Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: THE DESCENDANTS OF [WILLEM?] KLINCKENBERG

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THE DESCENDANTS OF [WILLEM?] KLINCKENBERG

16. ELEANOR⁵ CLINKENBEARD (WILLIAM⁴, JOHN³, WILLEM² KLINCKENBERG, [WILLEM?]¹) was born 1769 in Shepherdstown, Berkeley County, Virginia ^125,^126,^127,¹²⁸, and died 4 September 1835 in Mechanicsburg Township, Sangamon County, Illinois ¹²⁹. She married JACOB CONSTANT, JR 1789 in Hampshire County, Virginia ^130,^131,^132,¹³³, son of JOHN CONSTANT and SARAH HOOD. He was born about 4 September 1765 in Hampshire County, Virginia, Virginia ¹³⁴, and died 12 September 1828 in Mechanicsburg Township, Sangamon County, Illinois¹³⁴.

Notes for ELEANOR CLINKENBEARD:
Eleanor Clinkenbeard was born in 1769 to William Clinkenbeard and his second wife, Hester Van Meter. In 1788 she married Jacob Constant in Hampshire County, Virginia. Eleanor died on 4 September 1835 in Sangamon County, Illinois, and is buried in Mechanicsburg Cemetery in Mechanicsburg Township.[a] One source places Eleanor's birth in Hampshire County, Virginia.[b] In conflict is another source that states that "Eleanor Clinkenbeard, the daughter of William, III, by his second marriage to Hester (Esther) ______, was born circa 1769 in Shepardstown, Virginia."[c] (Hampshire County was formed from western Frederick County in 1753, but Shepherdstown was located in eastern Frederick County in what became Berkeley County in 1772.)
A biographical sketch of Eleanor and Jacob states that:
"Jacob Constant was born about 1765 in Virginia. Eleanor Clinkenbeard was born about 1769 in Virginia also. They were married there and soon after moved on pack horses, that being the only way goods could be transported at that time through this mountainous country to Fleming Co., Kentucky. They had 14 children in Fleming Co., Kentucky. In 1814 they moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, where they had 2 children. The family moved to Sangamon Co., Illinois, arriving 26 October 1826 in what is now Mechanicsburg Township."[d]
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a. Clinkenbeard Family Group Records submitted by Polly Sutherland, Wauconda, Ill., to J.E.Stockman, 24 August 1996. The accompanying letter states that "I show Eleanor as Job's sister. I received my information from a Jefferson County Genealogist (Verda Baird). Her information came from family members."
b. LDS International Genealogical Index (Virginia) as of Mar 1992; p. 6,388.
c. Norman Cooper Emerick, A GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE GEORGE COOPER (KIEFER) FAMILY & ALLIED FAMILIES, Chapter ___: "The William Clinkenbeard Family," with Bibliography (Baltimore: N.C. Emerick, pre-publication draft as of Aug 1995) p. 7; photocopy of MS. of Chapter & Bibliography supplied to J.E. Stockman courtesy of author. Emerick is a third-great-grandson of Eleanor and Jacob (see p. 30).
d. John Carroll Powers, EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON CO., ILLINOIS (1876; reprint [publisher not given], 1978) p. 218. Passage quoted in Family Group Records (Clinkenbeard) from EvaLena Frey, St Ann, Missouri, to J.E. Stockman, 19 November 1996.

Notes for JACOB CONSTANT, JR:
Jacob, the brother of John, Isaac, and Thomas Constant, was born on 4 (or 12) September in about 1765 in Virginia.[a] After his marriage to Eleanor Clinkenbeard in 1788, the family moved by pack horse to Fleming County, Kentucky. In 1814, they moved to Clermont County, Ohio, and in 1826 to Mechanicsburg Township, Sangamon County, Illinois.[b]
"Jacob is listed in the Bourbon County, March 1791 Census records, created from the tax list."[a] The land records of Kentucky reveal that on 2 April 1810 John Constant bought 1,000 acres of land, patented in his name for $145, and located in Fleming County, Kentucky, on Fleming Creek, being part of a military survey. Of this land, Jacob and "Elender" obtained 77 acres adjacent to the land of Jacob Christman, and Isaac and Lydia Constant obtained 19 acres and 20 poles adjacent to the lands of Jacob Coust. The Clerk in the transaction was Joshua Stockton, who also obtained releases of the dowry rights of "Elender" Constant and Lydia Constant.[c]
The following letter (undated) written by Mrs Harold O. (Ruth) Long of Assumption, Illinois, the great-great-granddaughter of Jacob Constant and Eleanor Clinkenbeard, relates to Jacob and his family after they left Kentucky:

". . . Jacob Constant went to Ohio being desirious to get away from the slavery that was threatened and introduced into Kentucky. The old Frenchman was a Methodist preacher, something he learned in Kentucky, and a natural fighter so long as there was an Indian anywhere within reach. There was a raid on the Indians in Indiana and Jacob Constant engaged in this. That time the Indians were driven into Illinois and forced to cross the Mississippi River.
"On that trip Jacob Constant crossed the prairies of this state. He made up his mind it was better to come to the prairies of this state than to try to clear away timber in Ohio. When he got back home he told the neighbors about this county. He was a strong man with them and induced thirty families to move to Illionis with him. All the families came at one time and William Constant the youngest son was on that trip. The imigrants brought chickens pigs, cows, horses, tools and furniture with them. They camped East of Decatur, and bought out the Indians. Jacob Constant and his large family picked out for settlement a place located about two miles west of what is now Mechanicsburg. Jacob Constant was the most properous man in the community. He had money as well as land, and at his house there was good provision for all the family, very good for that day. This hospitality continued after the death of Jacob Constant which occured in 1828.
"In the family in Illinois were ten children, six sons and four daughters. The sons were John, Isaac, Jack, Ben, Jonathan, and William Nelson. The daughters were Mrs. Nellie (Eleanore Constant) Lanham, Mrs. Hester Rutherford, Mrs. Sarah Carrico, Peggy (Maragaret) Constant. All the children were furnished with a good home by the father before his death."[d]

In a book of biographical sketches of the early settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois, one author says that Jacob and Eleanor had fourteen children in Fleming County, Kentucky, before moving to Clermont County, Ohio, where they had two additional children. They moved in 1826 to Sangamon County, Illinois, where they settled near what is now Mechanicsburg Township, Sangamon County,
At his death Jacob was buried in the Constant Cemetery, his body later being removed to Mechanicsburg Cemetery, Mechanicsburg Township, Sangamon County, Illinois.[a] "The family Bible which lists all of the names of this family and their dates is in the possession of Randy May, Decatur, Illinois."[a]
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a. GEDCOM file (CLINK.GED) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Florida, to J.E. Stockman, 27 Mar 1995. Also see Family Group Records (Clinkenbeard) submitted by Larry J. Futter, Portland, Oregon, to J.E. Stockman, 18 Feb 1996.
b. John Carroll Powers, HISTORY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS (Springfield: E.A. Wilson,1876); reprint [publisher not given], 1978) pp. 218-219.
c. Land Records of Kentucky, LDS Family History Center; Batch #: 8634505, Sheet #: 54, Source Call #: 1396282; cited in GEDCOM file (CLINK.GED) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Florida, to J.E. Stockman, 27 Mar 1995.
d. GEDCOM file (CLINK.GED) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Florida, to J.E. Stockman, 27 March 1995; including letter (undated) written by Mrs Harold O. (Ruth) Long of Assumption, Illinois.

Children of ELEANOR CLINKENBEARD and JACOB CONSTANT are:

ELIZABETH⁶ CONSTANT, b. 17 November 1790, Fleming Co., Kentucky ^135,^136,¹³⁷; d. 9 October 1868, Sangamon Co., Illinois ^138,¹³⁹; m. CHARLES MORGAN, 1807, Fleming Co., Kentucky¹³⁹; b. 5 September 1781, Hampshire Co., Virginia; d. 25 January 1866, Mechanicsburg, Sangamon Co., Virginia.

Notes for ELIZABETH CONSTANT:
One source gave Elizabeth's birth date as "17 Nov 1790", and stated further: "Elizabeth and Charles were married and had four children in Kentucky, then moved to Clermnt county, Ohio in March 1814, where they had four children, then moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arrivng in October 1826, in what is now Mechanicsburg twp, where two children were born. Elizabeth died at age 77 years." [GEDCOM file (CLINK.GED) from Jas Houpt, Port Orange, Fla., to J.E. Stockman, 27 March 1995.]

37.	ii.		JOHN C. CONSTANT, b. 10 December 1790, Fleming Co., Kentucky; d. 1 August 1846, Linn Co., Missouri.
	iii.		WILLIAM N. CONSTANT, b. about 1792, Fleming Co, Kentucky ¹⁴⁰; d. Bef. 1834, Clermont Co, Ohio; m. RHODA PLANK, 7 June 1812; b. about 1797; d. Unknown.

Notes for WILLIAM N. CONSTANT:
One source states that

"William [was] born in Kentucky, went back [there] from Ohio where he had moved with the family from Kentucky and married Rhoda Planck. They never came to Illinois, but he died leaving one child, John Constant, who resides near Felicity, Clermont county, Ohio."

[---GEDCOM file (CLINK.GED) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Fla., to J.E. Stockman, 27 March 1995; citing EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY, page 218; from LDS Batch # 7718613, Sheet # 29, Source Call # 1059281.]

iv.

MARY "POLLY" CONSTANT, b. 1793, Fleming County, Kentucky; d. 1886, Clermont County, Ohio; m. THOMAS JONES; b. about 1788; d. Unknown.

Notes for MARY "POLLY" CONSTANT:
One Clinkenbeard researcher has stated that

"Mary was born in Kentucky, married in Ohio to Thomas Jones. They had ten children, and Mrs. Jones died. The living members of the family reside at Mt. Olivet, Clermont county, Ohio."[a]

It seems probable that Thomas Jones, born in Fleming County, Kentucky, was related (as a son perhaps?) to the Revolutionary War patriot, Col. Thomas Jones of Fleming County, Kentucky:

"Col. Thos: Jones was a native of Berkley [Co., Virginia?], born Nov. 7, 1760---was at the taking of Cornwallis, & came next year [1781] to Kentucky---about a year after the formation of Strode's Station, where he located. He died in Fleming Co. Feb. 21, 1849, in his 89th year."[b]

Interestingly, Col. Jones is probably the grandfather, or other relative, of the writer's paternal line ancestor, John H. Jones, born in 1820 in Kentucky (q.v.).
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a. GEDCOM file (CLINK.GED) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Fla., to J.E. Stockman, 27 March 1995.
b. DRAPER MSS.: Draper's Interview of Mercy Clinkinbeard; Draper 21S, p. 227; photocopy from Cheryl Henderson, East Tennessee Historical Society, Knoxville, Tennessee, to J.E. Stockman.

38.	v.	ISAAC CONSTANT, b. 17 November 1794, Fleming Co., Kentucky; d. 27 June 1865, Dawson, Sangamon Co., Illinois, Illinois.
	vi.	HESTER (ESTHER) CONSTANT, b. 1796, Fleming Co., Kentucky; d. 1 August 1860.
	vii.	SARAH CONSTANT, b. 27 December 1799, Fleming Co., Kentucky¹⁴⁰; d. 27 July 1889, Sangamon Co., Illinois; m. JAMES W. CARRICO, 5 February 1829; b. about 1794; d. Unknown.

Notes for SARAH CONSTANT:
One source states:[a]

"1850 census, Sangamon Co. Illinois. Family # 2160/2160:
Mrs. Sarah Constant Carrico,
Harry,
Amanda,
Catherine,
Angeline,
Charles,
John
"1880 census, Sangamon Co. Il., Clear Lake Township, Family # 232/250:
Sarah is listed as 80 years old, [and] was living with Daughter Amanda and g[rand]children. The census states her parents were born in Pennsylvania."
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a. GEDCOM file (clink.ged) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Fla., to J.E. Stockman, 27 March 1995; LDS Batch # 8533601, Sheet # 72, Source Call # 1396133; Batch # 8675604, Sheet # 03, Source Call # 1396239.

39.	viii.	ELEANOR CONSTANT, b. 1803, Fleming Co., Kentucky; d. 3 November 1869, Decatur, Macon Co., Illinois.
40.	ix.	JACOB ALBERT CONSTANT, JR., b. 7 January 1805, Fleming Co., Kentucky; d. 18 March 1884, Mechanicsburg, Sangamon Co., Illinois.
	x.	BENJAMIN CONSTANT, b. about 1807, Fleming Co., Kentucky¹⁴⁰; d. 1855; m. MATILDA LAKIN, 29 November 1829; b. about 1812; d. Unknown.

Notes for BENJAMIN CONSTANT:
According to one source, "Benjamin married in Sangamon Co. and had seven children". [---GEDCOM file (clink.ged) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Fla., to J.E. Stockman on 27 March 1995; LDS Batch # 8675604, Sheet # 03, Source Call # 1396239.]

xi.

JONATHAN C. CONSTANT, b. 30 September 1809, Fleming Co., Kentucky¹⁴⁰; d. 22 December 1879, Mechanicsburg, Sangamon Co., Illinois; m. MARY B. ELDER, 19 May 1836, Sangamon Co., Illinois; b. 18 May 1817, Sevier Co., Tennessee; d. 7 September 1847.

Notes for JONATHAN C. CONSTANT:
The 1860 Federal Census for Sangamon County, Illinois, enumerated Jonathan Constant, 50, Farmer, b. Kentucky; Sarah (Carrico) Constant, 59, b. Kentucky; John W., 20, b. Illinois; Samuel, 16; Allen, 6. At the 1870 Census, the family were living in Dawson, Mechanicsburg Township, Sangamon County, Illinois, and consisted of Jonathan Constant, 61, b. Kentucky; Celia, 58, b. Ohio; Mary B., 18, b. Illinois; and Lewis A., 16, b. Illinois. The 1880 Martality Schedule for Sangamon County, Illinois, listed Jonathan Constant, aged 70, a farmer, born in Kentucky, and showed his parents both to have been born in Kentucky. Jonathan died from Erysipelas. [---GEDCOM file (clink.ged) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Fl., to J.E. Stockman on 27 March 1995.]

Notes for MARY B. ELDER:
Mary was buried in the Mechanicsburg Cemetery, Mechanicsburg, Sangamon County, Illinois.

	xii.		MARGARET CONSTANT, b. 8 September 1811, Fleming Co., Kentucky¹⁴⁰; d. 27 September 1847, Sangamon Co., Illinois; m. GREENBURY LANHAM, 9 April 1845; b. about 1806; d. Unknown.
	xiii.		WILLIAM NELSON CONSTANT, b. 25 November 1819, Clermont Co., Ohio¹⁴⁰; d. 25 February 1908, Bellflower, McLean Co., Illinois; m. ELIZABETH WALKER, 1840; b. about 1824; d. Unknown.

Notes for WILLIAM NELSON CONSTANT:
One source has provided the following letter (undated) written by Mrs Harold O. (Ruth) Long of Assumption, Illinois, the great-great-granddaughter of Jacob Constant and Eleanor Clinkenbeard:[a]

"William Nelson Constant of Springfield is visting in the home of his niece, Mrs. J. R. Henard, 1509 N. Main St., Decatur, Illinois. In all likelihood he is the first white man now living to set foot on the ground where Decatur now stands. He was here in 1825, in the month of November. He was then 6 years old. That was 80 years ago and since that time he has lived in this state, and never a great way from Decatur.
"Mr. Constant has a good memory for the early days, much better than he has for the days of a week or a year ago. He calls of the names of early acquaintances with the least trouble, while it's difficult for him to recall the names of the family of a dozen years ago.
"He tells the story of Illinois, in the days when there were Indians here. His father, Jacob Constant came from France in the days of the Revolutionary War to fight with Lafayette and for Washington. At the close of that war Jacob was given a grant of 1500 acres in Kentucky, about twenty-five miles from Cincinnati and went to that place. Jacob was one of the men who went to Kentucky with Daniel Boone, and together they fought Indians and other varmints for many years.
"Jacob Constant went to Ohio being desirious to get away from the slavery that was threatened and introduced into Kentucky. The old Frenchman was a Methodist preacher, something he learned in Kentucky, and a natural fighter so long as there was an Indian anywhere within reach. There was a raid on the Indians in Indiana and Jacob Constant engaged in this. That time the Indians were driven into Illinois and forced to cross the Mississippi River.
"On that trip Jacob Constant crossed the prairies of this state. He made up his mind it was better to come to the prairies of this state than to try to clear away timber in Ohio. When he got back home he told the neighbors about this county. He was a strong man with them and induced thirty families to move to Illionis with him. All the families came at one time and William Constant the youngest son was on that trip. The imigrants brought chickens pigs, cows, horses, tools and furniture with them. They camped East of Decatur, and bought out the Indians. Jacob Constant and his large family picked out for settlement a place located about two miles west of what is now Mechanicsburg. Jacob Constant was the most properous man in the community. He had money as well as land, and at his house there was good provision for all the family, very good for that day. This hospitality continued after the death of Jacob Constant which occured in 1828.
"In the family in Illinois were ten children, six sons and four daughters. The sons were John, Isaac, Jack, Ben, Jonathan, and William Nelson. The daughters were Mrs. Nellie (Eleanore Constant) Lanham, Mrs. Hester Rutherford, Mrs. Sarah Carrico, Peggy (Maragaret) Constant. All the children were furnished with a good home by the father before his death.
"William, the one now visiting in Decatur, was the youngest of the children and he has survived all the others by at least 10 years, He had a farm at Mechannicsburg which he sold before the war and moved to McClean county. He now makes his home in Springfield with two widow daughters: Mrs. Sally Crasere and Mrs. Nancy Pauline. He has a son living in Chicago. William Constant and his family are very comfortably fixed.
"William Constant is now 86 years old. In a way he is spry for his age, He finds it no trouble to walk from the place at 1509 N. Main St., to Greenwood cemetery. His head is fairly well covered with hair and very white. He is a man about 5 ft., seven inches tall. He was married in 1840 to Betty (Elizabeth) Walker. The niece, Mrs. J. R. Henard, [whom] William Constant is visiting in Decatur is a grandaughter of old Jacob Constant . She is the daughter of Mrs. Nellie (Eleanor) Lanham whose husband was Elijah Taylor Lanham.
"Jacob Constant m. Eleanor Clinkenbeard
Eleanor Constant m. Elijah T. Lanham
Caroline Lanham m. Jesse R. Henard
Beatrice Henard m. J. D. Long
Ruth Long m. Harold O. Long"
"Nelson resides near Farmer City, DeWitt Co., Ill."

This source also provided the following:

"1850 Census, Sangamon Co. Illinois:
CONSTANT, Nelson, 30, Ohio;
Elizabeth 28, Ohio;
Hiram 10, Illinois;
Jese 6, Illinois;
Edward 2, Illinois.

"William M. CONSTANT mar Elizabeth WALKER Sept 30, 1939 by P. R. Ketchem JP."[b]

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a. GEDCOM file (clink.ged) from Jas: Houpt, Port Orange, Fla., to J.E. Stockman on 27 Mar 1995.
b. Ibid., citing MARRIAGES OF CHRISTIAN CO., IL 1839-1866.

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