This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Clifford. Karns, Keller, Rush, Sullivan,
Classification: Biography
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Ik.2ADE/153
Message Board Post:
This book has no cover, and no index, and no author. I bought it on Ebay; it just has the
insides, but it is full of Indiana biographies. I am not researching this family, just
thought I would share. I do not know anymore about these families or these surnames. NOTE:
I don’t know if there is any additional mention of this family in the book, it has no
index. I do not want to sell this book. I am typing the biographies from it.
Typed by Lora Radiches:
Surnames in this biography are: Clifford. Karns, Keller, Rush, Sullivan,
JAMES EDWARD Clifford. For more than twenty-seven years the firm of Clifford Brothers has
been widely and favorably known to the people of Fort Wayne as a reliable and trustworthy
concern, which has always been considered a necessary commercial asset. James E. Clifford
and his brother, Joseph Clifford, originally established the business during the ‘80s, as
manufacturers of hardwood charcoal, with retail yards in Cincinnati, Ohio, Buffalo, New
York, and Cleveland, Ohio. In 1902 the Fort Wayne yard was opened, under the personal
management of James E. Clifford, and has become well known in this locality as dealers in
charcoal, coal and wood. James E. Clifford was born January 9, 1859, six miles above
Wheeling, West Virginia, and is the son of Joseph and Phoebe Karns Clifford. Mr.
Clifford’s ancestors were early settlers in this country, living in the State of New
Jersey many years before the War of the Revolution. Prior to the Revolution his great
grandfather !
Charles Clifford, moved from New Jersey and located near Fort Ligonier, in Westmoreland
County, Pennsylvania. Charles Clifford served as a private in the War of the Revolution,
in the Westmoreland County militia, as shown on page 432, Volume IV, Pennsylvania
Archives, Fifth Series. He was taken prisoner to Quebec, as his name appears on a return
of prisoners in exchange, dated Quebec, November 8, 1782. The grandfather of James
Clifford, also named Charles, lived in Westmoreland County, where he engaged in
agricultural pursuits until his death. Joseph Clifford, the father of James E. Clifford,
was born in Pennsylvania, and as a young man was employed in the construction of the Erie
Canal. He also wagoned freight between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, with a six-horse team.
He moved from Pennsylvania to near Wheeling, West Virginia, where James E. Clifford was
born. About 1865 he moved to South Whitley, Whitley County, Indiana, but finally
settled in Allen County, about !
ten miles west of Fort Wayne, where he engaged in farming until his death. His
wife, Phoebe Karns, was also a native of Pennsylvania. Both were devout members of
the Presbyterian Church. They are buried in the Braden Cemetery, west of Fort Wayne. James
E. Clifford received his education in the public schools of Allen County, Indiana, where
he grew to manhood on his father’s farm. He remained at home until after the death of his
parents. He engaged in farming, teaming and timbering until during the ‘80s, when he and
his brother engaged in the manufacture and retailing of charcoal on a large scale. He
supervised the manufacturing and his brother Joseph, the retailing, being located at
Cleveland, Ohio, until 1902, when the Fort Wayne business was established, being located
at 1012 West Main Street and dealing in coal and wood as well as charcoal. Mr. Clifford
bears a splendid reputation in business circles as a man of sound integrity, ripened j!
udgment and progressive views. Although he has passed the age of three-score-
and-ten years, he still is active and energetic and goes about his daily round of duties
with the same industry and enthusiasm that marked his efforts when hard work was
an absolute necessity. Although he was reared a Presbyterian, in his later life he was
converted to the faith of the Catholic Church, of which he and his family are members. He
has several social and numerous financial connections, and is a citizen of civic pride who
gives his aid to all public-spirited movements. On February 7, 1894, Mr. Clifford was
united in marriage with Cecelia Keller, who was born in Fort Wayne, November 16, 1869,
daughter of Sabastian Keller, a pioneer of the city, who died about 1898. Mrs. Clifford
died April 14, 1925. To Mr. and Mrs. Clifford there have been born the following children:
Charles, who died in infancy; Helene Cecelia, born March 28, 1895; Robert Sebastian, born
May 20, 1898; J!
oseph Edward, born June 13, 1903. Helene Cecelia married Ralph Rush and has two children,
Nancy Elizabeth, born January 1, 1925, and Jane Cecelia, born June 12, 1926. Robert S.
Clifford graduated from the Central Catholic High School and then pursued a course at the
University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, from which institution he received the degree of
Bachelor of Arts as a member of the class of 1923. He is now associated with his father in
the coal and charcoal business, and is a member of the Phi Kappa national fraternity and
the Knights of Columbus. On October 25, 1927, he married Miss Mary M. Sullivan, of
Fort Wayne. They have one daughter, Mary Ann, born July 6, 1929. Joseph E.
Clifford attended Central Catholic High School and two years at the University of
Michigan. In 1926 he was a student at the University of Indiana, but left to
become associated with the firm of Clifford Brothers. He is a member of Beta Theta
Pi national college fra!
ternity and is unmarried.