View source for Clemens (Clemons, Clemmens, Cleman, Clementz) family

Clemens is a Mennonite family name which appears in the early Palatine Mennonite census list. The list indicates that as early as 1664 a person named Jan Clamens was living at [[Niederflörsheim (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Niederflörsheim]]. (Some researchers trace the name back to Clement of Toft, England, of the 16th century.) In 1672 Johann Clemeintz as deacon signed a letter of appeal sent to the [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]] Mennonites. In 1685 he is listed as still living as an old man at the same place. The first member of the family to come to [[North America|North America]] was Gerhardt Clemens, who was probably born in 1680. He left the [[p3594.html|Palatinate]] and arrived in [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]] in 1709, settling in [[Skippack (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA)|Skippack]], [[Montgomery County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Montgomery County]], Pennsylvania. Some of his descendants moved to adjacent [[Chester County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Chester County]]. In 1809 another of his descendants, Abraham Clemens, migrated to [[Waterloo County (Ontario, Canada)|Waterloo Township]], [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], where a number of descendants continued to live. Several of these Canadian Clemenses moved to the Grand Rapids, [[Michigan (USA)|Michigan]] area. Although some Clemens families continued to be found in [[Michigan (USA)|Michigan]] and [[Missouri (USA)|Missouri]] as well as a few other states, by far the largest number has been concentrated in [[Montgomery County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Montgomery County]].

Four deacons named Clemens served the Mennonite churches in the Waterloo Township, Ontario, district during the 19th century. They were Abram C. (1803-72), Abram L. (1781-1845), Abram S. (1790-1867), and Henry L. (1802-76). A very active member of the Clemens family in [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church (MC)]] affairs was Jacob Cassel Clemens (1874-1965), who served as the first secretary of the [[Franconia Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Franconia Conference]] 1909-1950, a minister in the same conference beginning in 1906, a member of the [[Mennonite Publication Board (Mennonite Church)|Mennonite Publication Board]] for many years, and author of the Clemens family history listed below.
= Bibliography =
<span class="Apple-style-span">Clemens, Jacob C. </span><em style="text-align: left;">Genealogical History of the Clemens Family and Descendants of the Pioneer, Gerhart Clemens</em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-align: left;">. Lansdale, Pa: The Clemens family, 1948</span>.

Hallman, E. S. <em>The Hallman-Clemens Genealogy with a Family's Reminiscence. </em>Tuleta, TX: E. S. Hallman Family, 1950?

Eby, Ezra E., Joseph Buchanan Snyder, and Eldon D. Weber. <em>A Biographical History of Early Settlers and Their Descendants in Waterloo Township</em>. Kitchener, Ont: Eldon D. Weber, 1971. Available online at <span class="link-external">[http://ebybook.region.waterloo.on.ca/ http://ebybook.region.waterloo.on.ca/]</span> or in multiple electronic formats at <span class="link-external">[http://www.archive.org/details/biographicalhist02ebyeuoft http://www.archive.org/details/biographicalhist02ebyeuoft]</span>.
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[[Category:Family Names]]