A Brief Family History

Henry Clements later Clemmons was born about 1737 possibly in Colonial Virginia. Henry married, about 1768, Orpha or Orphey, born about 1747. Their known children were: Mary [Polly], Amelia [Milly], William T., Thomas, and James.

Spence or Spencer Mozingo was first found in 1782 - 1787 listed on the Orange County, Virginia Tax Records [beginning Oct 1782]. His wife's name was never found. Their known children were: Joseph, James, Mary [Polly], Ellen [Nelly], and Benjamin. Another possible son is Thomas.

These two families' children inter-married four times in a 21 year time span [1800 - 1821]. Two in Orange County, Virginia, one in Bourbon County, Kentucky, and the last in Harrison County, Kentucky. By February 1808, the Mozingo family appears to have migrated to Kentucky. It appears the remaining Clemons family followed over a year to two years later.

No further proof of Henry’s or Spencer’s earlier ancestors has been found. A large and well-documented Mozingo lineage can be found for an adjacent Culpeper County line, but no possible connection for Spencer can be found, to date. Could Henry and/or Spencer be using their middle names?

Culpeper County, Virginia Oct 1782 Tax List shows a George Mozzingo, Charles Mozzingo, and Charles Mozzingo Sr.

To date, no record of Revolutionary military service for the families has been found. However, a vague family legend exists for Spencer having gone from Culpeper [not proven, of course].

This timeframe in history was the Colonial Period (pre-1775) and later the War of the American Revolution period: (1775-1783). Orange County, in the north-central Piedmont region of Virginia, was in the Tobacco Belt, and primarily was a tobacco growing region. Tobacco was hauled, at least 31 miles, [or rolled, in special barrels] to Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County, markets [located on the Rappahannock River]. The roads were merely wagon trails. No road improvements were made in the region until the early 1800s. In 1765, Brock's Bridge (one of the first bridges) was built over the North Anna River. The slave population was almost equal to the non-slave population. James and Dolly Madison [Montpelier Estate] were prominent residents of the region. In Orange County you will find rolling landscapes and incredible views of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.