Philip Clover and Mary Cooper

Clover Family Research Compendium

Divider

Philip Clover and Mary Cooper
Son of John Peter and Catherine Clover

Be notified of
page updates

Many of the following dates are from a booklet entitled The Family of John Peter Clover which was published by Mary Kishler in 1963. If I have another source, I have noted this. Thanks to Clover Apelian for sending me a copy of this booklet which I used in 1998 to prepare an article on one of Philip's grandsons. I see a lot of Mary's material on the Internet. It is unfortunate that no one gives her credit. We should be very grateful that she wrote this booklet, because without it, we would be missing a lot of information. Bob and Marguerite Clover, original editors of the Clover Family Exchange, referred to this booklet in Volume 1 Issue 3, page 9. Mary Kishler was born 1896, died 1992. See the descendants of Henry B. Clover, son of Gamaliel Clover.

Gamaliel Clover and Martha Platt Clover were Mary Kishler's grandparents, and she has Gamaliel's Bible in her possession. She obtained some of her information from it. Other information came from a genealogy of the family of Charles Chester Burnham, into which some some Clover family members married.

I have been publishing the Clover Newsletters and other Clover items since 1998 and have tried desperately to locate this Gamaliel Clover bible. Carol-Jeanne Turk, among others, was also trying. Several years ago, she told me that she thought she had finally located it, but that the owner did not want anyone to make copies. Since then it has apparently disappeared. I do not know the current location of the bible or if Carol-Jeanne actually had it located. It was seen by many people at the Clover Family Reunion in Clarion in June 1889. At that time there was a plan to have it professionally photographed so that many people could have copies, but the plans for this fell through. After I took over the newsletter, I was contacted many times by people hoping I had these copies. If they were ever actually made, I don't know where they are. Scanning now is so easy. But in 1989, it was not. If you own a bible, share it now, not later. Later it will get thrown out with the trash. If you were at this reunion and actually saw the bible, please contact me. I have some questions.

According to Mary Kishler, Philip Clover was born 12 June 1758, in New Jersey, died 19 May 1830 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Cooper ca. 1780 since their oldest child was born in 1781. She was born 1756, probably in New Jersey. She died August 1842. Family lore says that both were buried in Seceder Cemetery and that may well be true, but there are no tombstones for them in the cemetery except the new one which was put up a few years ago by descendants. Philip's son and daughter, and his sister are buried there so it is really very likely. But it is not known for sure. Please note that Philip Clover died 9 years before Clarion County was formed so he died in Armstrong County, not Clarion County.

Thanks to Mark Lawson for sending me this picture from Seceder Cemetery, Clarion County, Pennsylvania. For more on this cemetery, see Seceder Cemetery I am told that the top stone was erected in 1989. The Revolutionary War marker was erected by the DAR in 1975. Neither are from the 1800s.

Marker

This picture is from the Clover Gathering in 1989. The two new stones are for Philip and Mary Clover. The lady in the center with the dark pink blouse and the tall man behind the lady with the light pink blouse are Bob and Marguerite Clover who started the Clover Exchange Newsletter in 1983.

        I periodically see Philip's name given with the middle initial of A. This is an error which has leaked over from the Philip Clover of Berkeley County, Virginia who was from the same time period. An early researcher in the Virginia Clovers, who was also a subscriber to the early Clover Family Exchange back in the 1980s, made this mistake and this mistake has since leaked all over the Internet. The first actual Philip A. Clover was the grandson of the original Philip Clover of Frederick County, Virginia. But someone applied that middle initial to the grandfather and father. This is a complete myth. Please also note that DNA testing has shown that there is no connection between John Peter Clover and the Virginia Clovers.
       To show how these myths take on a life of their own, someone who saw this error adopted it into the Pennsylvania Philip Clover lore and started calling him Philip A. Clover. This is also a myth. There is absolutely no evidence to support this. There is no contemporary evidence at all that any of the children of John Peter Clover had a middle name or initial. There is no evidence that any of the children of Philip and Mary Clover had a middle name or initial. Please remove all such items from your database.

        Mary Cooper was the daughter of a Nathan Cooper of Morris County, New Jersey. We know this from her father's will. Note that she named a son Nathan after her father and a son Davenport after her brother.
1788, July 12. Cooper, Nathan, of Roxbury Township, Morris County,[New Jersey]; will of. Sons, Henry and James, all lands in Roxbury, on south side of road from Mendham to Roxbury, bounded by James Hopkins and Daniel Seward, of 250 acres; also land on north of road bounded by Nathan Cooper Jr, Samuel Wills and James Hopkins, of 200 acres. Son Nathan, 5 schillings. Son Davenpoort Cooper, £ 10. Daughter, Hannah Saterly, 5 shillings. Daughter, Mary Clover, 5 shillings. Executors--Sons, Henry and James. Witnesses--David Thompson, Caleb Howell, Pain Brown. Proved August 7, 1788.

1788, November 29. Inventory, ₤ 8.13.0, made by Jacob Conine and Constant Victor King. Lib. 31, p 179. (These were published in New Jersey Colonial Documents, New Jersey Archives Volume XXXVI, Calendar of New Jersey Wills, Volume VII, page 51)

I have been told that this could not have been Philip Clover's wife because he was living in Hunterdon County. If you will go to the New Jersey page and look at the county boundaries, you will see that Morris County was contiguous with Hunterdon County. He only had to ride his horse across the county boundary to find her. Also note that Jacob Conine, who had married Mary Clover, Philip's sister, was involved with her father's estate. So all Philip had to do to meet Mary, was to visit his sister. For much more on this, see The Complicated Cooper Question

1768

We know that Philip Clover was the son of John Peter Clover from the estate records of New Jersey.
New Jersey Calendar of Wills, 1761-1770
1768, October 3. Clover, Sarah, Philip, and Isaac, of Hunterdon County. Wards. Daughter and sons of Peter Clover of Lebanon, said County, who, with their mother, Catherine Clover, make choice of John Anderson, Esq., and Christopher Voght, both of Lebanon as their guardians.
1768, October 3, Guardians-John Anderson Esq., and Christopher Voght. Fellow bondsman--Coonrad Pickel and Catherine Clover. witness Jacob Mattison.
1768, October 3, Renunciation of Catharine Clover, widow of Peter Clover, in favor of John Anderson Esq. and Christopher Voght, to be guardians of above infants. (Book 12: 523) (2)
In addition, there is an important county history article from Caldwell's Atlas of Jefferson County although this article has more information about Paul and his children than information about Philip. A scan of this and a transcription is on Pennsylvania County History Articles
This article which appears to have been written by Paul's grandson, Peter Clover, states that Phillip was the son of John Peter Clover and that Phillip married Mary Cooper.

1780

       Philip cannot have married before about 1781 because he appears in the Hunterdon County tax February 1780 as a single man with a horse. This also suggests that he had a bit of money because the taxes on a single man with a horse were awful. The Colonies wanted their young men to get married young and start raising more colonists. They encouraged this by taxing young men with horses out of existence. The particular way it was listed suggested that he had an income other than his father.
        "Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey Tax Ratables, May 1778 and February 1780," Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Volume 48, (1973), page 75:
        The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey has published many of the early New Jersey Tax Lists. In Volume 48, (1973), page 175, there was an article on the Ratables, May 1778, and February 1780, of Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Page 136: Philip Clover appeared only on the 1780 list. He was listed as a single man with a horse.(3) There is an excellent index to the early Hunterdon County, New Jersey tax lists published by TLC Publications. This has no other listing for a Clover which suggests that he moved on shortly after that. All males over a certain age were taxed and the tax men seldom missed many people. Young man in this case means over 21.
        He was in the 1779 and 1780 tax list in Lebanon Township according the Hunterdon County Tax Lists 1772-1797 . This particular book does not give further information.
    He must have married in New Jersey because her family was still in New Jersey in 1788 after Phillip is known to have been in Pennsylvania. Also, his oldest child, Martha Clover, who married Robert Smith states that she was born in New Jersey. Her birth date is given as April 1781.

1782

    He had moved on to Pennsylvania sometime between April 1781 and June of 1782. According to the Pennsylvania State Archives, 5th Series, Volume 6, page 652, he served as a private in the Revolutionary War in the Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Militia in the Company of Captain Robert Means. On page 652, the following persons were shown in a scouting party in June, July, August and October of 1782.
Capt. Robert Means, Lieut. John Bull, Ens. Samuel Cover:
Privates:
George Sigler, Joseph Magill, Thomas Blair, Gilbert Vought, Hercules Campbell, Robert Bahanan, Anthony Couson, Philip Clover, Arthur Bell, Alexander Blair, Samuel Frampton, Obed Pauli, John Scott, John McDaid, John Vaugh, Joseph Larimore, John Woods, Richard Arthur, John Kelly, Joseph Glases, Robert Larimore, Joseph Means, Thomas Bell, Thomas Pierce, John Sigler, Abrham Kelly, Charles McNary, John Frampton..

I have included all of these names because some of the last names appear in later Clover families and I suspect them of being related but I don't know myself. This was sent to me by Haworth Clover and I don't know if all of this spelling is correct.

        Film #0845819 item 2: DAR Lineage Book p 5: Philip Clover Sr Pvt in Capt Robert Means Co, Cumberland Co, PA Militia 1782 Served throughout Rev War. Service Record copied PA Archives 5th Series p 652, vol 6. DAR # 82890, 106090, 152037 Applications

        According to Mary Kishler, Mr. Burnham's account adds that Philip served in the 7th Company, 8th Battalion, under Col. Alexander Brown. (4)
        I found the following item on the Internet at the Pennsylvania State Archives. This was in the Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File (Series no. 13.50) These cards are arranged alphabetically by the name of the soldier. There is an explanation on line for these cards which does not exactly explain why his name was there. This card relates to the Militia Loan of 1784-1785. This loan was established to pay individuals for services and goods provided during the Revolutionary War that had not been reimbursed at that time. I have been unable to find out any more about it. I am not sure if it is pay for later militia duty or for his 1782 service or for some other reason. If anyone is able to find out, we would like to know. It might help if someone is actually at the archives in person. It may be that these are a result of the state not being able to pay the militia and some vouchers which were issued in lieu of payment. There is nothing here to tell us if he was ever actually paid or not.
http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/ Pennsylvania State Archives, ARIAS Section, which is the Archives Records Information Access System. These are all digitalized records. There are a number of Peter Jones records in the same set of Revolutionary War Abstract Card File. I have no idea which would apply to the Peter Jones who was the father of John Jones and Martha Jones. Interested individuals are urged to search the Pennsylvania digitalized records.

Philip in the Revolution

There are several DAR applications which mention his service.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~clover/pa/palineage.html
Philip Clover, Sr. was a Private in Capt. Robert Means Company, Cumberland County Militia, 1782. Served as a substitute for Jacob Conine 1st and 2nd on Draft, 3rd as a substitute and last enlisted. He served throughout the Revolutionary War.

Frampton says that Philip served throughout the entire Revolutionary War. He served first as a substitute for Jacob Kanine, then on second and third drafts, then enlisted and served to the close of the war. The story is that Mary Clover, Philip's sister, was sick at the time of the draft and begged her husband not to leaver her and he hired his brother-in-law Philip to substitute for him. This would have been in New Jersey because the Conine's did not move to Pennylvania. I have not personally found this information so I can't guarantee its accuracy.

1783
People of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania page 5
Cumberland County, Derry Township
Paul Clover taxed as a married man 1786 to 1789
Philip Clover taxed as a married man 1783 to 1789 8th Battalion Militia
Note that Mifflin County was formed from Cumberland County in 1789. So after 1789, he would have been taxed in Mifflin County.

People of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania 1755-1798, page 27 Derry Township:
1798 Federal Direct Tax of Derry Township
William Corbett log house valued at $120. 1 story house, 30 X 20, 4 windows, 18 window panes, kitchen.[I wonder if that means the kitchen was in a separate building.]
Note: The source of this is NARA series no. 372, roll 19. It did not include Potter Township where the Clovers were living in this book. I don't know if they are on the film or not. This is the so called Window Tax. From looking at the catalog in the FHL, this is probably from microfilm no. 351613 I don't know if the part with Paul and Philip Clover survived but they are not in the booklet.

Note they did not move out of Cumberland County, the boundaries changed.

HISTORY OF MIFFLIN COUNTY
From Franklin Ellis' History of That Part of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys
Embraced in the Counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder. Philadelphia, 1886.

CHAPTER VI. Armagh Township.
By John Swartzell.
http://www.pagenweb.org/~mifflin/ellis/ellis-6.htm

15 March 1783, Philip Clover and William Corbet signed a letter requesting that Mr. James Johnston, preacher of the Gospel, come to their area and be their preacher.
"MR. JAMES JOHNSTON, preacher of the Gospel:
"Sir: We, the subscribers, members of the United Congregation of East and West Kishacoquillas...
[There are a lot of names here and I can't list them all but several individuals appear to be the ones who end up near Philip or Paul later on. For example, the Scott families are on this list.]

1790

In 1789, Mifflin County was formed from part of Cumberland and Northumberland Counties. He may not have moved from Cumberland to Mifflin. Probably the boundaries moved around him. Somehow, he was in Mifflin by 1790 because he appears in the census there.

1790 Mifflin County, Pennsylvania page 152: Philip Clover 01-02-05-00-00

The numbers correspond to one free white male over 16, 2 males under 16, 5 females, no other, no slaves
[Other would have meant free blacks or Native Americans.] Note that there are two males under 16. One of these would have been John Clover who was born 29 August 1789. But Philip's second son, Peter, was not born until December 1790 so the second male could not have been him. There is also one too many females in the household. I have no idea who these two children could have been. This is one of the frustrations of dealing with these early censuses. I don't think that these were children who died because Philip's children were born close together and there is really no room for anyone else. I don't know if they were children of neighbors that they had taken in. The other individuals could have been anyone including hired hands or nieces and nephews. I lean toward the view that they are children of Paul. Paul's wife died and some of his many children may have lived with his brother, Philip. Paul is missing from the census in 1790 so we can't really tell.

John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883), page 26. I think that this list is based upon a geographical area which became Centre County in 1800.
Assessment List for Potter Township, Centre County, for 1790
Philip Clover 200 acres, no horses no cattle.

1792

1792 Mifflin County, Pennsylvania
        The following tax records were sent to me by the Librarian of the Centre County, Pennsylvania Library. According to her, Mrs. Spangler was a former genealogist in Centre County from the 1920's to the 1960's. She compiled 176 notebooks and 25 scrapbooks of genealogical information on Centre County. All of the books are indexed so it's easy to locate someone who lived in Centre County. These are the only records she found on Clovers in these Spangler books.
1792 Assessment List for Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, Potter Township
Paul Clover        150 [acres?]           1 horse    1 cow
Phillip Clover     100 [acres?]         --------      2 cows
There is no mention on this page as to what 150 and 100 mean. I would expect it to refer to acres.
        I was particularly interested in this record because it is the earliest record I have so far seen of Paul in Pennsylvania.

1800

Centre County was formed, partly from Mifflin County, in 1800 so again it is not clear if Philip had moved or if the county boundaries were moving around him.
1800 Centre County, Pennsylvania page 501: Philip Clover Sr 42010-01210-00
//males under 10/males 10-16/ males 16-26/ males 26-45/ males over 45// females same five categories//all other free persons//slaves//. This would mean that there were 4 males under 10, presumably Nathan, Philip, James, Gamaliel; 2 males 10-16, presumably John and Peter; 1 male 26-45 presumably Philip himself. There was one female 10-16, presumably Nancy Clover; 2 females 16-26, presumably Catherine and Martha; one female 26-45 presumably Mary. All of the family is accounted for here and since we don't have exact marriage dates for some of these children, it is good to know that all of them married after the 1800 census.

1801

John Blair Linn, History of Centre and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883). According to this book, Philip was a resident of Potter Township, Centre County in 1801.
Page 42:
Residents of Potter Township 1801. Potter Township embraced the western part of the present township of Gregg, from Spring Mills, all of Potter and the Eastern half of Harris, from the end of Nittany Mountain eastward, bounded by Nittany Mountain on the north and the Seven Mountains on the south.
Philip Clover, Sr
Philip Clover, Jr
No Corbett.
page 26:
Residents of Potter Township, Centre County. This list was commented on as coming from the assessment lists, but no date of the lists was given.
Philip Clover
Paul Clover
Also page 26:
Assessment List for Potter Township, Centre County, for 1790 [Note previous comments that this refers to a geographical area which became Centre County in 1800 when it was formed.
Philip Clover 200 acres, no horses no cattle.

Armstrong County was formed in 1801 from Allegheny, Lycoming, and Westmoreland Counties. Redbank Township where he moved, later became part of Clarion County in 1839. According to Judge Peter Clover, he moved to the area with a group of 10 men in 1801. There is an article on this in Caldwell's Atlas of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. It is transcribed in full on Pennsylvania County History Articles
Actually there are a number of articles on this family on that page which you should go read if you have not already done so.

1810

1810 Armstrong County, Pennsylvania Redbank Township page 407: Philip Clover 03301-10001 The notation for 1800 and 1810 was the same.

There are two Philip Clovers in Centre County in 1810. There is no junior or senior to separate them, but I feel sure that this is Philip, son of John Peter. The other Philip Clover was the son of Paul Clover, Philip's brother. Note that the six sons are all home and presumably unmarried. All of the daughters are out of the household so presumably married. I don't know who the female under 10 would have been. She could have been a grandchild or a niece.

In 1811, Philip Clover senior purchased 140 acres from James and Mary Potter in Redbank Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. For a copy of the deed, see Philip Clover Documents

1820

1820 Armstrong County, Pennsylvania Redbank Township page 275: Philip Clover, sr 000201-00001
//Free white males under 10/10-16/16-18/16-26/26-45/45 and over//Free white females under 10/10- 16/16-25/26-45/45 and over//Foreigners not naturalized/agriculture/ commerce/ manufacture// free colored in brackets // slaves in brackets //. So now we have 2 males 16-26 and one male over 45, presumably Philip; the female over 45 is probably Mary. The two males 16 to 26 must have been Gamaliel and James. The others were already married at this point.

History: 1826: Genealogical Data contained in the Statutes at Large, Commonwealth of PA
************************************************
Copyright. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
************************************************
128. An act relative to roads.
After the president and managers have completed the Carlisle and Hanover turnpike the funds from the tolls shall be appropriated to the payment of the
judgments by the Cumberland county court, due to JAMES DUFFY.
That for the purpose of making a turnpike road from the Chambersburg and Bedford turnpike west of the town of Loudon, Franklin county, through the
town of Shirleysburg to the Juniata river, near _____ DRAKE's ferry, in the county of Huntingdon, JOHN KING, PATRICK M'DOWELL, WILLIAM POTT and THOMAS
SCOTT of Franklin county, NATHANIEL KELLY of Bedford county, and ABRAHAM LONG, JOHN BLAIR, THOMAS T. CROMWELL, WALTER B. HUDSON, JOHN COOPER, WILLIAM POSTLETHWAITE, ROBERT ALLISON and WILLIAM JACKSON, of Huntingdon county, are hereby appointed commissioners.
That CHARLES C. GASKILL, DOCTOR W. JENKS, ANDREW BARNET and THOMAS LUCAS, of Jefferson county, and GREENWOOD BELL, JOHN IRVIN, DAVID FERGUSON and ALEXANDER B. READ, of Clearfield county, are hereby appointed commissioners for the company of the Clearfield and Jefferson Turnpike road.

That PHILIP CLOVER, SIDEL LOBAUGH, THOMAS POLLOCKE and LEWIS SWITZER, of Armstrong county, and JOHN M'CULLOCH, EDWARD CARLTON, JOHN MURRIN and JAMES M'KEE ESQ., of Butler county, and BEAVEN PEARSON, WILLIAM MARSHALL, BENJAMIN ALEXANDER and JAMES M'COY, of Mercer county, are hereby appointed commissioners of the Roseburg and Mercer turnpike road. 10 Apr 1826.

1830

Philip Clover died in May of 1830 so he did not appear in the 1830 census. His widow was no doubt living with one of her children. The transcription of Philips will was printed in full in The Clover Family Exchange 2:1:6 by Bob and Marguerite Clover. His will is found in the Armstrong County Courthouse listed as: Residence: Clarion Twp / Year: 1830 / Volume: 1 / Page: 108 / Estate Number: 259
Carol-Jeanne Turk recently sent me photocopies of the will from the courthouse. She included a copy of an early deed for Philip Clover. The photocopies are on the Philip Clover Documents page.

2 February 1828, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania: In the name of God, Amen, I, Philip Clover of Clarion Township, Armstrong County, and state of Pennsylvania, being in good health of body and of sound mind and memory, praised be God for the same and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs whilst I have strength and capacity so to do, do make and publish this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all wills by me at any time heretofore made: and first and principally I commit my soul into the hands of my creator who gave it, and my body to the earth to be interred in a decent like manner at the discretion of my executors hereinafter mentioned; as to such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to entrust me, I dispose of the same as follows, viz: First it is my will and I do order that all my just debts and funeral expenses be duly paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently can be after my decease; and I give and bequeath to my dear wife Mary Clover the whole of what estate I possess, real and personal, all or mixed, to wit; during her natural life and at her decease,(in case she survives me) the whole of my estate real and personal or mixed at that time either in law or equity of what kind or nature whatsoever, to be by the executors of this my last will and testament hereinafter mentioned sold and conveyed to the purchaser or purchasers to the best advantage for my children, excepting my son Gamaliel Clover to have his share or part of the tract of land I now live on adjoining lines with Robert Wilson and John Love, given and conveyed to him as his equal share with the remainder of my heirs. The remainder of my estate real and personal as above stated to be sold and divided equally to my children to wit: John, Peter, Philip, James, and Gamaliel as above provided for and to my daughters Martha Smith, Catherine Jones, and Nancy McCoy to be all equal shares excepting my son Nathan which is my will that he only is to have one half as much as the others. In case of any of the children dying before they receive their shares, their part to be equally divided among their children as soon as they are capable of receiving it or comes of age to be put to interest for their use. And lastly I nominate, constitute and appoint James Clover and Samuel C. Orr of the said county of Armstrong and state aforesaid to be the executors of this, my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other wills, legacies and bequest has by me heretofore made and declaring this and no other to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto et my hand and seal this second day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight. Signed, sealed, and published, pronounced, and declared by the said testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us, who in his presence and at his request have subscribed as witnesses. Witnesses: John Clover and Martha Clover. Proved 24 July 1830.

Children of Philip Clover and Mary Cooper

Return to father, John Peter Clover

Return to Clover Family Trees

Return to Home Page

Created, Edited, and Maintained by June Byrne
For the Clover Family Historical Society
This page is copyrighted 2007 by June Clover Byrne
For contact information, please return to Home Page.
Search Engine for everyname index for full site is also available at the bottom of the Home Page.
Last Updated 5 February 2012