Lewis, Margaret, Catharine, Jemima, Mary Elizabeth, James, Margaret, Ann Butler, Caroline, Peter Ball, Joseph and George B. Augustus. Of these thirteen children, two or three lived to a great age, and four are yet living. Lewis the first born, mentioned elsewhere more fully in this work, died at 92 years of age; Catharine Mrs. Ball, of Thorold born May 18, 1791, is still living, and nearing her 90th year; and Mary Elizabeth Mrs. Aikman, of Windsor born October 10, 1796, is also living. Of the sons, Peter B. and George A. are living. The former born February 7, 1806, first married Miss Elizabeth Dealer, of Niagara, who had thirteen children; his present wife being Caroline Clayton. He lives at Virgil, four miles west of the town of Niagara, having lately become blind. In his prime he was quite an active and influential man, and for years was collector of customs at Queenston.
Our subject, the youngest of the thirteen children, was born in the township of Niagara six miles from the old town of Niagara, April 30, 1813. He received a very moderate education, limited to reading, spelling, writing and arithmetic; spent from fourteen to nineteen years of age in a store in the town of Niagara; farmed, from 1832, all but two years when out of health, to 1851, and since that date has been in the mercantile trade in town, all but two or three years.
Mr. Clement has been a magistrate for thirty years or more; has also held the offices of town clerk, councilor and reeve, and in many ways has made himself useful.
January 4, 1837, Mr. Clement married Hannah Ball, daughter of John C. Ball, in his day a prominent citizen of Niagara, and she is the mother of five children, only two of them, a son and daughter now living: John Mewburn, who has a wife and two children, and is in the store with his father, and Fanny Amelia, who is deaf and dumb, and resides with her parents.
The family have their membership in St. Mark’s Episcopal church, of which the father and son have both been wardens. There is not a more respected family in the town.
