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Archie Clement
Missouri Guerrilla
Jackson, Cass and Johnson Counties, Missouri
 
This information is the results of my own research. Some information is documented and some is not. As with any information on line, you should verify it yourself before accepting it as fact.
 

     

 

 

     Archibald (Archie) Clement or "Little Arch"  was a Confederate guerrilla leader in the American Civil War, known for his brutality towards Union soldiers and pro-Union civilians in Missouri.

    Archie Clement was born in Moniteau County, Missouri, on January 01, 1846. The family moved to Johnson County in 1853, then to Cass County, then to Kingsville, Johnson county about 1861.

    At age 15, Archie enlisted in the Confederate Army and served two months and nineteen days, then was discharged.

     He joined the guerillas under William T. Anderson, and became known as Bloody Bill's most trusted compatriot. At age 17, he was Bill Anderson's lieutenant. Archie was a small man, blonde and grey-eyed, with a perpetual smile. Standing just over five feet tall and weighing about 130 pounds, Clement's slight stature belied his ferocity, as he was known to be an expert pistol shot and fearless under fire. He was often referred to as "Little Archie Clement."  

    William "Bloody Bill" Anderson, Confederate guerilla and outlaw, was born in Missouri and in 1861 was a resident of Council Groves, Kansas, where he and his father and brothers achieved a reputation as horse thieves and murderers. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was forced by his Unionist neighbors to flee to Clay County, Missouri, where he became a guerilla leader notorious for leading raids along the Kansas-Missouri border and infamous for scalping his victims. He often decorated the bridle of his horse with Yankee scalps. Especially heinous was his raid against the German settlers of Lafayette County, Missouri, in July 1863.

    Anderson's unit was a part of Quantrill's Guerrillas. When, in August 1863 two of Bloody Bill's sisters were killed and a third crippled for life in the collapse of a makeshift jail in which they were being held by Union authorities, the already ferocious Anderson redoubled his frenzy of killing. Prominent in his band were Archie Clement, Frank James, and later Jesse James.
    On August 21, 1863, Anderson and his gang of about thirty joined William C. Quantrill in the celebrated Lawrence, Kansas, raid, in which Anderson was reputed to have been the most bloodthirsty of all of the 450 raiders.

    Archie Clement took a prominent role in all major operations of Anderson's unit in 1864, including the Centralia Massacre, looting and burning buildings and terrifying the local populace. They barricaded the tracks of the Northern Missouri Railroad, and forced a train to stop. They robbed the civilian passengers, and killed 21 Union soldiers who were returning home to Iowa and northwest Missouri on furlough. Anderson left one Union sergeant alive for a possible prisoner exchange; the rest he had stripped, shot, and scalped or otherwise mutilated.

    Upon Anderson's death on October 27, 1864, Archie Clement took command of his unit, continuing military action into the next year, even after the Civil War ended with the surrender at Lee's army in Virginia. Clement took over Anderson's command when Anderson was killed on October 26, 1864. While many of his comrades eventually surrendered, including the James brothers, Jesse and Frank, Archie never did.

    By the beginning of 1866, Clement steered himself and his friends into a new profession; bank robbery. On February 13, 1866, a group of gunmen carried out the first daylight, peacetime, armed bank robbery in U.S. history, when they held up the Clay County Savings Association in Liberty, Missouri, stealing some $60,000 in cash and bonds. The state authorities suspected Archie Clement of leading the raid. The bank happened to be run by the leading Radicals of Clay County, who had just held a public meeting for their party. The Radical governor posted a reward for Clement, while he and his men conducted further robberies that year. On election day of 1866, Clement led his crew into Lexington, Missouri, where they intimidated Radical voters and secured the election of a Conservative slate of candidates. 

     In later years, the list of suspects for the Clay County robbery would grow to include Frank James, Cole Younger, John Jarrette, Oliver Shepard, Bud and Donny Pence, Frank Gregg, Bill and James Wilkerson, Joab Perry, Ben Cooper, Red Monkus and Allen Parmer (who later married Susan James, Frank and Jesse's sister). The outlaws also killed George Wymore, a bystander on the street outside the bank.

    That crime began a string of robberies, many of which were linked to Clement's group of bushwhackers. The hold-up most clearly linked to the group was of Alexander Mitchell and Company in Lexington, Missouri, on October 30, 1866, which netted $2,011.50. 

    On December 13, 1866, Clement led a group of his men into Lexington to visit old friends, including Dave Pool. Major Bacon Montgomery, Army commander of the town, was anxious to head off a confrontation, and ordered Clement and his pals to register for the local militia at the court house and be on their way, which they did. Later, Archie returned to town alone, to drink with an old friend at the bar of the City Hotel. Upon getting word that Clement was in town and alone, Montgomery acted. His men confronted Archie at the bar, demanding his surrender. A gun battle erupted. Clement dashed outside, got on his horse and tried to flee, only to be riddled with bullets by a company of soldiers as he passed the court house. Archie's pursuers walked up to him as he lay in the street, where he was still trying to cock a revolver with his teeth. One of them asked, "Arch, you are dying. What do you want me to do with you?" to which he replied, "I've done what I always said I would do...die before I'd surrender." He was 19 years old.

    After Archie Clement's death, his guerrilla band continued to rob and be pursued by government troops, until his old friend Jesse James took command and they became the beginning of the James-Younger gang.

 

 

     The Clement Family

 

Generation No. 1

 

1.  EDWARD M.2 CLEMENT  (JOHNSON1) was born Abt. 1800 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and died Bet. 1855 - 1860 in probably in Cass County, Missouri.  He married MARY JANE HIATT Abt. 1828 in North Carolina, daughter of MOSES HIATT and PATSEY DONELLY.  She was born April 13, 1812 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and died Bet. 1870 - 1880 in probably in Cass or Johnson County, Missouri.

 

Notes for EDWARD M. CLEMENT:

The family moved to Moniteau County, Missouri about 1844, then to Johnson County in 1853, to Cass, then back to Johnson after 1860.

     

Children of EDWARD CLEMENT and MARY HIATT are:

2.           i.     EDWARD J.3 CLEMENT, b. February 23, 1829, Stokes County, North Carolina.

3.          ii.     MARTHA E. CLEMENT, b. March 23, 1830, Stokes County, North Carolina; d. March 29, 1919, Lone Jack, Jackson County, Missouri.

            iii.     JANE E. CLEMENT, b. October 25, 1832, Stokes County, North Carolina; d. February 25, 1910, Cass County, Missouri.

 

Notes for JANE E. CLEMENT:

1860 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Johnson > Jackson

Living with Charles J. and Nancy Clement

 

1870 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Cass > Polk

Living with Andrew and Juriah Miller. 

 

4.         iv.     WASHINGTON V. CLEMENT, b. April 10, 1834, Stokes County, North Carolina; d. March 10, 1864, Civil War.

5.          v.     SARAH ANN CLEMENT, b. January 30, 1836, Stokes County, North Carolina; d. 1940.

6.         vi.     CHARLES J. CLEMENT, b. November 30, 1838, Stokes County, North Carolina; d. Sonoma County, California.

           vii.     WILLIAM A. CLEMENT, b. March 15, 1841, Stokes County, North Carolina.

 

Notes for WILLIAM A. CLEMENT:

Listed with the family in 1860 as age 20. No further record found. May have died in the war. May have been the brother of Archie called "Henry" who was with Quantrill.

 

7.       viii.     JURIAH A. CLEMENT, b. May 25, 1843, Stokes County, North Carolina.

            ix.     ARCHIBALD CLEMENT, b. January 01, 1846, Missouri; d. December 13, 1866, Lexington, Missouri.

 

Notes for ARCHIBALD CLEMENT:

Name: Clements, Archibald

Rank: Private   Conflict: Civil War   Side: Confederate   Type of Unit: Cavalry

Organization: Missouri State Guard   Name of Unit: 2nd Missouri Cavalry

 

Clements, Archibald,  Pvt.   Co. E, 2nd Mo. Cav.   MSG--CSA

Enlisted Sept. 26, 1861    Discharged Dec. 10, 1861

Actual Service 2 months, 19 days    Paid $71.90 April 25, 1862.

Muster Roll on file, Adj. Office, Jefferson City, Mo.

 

 

             x.     GABRIEL H. CLEMENT, b. March 01, 1849, Missouri; d. Bef. 1860, probably Cass County, Missouri.

8.         xi.     MARY FRANCES CLEMENT, b. August 19, 1851, Missouri; d. March 28, 1942.

           xii.     HANDY CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1853, Missouri.

 

Notes for HANDY CLEMENT:

Listed as age 7 in 1860. Not with her mother in 1870. No further record found.

 

          xiii.     HENRY CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1855, Missouri; d. Bef. 1870, probably Johnson county, Missouri.

 

Notes for HENRY CLEMENT:

Some rosters list Henry Clement, brother of Archie, as a member of Quantrill's Guerrillas. Obviously, Henry was much too young. It's possible that the Clement listed as Henry was actually another brother, William Clement.

 

 

Generation No. 2

 

2.  EDWARD J.3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born February 23, 1829 in Stokes County, North Carolina.  He married SUSAN CRUM May 23, 1850 in Moniteau County, Missouri.  She was born Abt. 1830 in Virginia.

 

Notes for EDWARD J. CLEMENT:

1870 United States Federal Census > California > Los Angeles > El Monte

     

Children of EDWARD CLEMENT and SUSAN CRUM are:

              i.     WILLIAM4 CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1851, Missouri.

9.          ii.     JOHNSON CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1854, Missouri.

            iii.     GEORGE CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1856, Missouri; m. MOLLIE E. MORRELL; b. Abt. 1859, Texas.

 

Notes for GEORGE CLEMENT:

1880 United States Federal Census > California > Los Angeles > Westminster > District 29

 

            iv.     HENRY CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1864, California. 

 

3.  MARTHA E.3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born March 23, 1830 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and died March 29, 1919 in Lone Jack, Jackson County, Missouri.  She married FLAVIOUS JOSEPHUS HOWARD December 27, 1849 in Moniteau county, Missouri, son of JOSEPH HOWARD.  He was born Abt. 1823 in North Carolina, and died Bet. 1864 - 1870 in Missouri (Civil War?).

 

Notes for MARTHA E. CLEMENT:

1870 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Johnson > Kingsville - same page as her mother.

1880 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Cass > Polk > District 39

1900 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Cass > Polk > District 39

1910 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Jackson > Van Buren > District 215

 

Notes for FLAVIOUS JOSEPHUS HOWARD:

1850 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Johnson > Jackson

1860 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Johnson > Jackson - same page as Charles J. Clement

 

8th Regiment, Missouri Infantry - Confederate

 Howard, Clement

 Howard, F.J.

 Howard, George W.

 Howard, J.A.

 Howard, Thomas J.

     

Children of MARTHA CLEMENT and FLAVIOUS HOWARD are:

              i.     JOSEPH E.4 HOWARD, b. Abt. 1851.

             ii.     ELIZABETH HOWARD, b. Abt. 1856, Missouri.

            iii.     RUFUS K. HOWARD, b. Abt. 1857, Johnson County, Missouri; d. Bef. 1870, Johnson County, Missouri.

            iv.     JEREMIAH HOWARD, b. November 1863, Missouri.

             v.     JESSIE HOWARD, b. February 1869, Missouri. 

 

4.  WASHINGTON V.3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born April 10, 1834 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and died March 10, 1864 in Civil War.  He married MARY FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM October 28, 1852 in Johnson County, Missouri.  She was born Abt. 1835 in Tennessee.

 

Notes for WASHINGTON V. CLEMENT:

1860 United States Federal Census > Kansas Territory > Linn > Valley

----------

Name: Washington Clemons ,  

Residence: Blooming Grove, Kansas 

Enlistment Date: 24 July 1861

Side Served: Union 

State Served: Kansas 

Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 24 July 1861

Enlisted in Company D, 10th Infantry Regiment Kansas on 11 February 1862.

Died of disease Company D, 10th Infantry Regiment Kansas on 10 March 1864 in Alton, IL

 

Name: Washington V. Clement

Service Info.: PVT US ARMY CIVIL WAR 

Death Date: 10 Mar 1864

Cemetery: Alton National Cemetery 

Cemetery Address: 600 Pearl Street Alton, IL 62003 

Buried At: Section B Site 30 

 

Notes for MARY FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM:

Remarried to John Priddy after Washington's death.  Lived in Henry Co., MO in 1870, then in Cass Co. in 1880.

     

Children of WASHINGTON CLEMENT and MARY CUNNINGHAM are:

              i.     MARY4 CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1854, Missouri.

             ii.     SARAH CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1856, Missouri.

            iii.     LOUISA CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1862, Kansas. 

 

5.  SARAH ANN3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born January 30, 1836 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and died 1940.  She married ISAM HELMS July 07, 1852 in Johnson County, Missouri, son of HOUSTON HELMS and ANNIE GILLIAM.  He was born Abt. 1830 in Missouri.

     

Children of SARAH CLEMENT and ISAM HELMS are:

              i.     HENRY4 HELMS, b. Abt. 1853.

             ii.     SARAH HELMS, b. Abt. 1854.

            iii.     HOUSTON HELMS, b. Abt. 1856.

            iv.     MARY HELMS, b. Abt. 1859. 

 

6.  CHARLES J.3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born November 30, 1838 in Stokes County, North Carolina, and died in Sonoma County, California.  He married NANCY M. HARRIS November 15, 1855 in Johnson County, missouri.  She was born July 03, 1838 in North Carolina, and died February 17, 1913 in Sonoma County, California.

 

Notes for CHARLES J. CLEMENT:

1860 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Johnson > Jackson

1880 Anderson, Mendocino, California

     

Children of CHARLES CLEMENT and NANCY HARRIS are:

              i.     ANNE ELIZA4 CLEMENT, b. October 11, 1863, Missouri.

             ii.     PAMELA BELLE CLEMENT, b. October 1865, Colorado.

            iii.     AMANDA ELLEN CLEMENT, b. November 25, 1868, Colorado.

            iv.     JESSE EDWARD CLEMENT, b. December 13, 1871, California; d. January 29, 1953, Mendocino County, California.

             v.     LAURIE F. CLEMENT, b. Abt. 1879, California. 

 

7.  JURIAH A.3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born May 25, 1843 in Stokes County, North Carolina.  She married ANDREW J. MILLER April 14, 1858 in Cass County, Missouri.  He was born Abt. 1833 in Tennessee.

 

Notes for ANDREW J. MILLER:

1870 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Cass > Polk

     

Children of JURIAH CLEMENT and ANDREW MILLER are:

              i.     MARY4 MILLER, b. Abt. 1859, Missouri; d. Bef. 1870, Missouri.

             ii.     WILLIAM MILLER, b. Abt. 1865, Missouri.

            iii.     ROSIE MILLER, b. Abt. 1867, Missouri.

            iv.     JOSEPH MILLER, b. 1869, Missouri. 

 

8.  MARY FRANCES3 CLEMENT (EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born August 19, 1851 in Missouri, and died March 28, 1942.  She married ROBERT ARCHIBALD WOOLDRIDGE December 24, 1868 in Johnson County, Missouri, son of JOHN WOOLDRIDGE and SARAH LACY.  He was born January 08, 1851 in Saline County, Missouri, and died March 06, 1936 in Cass County, Missouri.

 

Notes for ROBERT ARCHIBALD WOOLDRIDGE:

1870 United States Federal Census > Missouri > Johnson > Kingsville

     

Children of MARY CLEMENT and ROBERT WOOLDRIDGE are:

              i.     SARAH ANN4 WOOLDRIDGE, b. 1870.

             ii.     LILLIE WOOLDRIDGE, b. June 1877; m. DARRAH.

            iii.     WILLIAM WOOLDRIDGE, b. July 1879.

            iv.     GIRL WOOLDRIDGE, b. December 07, 1888, East Lynne, Johnson County, Missouri; d. January 09, 1899, East Lynne, Johnson County, Missouri.

             v.     JESTIE? WOOLDRIDGE, b. December 1889.

            vi.     LANA WOOLDRIDGE, b. June 15, 1890.

           vii.     TWIN WOOLDRIDGE, b. June 15, 1890, East Lynne, Johnson County, Missouri; d. July 07, 1890, East Lynne, Johnson County, Missouri.

 

 

Generation No. 3

 

9.  JOHNSON4 CLEMENT (EDWARD J.3, EDWARD M.2, JOHNSON1) was born Abt. 1854 in Missouri.  He married CASSIE MORRELL.  She was born Abt. 1859 in Texas.

 

Notes for JOHNSON CLEMENT:

1880 United States Federal Census > California > Los Angeles > Westminster > District 29 

     

Children of JOHNSON CLEMENT and CASSIE MORRELL are:

              i.     WILLIAM E.5 CLEMENT, b. December 05, 1876, California; d. April 13, 1946, Orange County, California.

             ii.     ALLIE CLEMENT, b. January 15, 1879, California; d. January 13, 1948, Los Angeles, California; m. WINSLOW.

 

 

 
 
 
 
James R. Baker, Jr.
 
 
   jrbakerjr  Genealogy