CLARY Alexander Thomas

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alt. Marriage: 1839
• Occupation: 1850, Sussex County, VA; Farmer
• Residence: 1850, Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States
• Census: 1860, Sussex County, VA
• Occupation: 12 Sep 1918; Lumber Inspector - Surry Lumber
• Residence: 12 Sep 1918, Dendron, Surry County VA

Notes:

Poss Thomas Clary and Jenny Presson (m:1794) may be parents - from an old relative - not verified

Lived in Sussex, near Waverly, in an area they called Blackwater. They are burried in this area

Virginia Slave Births Index, 1853-1865 By Alexandria Library:
Clary, Alexander T; Emaline: 25 jul 1860, Sussex

Sketches of the Virginia Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South
By John James Lafferty
REV-MILTON LAFAYETTE BISHOP
A SINGLE leaf can contain a recital of deeds which have blessed thousands of hearts, the Church and the
Commonwealth, and more, made heaven glad. The simple narrative that follows these lines are without
ornament, but tells the unvarnished story of a useful life. 'We have little doubt that the readers of this brief
sketch will receive good from the perusal:
I was the third child of my parents\emdash Anna Ellis, daughter of Benjamin Ellis, and John D. Bishop, son
of Thomas Bishop, all of Surry county, Virginia. There were six children of us, two sons and four
daughters, all now living except the oldest, who died in 1847. I was born in 1824, August 22d. I never
knew any of my ancestry to follow anything but farming as a vocation. My father died when I was about
twelve years of age, and my mother in 1865, having been a Methodist from one year after I joined the
church. From my earliest recollections I was trying to be a Christian, mainly from the influence of
Christian slaves, as neither of my parents professed religion. My mother was always a pious woman. I
read my Bible regularly and prayed up to the session of the Virginia Conference held in Petersburg in
1843 (perhaps in 1842), when I openly sought conversion at the altar in Washington street church.
Though I realized a change in all my feelings and views of life\emdash a change that entered at once into all my
plans for life\emdash I did not accept such as conversion, simply because of the extravagant experiences I had
often heard related by the old slaves of my father. Nor did I become satisfied of my conversion till some
months after. I had read the Old Testament through in the last eight months, and the New Testament eight
times, sitting up late at night to read after I had prepared my school studies, and so was at no loss in
making up my mind as to what Church I should join. I joined at Carsley's church, Surry County, Virginia,
then served by Rev. G. M. Andross, who baptized me by pouring just as I received the Holy Ghost. He
appointed me class-leader. I had formed my ideas of the doctrines of the Bible before I joined the church,
and to this day have not had to change those views. I had read with prayer to be guided, and I believe I
was directed by the Spirit of all Truth. With the change of heart in Petersburg, I received the conviction of
my call to the ministry, and my studies at school were all conducted in view of that calling; yet my mind
was not satisfied on that subject for years after. I had my heart on farming\emdash a sort of inherited
proclivity\emdash nor did I consent to quit it until "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel" had shut me up to
preaching or ruin. From the time of my conversion I went to school in Surry; Little Town, in Sussex;
Emory and Henry, and Randolph Macon College, up to the year 1848, May 17th, when my health forced
me to leave school. I was licensed as an exhorter in 1847, October 5th, by William A. Smith, D. D.,
Presiding Elder; was licensed to preach in April, 1848, by Rev. J. H. Davis. Presiding Elder; joined the
Virginia Conference in the fall of 1848, at Elizabeth City, and was sent as a helper under Rev. G. N.
Winfree, on the Amelia circuit, then embracing all of Amelia and about half of Dinwiddie. I traveled but
five months of this year, in consequence of the work\emdash eighteen appointments being too large for my
feeble health. Yet I preached much in my native county, and held several very successful protracted
meetings. The next year, 1850, I was sent to Bedford circuit under Rev. A. Wiles, but as his health failed
him in the spring, he left the circuit, and I fell in charge; and here I did the hardest year's work of my life,
and I realized the greatest success in the way of revivals\emdash -over three hundred professing conversion. The
next year, 1851 and 1852, I was on the Staunton circuit\emdash part of South Bedford and Campbell counties;
in 1853 and 1854 on the Amherst circuit; in 1855 and 1856, the Charlotte circuit: in 1857, the
Mecklenburg circuit; in 1858, the Murfreesboro circuit; in 1859, the Fincastle circuit, Botetourt county; in
1860, the Nelson circuit, in all of which I had a successful work. By this time my health had become very
bad, and by the urgent advice of my Presiding Elder and physician, I took a supernumerary relation,
which I sustained until the fall of 1865, when I located. My health improved so much that I joined
Conference again in the fall of 1868, and was sent to Fluvanna circuit four years. I rested one year there,
or a part of one year, my throat being badly diseased. I then was sent to the Rappahannock circuit, where I
travelled three years; from which I was sent to the South Bedford circuit, where I am now serving out my
fourth year. On all my fields of labor I had good revivals\emdash an average of not less than one hundred and
fifty conversions a year. Some twenty of these are in the ministry, mostly the Methodist.
The Virginia conference annual
By Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Virginia Conference
SIXTH DAY.
TUESDAY, November 20th, 1883.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
HALF-PAST THREE O'CLOCK P. M.
Conference met according to adjournment. L. S. Reed (by appointment of Bishop Kavanaugh)
in the Chair.
Divine service was conducted by J. D. Hank.
The minutes of the morning session were read and approved.
On motion of P. Whitehead, the report of the Committee on Memoirs was made the order of
the day for half-past 10 o'clock A. M. to-morrow.
T. McN. Simpson, from the Committee of Investigation in the case of M. L. Bishop, made the
following report:
The Committee of Investigation, to whom was referred the case of Rev. Milton L. Bishop, beg
leave to report that they regard the reports reflecting upon the character of Rev. Milton L. Bishop
of such gravity as to demand an investigation, but as the accused is not present, nor any
witnesses, they respectfully ask that the case be remanded to the Presiding Elder of the
Lynchburg District for investigation.
(Signed) T. McN. SIMPSON, J. C. REED, W. G. WILLIAMS.
Which on motion was adopted, and the case of Brother Bishop remanded accordingly

Census:
1860 United States Federal Census
about Benja M Clary
Name:Benja M Clary          
Age in 1860:18          
Birth Year:abt 1842          
Birthplace:Virginia          
Home in 1860:District 1, Sussex, Virginia          
Gender:Male          
Post Office:Sussex Court House          
Value of real estate:View image          
Household Members:NameAge               
Alexander T Clary 51               
Ann E Clary 38               
Thos L Clary 20               
Benja M Clary 18               
Joseph A Clary 16               
Sidney S Clary 14               
Winfield S Clary 12               
Binns W Clary 10               
Ella A Clary 7               
Alexander T Clary 1               
Roberta J R Bishok 40               

Notes:

John Clary; Our Immigrant Ancestor
Added by mdclary1 on 7 Apr 2008
Originally submitted by wriddles1942 to Shadows and Dust to Dust ,The Arlie Thelma Norris Family Tree on 12 Sep 2007
John Clary b. 1660 reached the shores of Maryland in October, 1677. Seventeen years old, John was among 39 persons transported to Maryland by a Captain Thomas Taylor which entitled said captain to a large tract of land in the colony.
Many early settlers including John Clary probably paid for their passage to America by a period of service being 4 to 7 years. The employer then owed the "indentured servant" his freedom and 50 acres of land. This was very often the only method whereby those with little money could pay for the expensive voyage to the new world. Many of these people were well educated, highly skilled and most became respected, useful citizens.
In Maryland, the majority of the colonists were working people; indentured servants by whose hands and upon whose backs lay the tremendous task of the cultivation, socilization and development of civilization in the marshy regions of the colony of Maryland.
Work was hard, luxuries were few and amusements homemade. The large plantation owners lived in comfort, with slaves and other servants to perform most of the drudgery but these owners comprised only a small portion of the colonial population.
Little is known of this first John Clary in Maryland. His port of entry must have been either St.Mary's or Annapolis,.....the only towns in the colony at that time. After working several years to repay travel costs: he would then have received 50 acres of land for his own use and would likely have engaged in farming as well as some other trade or occupation to meet his needs for survival. He and his off-spring flourished; this much is self-evident as the descending Clary families included many enterprising, highly motivated and productive individuals.



Surry County Deed Book 13 1788-1792 LVA Reel #18
p
p. 202\endash James Judkins of Surry frees Negro boy David aged abt 13\endash when 21\endash reserves guardianship--23 Feb 90\endash rec 22 June 1790
p. 266\endashThomas Clary of Surry\endash freedom is natural right and doing unto others etc frees Ben aged 20 yrs\endash when 21 in May 1789\endash 26 May 88\endash rec 26 April 91


Surry County Deeds No.1 1792-1799 LVA Reel # 19
p. 347\endash John Warren of Surry\endash freedom is natural right so emancipates Pleasant aged abt 30; Joe and Dick abt 28 yrs old; and Jesse aged 22; and 6 in their minority viz; Effy, Tempy, Dick, Judah, Nat and Amy when males 21 and females are 18\endash 31 Dec 95\endash rec 23 Feb 1796
p. 373\endashThomas Clary of Surry\endash freedom is natural right and doing unto others etc-frees Negro man Moses aged 28\endash 28 May 1796\endash rec 28 June 96

Library of Virginia Microfilm Reel #35 Surry County Order Book (23 May 1804 - 26 March 1807) pp. 1-523:

Moses a negroe man liberated by Thomas Clary having been registered in the Office of this court appeared before the Court and he having been Viewed by the court and the said Register examined the same is ordered to be certified as duly made.

Thomas married PRESSON Jenny Virginia on 13 Jan 1794. Jenny (daughter of PRESSON Thomas and WHITE Sarah) was born in 1733; died in 1785. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

There is some doubt on her DOB due to the large age difference and her marriage being listed as 1/13/1794, which is after her date of death (Gene Harris)

Other Events and Attributes:

• Land: Aug 1748; Granted Land

Notes:

Land:
1/2 was his father's

Thomas married WRENN Mary in 1769. Mary (daughter of WRENN Thomas and ANDREWS Elizabeth) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married WHITE Sarah. Sarah and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alt. Birth: 1695, Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States

Notes:

Alt. Birth:
Citation Information
Transcription of text     
Detail     
Date     
Other information     
Web Address     
Source Information
Source Title G1 George McNeil     
Source Repository No repository specified for this source     

Thomas married ANDREWS Elizabeth. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]