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   This article was originally published in December 2001.  It is copyrighted 2001 by June Clover Byrne.

Kenneth Clover sent me a great map of Monroe County on which he has marked the location within the county of some of the early Clover land. I think you will find it very interesting.

 
      An early Clover land record was published in The American State Papers, Documents, Legislative and Executive of the Congress of the United States, Volume 2, 1809-1815, (Washington: Gales and Seaton, 1834), page 236. This set of books is the reproduction of land claims from the records of Congress. It has since been republished and is widely available in large libraries because of the importance of the documents.  These volumes are also available on microfilm. There is an accompanying volume called Grassroots of America which is an index to the other volumes. The following entry is the only one which contains the surname Clover.  As nearly as I can tell, this is the earliest land purchase in the area by a Clover.
        “Land Claims in the district of Kaskaskias,” page 236: Pierre Lavassier was confirmed in claim number 822 for 100 acres which claim he had assigned to Jacob Clover.  The land was confirmed to Nicholas Jarrot.  This set of claims was a list of militia donations granted by the governors of the Northwest and Indiana Territories in pursuance of the act of the 3 March 1791. The land had been granted to Lavassier in exchange for his previous military service. [Nicolas Jarrot assigned the claim of Pierre Levasseur to Jacob Clover on 1 December 1803, for $100. The land was in what was then Randolph County, Illinois]

See Lavassier, Pierre



Monroe County Deed Books, County Clerk, Waterloo, Illinois.  Copies of the following deeds were made from the Monroe County, Illinois deed books A to E on FHL microfilms 1317836 and 1317837. Unfortunately, the right ends of some lines were not legible because of the way the book was microfilmed. 

• Volume A page 38: 9 October 1816, David Rapert to John Clover, both of Monroe County, Illinois, $2000 mortgage on purchase by John Clover of 400 acres more or less, including 100 acres in big Prairie, being a militia right, and is surrounded by the 16th section, the other 300 acres lies under and on the Bluffs, and joins the lands of Adam Clover, together with appurtenances, cattle, horses, hogs, and sheep, household furniture and plantation utensils. Signature of Daniel Rapert, Witness: Alex’r Jameson

• Volume A page 49: 4 November 1816, Adam Clover and Mary Magdalene, his wife, (formerly Mary Magdalene Guice, the widow and relict previous to her intermarriage with said Clover of David Guice, deceased), and Susanna Guice, an heir and devisee of said David Guice, deceased. They sold to Daniel Guice, for $400, all the rights derived to them by virtue of the will of David Guice, “of record in Kaskaskia amongst the antient[sic] records there preserved.” The 133 1/3 acres,  part of a tract of 400 acres, was left to Susanna Guice subject to a life estate to Mary Magdalene. This tract was the land upon which Adam and Mary Magdalene Clover then resided. Signature of Adam Clover, the two women signed with a mark.

• Volume A page 147: 12 November 1817, Daniel Guice and Adam Clover signed a bond stating that Daniel Guice sold a tract of land, containing 200 acres, “which deed appears on the books of Harrisonville,” Monroe County, to William Bryan. Signatures of Daniel Guice and Adam Clover.

• Volume A page 212: 23 December 1818 John Divers to William Null, executor for William Clover, deceased. Mortgage for purchase of William Clover’s land.  

• Volume A page 277: 17 July 1818, Jacob Clover and Catharine, his wife; John Clover and Tabitha, his wife; all of Monroe County, Illinois, to Jacob Trout, $900, a tract of land being the North East and North West fractional quarters of section Number 29 in Township number two South Range Number 11 West consisting of 238 ½ acres. All four persons signed with a mark. Witnesses: Cald’l Cairns, John Scott, Jesse W. Cooper.

• Volume A page 344: 23 December 1818, William Null, executor of estate of William Clover, deceased, to John Divers, $1802, tract of land containing ca. 376 acres lying in the Mississippi bottom, adjoining the land of Thomas Peter, being the land William Clover was living on at the time of his death.  Divers originally purchased this land 19 June 1817, and the mortgage on the land was recorded in Volume A page 212.

• Volume B page 253: 26 July 1827 Catherine Clover to John Clover, $30, horses, cattle, pigs, a plow, an axe and an ox cart. She signed with a mark.

• Volume B page 278: 8 February 1830 John Clover, and Dorcas, his wife; Elias Clover and Ann, his wife; to Henry Clover, all of Monroe County, Illinois, relinquished all interest in 80 acres, Number 306, the NW fractional quarter of section one in the township 2 south in Range Eleven west of the third meridian line. All four signed with a mark. Witnesses: Joshua Talbott, William Snyder.

• Volume B page 8: 8 February 1821 Jacob Harness, later of Jefferson County, Missouri, now of Monroe County, Illinois to the heirs of William Clover, deceased, late of Monroe County, Illinois. Jacob witnesses that Leonard Harness, deceased, late of St Clair County, Illinois, died seized of land known as the unimproved claim of Leonard Harness, 571, survey 434 containing 400 acres in Township 1 South of Range number 10 and Eleven West. The heirs and children of Leonard Harness were Jacob Harness, Joseph Harness, Dorothy Harness, Catherine Harness, Sarah Harness, Mary Harness, and Elizabeth Harness.  Jacob was deeding one undivided seventh part of the land. This deed proves that Catherine Harness was the daughter of Leonard Harness.  Catherine was the wife of Jacob Clover. John Clover, the contemporary of Jacob, Adam, and William Clover, is sometimes said to have married a daughter of Leonard Harness.  His wife was named Tabitha in the deed records quoted in Volume 10 Issue 1.  Since there was no Tabitha Harness, this information is not correct. 

• Volume D page 186: 26 November 1836 Henry Clover and Jemima, his wife, and Elias Clover and Anna, his wife to John Wiser, all of Monroe County, Illinois, [amount not legible], sold 80 acres described as the North West Fractional Quarter of Section One Township Two south in Range [not legible] West of the third principal meridian patented to Jacob Clover. All four signed with a mark. Witness: Joshua Talbott, Justice of the Peace.

• Volume D page 207: 18 April 1838, Henry Clover and Susan, his wife; John Clover and Dorcas, his wife; Eli Clover and Anna, his wife; being the surviving heirs of Jacob Clover, to William R. Walton.  This was a confirmation of a previous sale on 4 December 1811, when Jacob Clover  made and executed by bond, for $400, a warranty deed for a tract of land described as part of Survey numbered 410 and claim numbered 572 confirmed to Leonard Harness in right of John Dempsey, containing one third part of said claim or 139 acres.  William R. Walton was the heir of the John Shehan to whom the land was originally sold in 1811.  “Said Clover having departed this life before said deed was executed.”  All except Anna signed with a mark.  Anna did NOT sign.

• Volume E page 52: 7 May 1838, Henry Clover to William Bradshaw, $150, tract of land consisting of ca. 40 acres, being the North East Quarter of the South East Quarter of Section number five in Township number two south, Range number ten West containing forty acres. Signed: Henry Clover, his mark.

• Volume E page 496: 26 November 1836, John Clover and Dorcus, his wife; Elias Clover and Ann, his wife; to Henry Clover, $70, sold all their undivided part of a tract of land formerly owned by Jacob Clover, patented to John Dempsey, sold to Leonard Harness, 60 acres on the south part of a four hundred acre survey in Monroe County. Signature of John Clover, the rest signed with a mark. Witness: Joshua Talbott, John B. Wysen.

• Volume E page 497: 23 November 1839, Henry Clover to Mayberry Tyson, $120, all the remainder of the land of survey 410, claim 572, setting a side the claim which John Clover deeded to Joseph Lawson and Mariah Shehans Claim is all the remainder of the said survey. Henry Clover signed without a mark and with no wife. Witness: B. W. Lack, Justice of the Peace. 

• Volume E page 313: 21 September 1839. James Nelson and Rebecca Nelson, his wife (late Rebecca Clover) to James Bradshaw, $26, all their right of the estate of Jacob Clover died siezed, the said estate containing 22 acres more or less and being one/fourth part of the land the said Jacob Clover Junior inherited of his father’s estate and being part of the tract of land on which Jacob Clover Senr died. Both signed with a mark. 

Phyllis Veath tripped over this deed while doing something else.  It took us a while to figure out what was going on.  We did not actually understand it until I discovered the Mormon Church record of Jacob Clover, son of Jacob Clover and Catherine Harness who died young.  Thanks to Phyllis for finding this and sending a copy.  
    It should be noted that Jacob’s will divided the real estate equally between his sons.  So Rebecca Nelson inherited 1/4 share of the land that her deceased brother, Jacob Clover Jr, had inherited.  In fact this is the only way, she could have inherited it since Jacob’s 1821 will left the land specifically to his unnamed sons and no land to his daughters.

        Raymond H. Hammes extracted early land and estate records of Randolph County and St. Clair County.  These are unpublished manuscripts which are now at the Illinois Genealogical Society in Springfield, Illinois.  Different volumes have different types of information. There is a consolidated index in volume one of the collection. This index is apparently not complete.  All of the volumes quoted here are available on FHL microfilm 1543598. Phyllis Veath was kind enough to send me copies of these pages from the Hammes Collection which are listed in the index under the surname Clover. 
        Mr. Hammes numbered the entries.  This number appears to be the page number from the original record. I am including this because interested researchers should acquire copies of the original records.

• Volumes IV and V, Cahokia Books B & C, Land Records 1800-1820, Historical Material, 1671-1819:IV, Page 211, entry 589: William Clover, in his own right and as guardian of Joseph and Polly Harness, releases forever a tract of land in St. Clair County to Jacob Clover on 28 December 1811, for $400.  Jacob Clover resides on the property.  Witnessed by Russell Hicock, Solomon Brown, and Simon Vanorsdale. Acknowledged before John Hay, 31 December 1811. Recorded by John Hay, 31 December 1811. [Note: According to Peggy Howard, this was from St. Clair County deeds, book B: 587. She says it was for 400 acres. She states that there was no land description.] 

• IV, Page 211, entry 590: Jacob Clover and John Shehan release and forever quitclaim to William Clover  a tract of land formerly belonging to the estate of Leonard Harness, deceased, containing 380 acres on 29 December 1811 for $200.  The Tract is bounded by Leonard Carr’s improvement on the north.  Witnessed by Russell Hicock, Solomon Brown, and Simon Vanorsdale.  Acknowledged before John Hay, 31 December 1811, Recorded by John Hay 31 December 1811. [Note: According to Peggy Howard, this is from St. Clair County deeds, book B: 590. In her abstraction, "Release to William Clover who lives on the place." She states there is no land description. ]

• IV, Page 189, entry 532: Sally Harness, heir of Leonard Harness, deceased.  “In consideration of a bond for a deed this day made by Jacob Clover and William Clover to me of 130 acres of good first rate land have relinquished all other claim to the lands of the said deceased as an heir and by these presents if said bond is complied with on the part of the signers to wit Jacob Clover and William Clover, I will have no other demand on the land as aforementioned in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 8th day of February 1810.  Signed by Sally Harness. Witnessed by J. A. Boyes and Timothy Couts. Acknowledged before J. A. Boyes, 8 February 1810. Recorded by John Hay, 31 March 1810. [Note: Peggy Howard says that this is in St. Clair County Deed Book B: 533. She further says it was signed by John Shehan and Sally Harness. "Having taken my right of land as heir of Leonard Harness--Release to Jac [sic] Clover and William Clover of Cahokia, Illinois." However, I don't know if this is correct. John Shehan did not marry Sally Harness until July 1810 and this is dated before that.]    

• IV, page 300: Solomon Guice and Susanna Clover was married 29 February 1805 by me, George Atcheson, recorded by John Hay, 10 July 1805.
• V, page 11, entry 31: Mary Harnish, sells 133 1/3 acres of John Dempsey’s donation right to Jacob Clover on 8 June 1814, for $200.  Mary Harnish is heir of Leonard Harnish. Witnessed by John Hay and Levi Piggot. Acknowledged before John Hay, JP.  Recorded 10 June 1814.
• V, case 149, Atcheson, George, deceased, St. Clair County Court appoints Shadrack bond, jr, Thomas Todd and Jacob A. Boyes (comissioners) to issue a deed for the 320 acres of land sold  by the deceased during his lifetime to Aaron Badgley for $350. Dated 21 September 1815. Witnesses by Wm. McDonald and Adam Clover acknowledged before Wm. McDonald, JP recorded, 17 November 1815.  

• Volumes 6-16, Kaskaskia Books A-D, Land Record Books 1804-1814, Books G-M Randolph County Land Records 1768-1815.

• VI, entry 269: Jarrot, Nicolas, assigns Pierre Levasseur’s mililtia claim to Jacob Clover on 1 December 1803, for $100. Witnessed by William Atcheson. Recorded 24 December 1804.

• XIII, entry 184-185: Guice, Susanne, appoints Adam Clover her attorney to secure her rights to whatever lands are coming to her as heir of David Guice.  Dated 20 December 1805.  Witnessed by Shadrach Bond and Caldwell Cairns. Acknowledged before Thomas Todd, 5 January 1806.   
  

• XVII, entry 58: No 571 [claim number], Improvement of Robt. Creighton, John Sullivan, being first sworn (on  21 October 1812) deposeth and saith, that he knew Robert Creighton, that some years before the year 1790 the said Creighton cleared about an acre of land and planted it in corn and pumpkins, fenced it and built a camp or cabin, at a place about a mile and a half from the Block House on the grand Rousseau, in the Cahokia prairie being the place where William Clover now lives, that said claimant had a concession for the same from the court at Cahokia.    
  

    There are several important pieces of information which can be gleaned from these deed records. In the deed in volume D, page 207, Henry, John and Elias were named as the “surviving heirs” of Jacob Clover. There may have been other children but their names were not named. Later information discovered another son, Jacob and two daughters, Rebecca and Ann.  But this deed is the proof of the parentage for these three boys
    In the deed in Volume A, page 49, Adam Clover is proven to have married Mary Magdalene Guice after the death of her husband, David Guice.  The last mention of Adam in the deed records is dated 12 November 1817 in Volume A, page 147. He must have left Monroe County shortly after that if the Adam Clover in the 1820 U.S. Census in Louisiana is the same person.  Susanna Guice appointed Adam Clover her representative to secure her rights to whatever lands were coming to her as heir of David Guice on 20 December 1805. Consequently, Adam may have married Mary Magdalena in this time frame. 
    There are two John Clover’s in the deed records.  John Clover, the son of Jacob Clover, had a wife named Dorcas. Another, older, John Clover was married to Tabitha. The last mention of them in a Monroe County deed record is dated 17 July 1818 in Volume A, page 277. There is a theory that he went to Arkansas, but no proof of this has been found yet. 
    Altogether, there are as many questions raised here as are answered. 


    Since Suzannah Clover married Solomon Guice and Adam Clover married the widow of David Guice, I have been interested in the Guice family. The following information on the Guise/Guice family was originally sent by Phyllis Veath and has been typed for me by Pat Vaseska.  Thanks to both of them for their willingness to help.  

GUICE, SOLOMON married  CLOVER, SUSANNA     02/29/1804     B/ 300     ST. CLAIR Co, Illinois

        David Guise is on the list of heads of families at Cahokia and the settlements of the County of St. Clair in 1783 according to the Hammes Collection XXD 56.  According to Hammes XXd9 on April 15, 1790 David Guise was one mile and a half below Eagle Lake.  This appears to be a naked claim.  Order of survey issued, and if there were any settlements on it and Guise was head of family to be confirmed.  On September 17, 1796 Governor St. Clair confirms David Guise’s claim of 499 acres and 140 perches of land (Hammes Collection VI).  Gov. St. Clair orders Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of the Northwest Territory, to issue a patent to David Guise for 399 acres and 140 perches of land on December 17, 1796.  This was recorded on December 6, 1804.  One document states 499 acres and the other 399 acres.  On December 26, 1804 Solomon Guise assigns his rights to John Evert.  This was dated December 26, 1804 and witnessed by Susanna Everett.  On February 29, 1805 Solomon Guice and Susanna Clover was mered [sic] by me, George Atcheson.  The marriage was recorded by John Hay, July 10, 1805 according to the Raymond H. Hammes Collection 1543598.  

        December 20, 1805 Susanna Guice appoints Adam Clover her attorney to secure her rights to whatever lands are coming to her as heir of David Guice.  This was witnessed by Shadrach Bond and Caldwell Cairns and acknowledged before Thomas Todd dated January 5, 1806.

        In September of 1812 Claim No. 493 improvement of David Guise.  Clement Drury and William Chaffin state that they have been frequently at the improvement of said Guise and that he had a cabin and about six acres cleared and fenced and planted in corn in the year 1788.  They state that he lived there until he died about twelve or fourteen years ago (Hammes XVII 39).

St. Clair County, Illinois Marriages, 1791 to 1845 by Robert Buecher
page 30 Daniel Gruise married Polly Shehan 17 April 1814.  

Volume A page 49: 4 November 1816, Adam Clover and Mary Magdalene, his wife, (formerly Mary Magdalene Guice, the widow and relict previous to her intermarriage with said Clover of David Guice, deceased), and Susanna Guice, an heir and devisee of said David Guice, deceased. They sold to Daniel Guice, for $400, all the rights derived to them by virtue of the will of David Guice, “of record in Kaskaskia amongst the antient[sic] records there preserved.” The 133 1/3 acres,  part of a tract of 400 acres, was left to Susanna Guice subject to a life estate to Mary Magdalene. This tract was the land upon which Adam and Mary Magdalene Clover then resided. Signature of Adam Clover, the two women signed with a mark.

Note the different spellings of Guice, Guise, Gruice and I have found it as Guysse.

[Note that Solomon apparently died after only a few months of marriage.  From the comments, it sounds as if Solomon was a son of David Guis, died ca. 1798-1800. He had moved to the area by 1788.]
Please note if you are chasing Guise families, there was a Willem Guise naturalized 18 July 1730, in New Jersey.  See my New Jersey page.  

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