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Children
Sarah Mable Clifton
Anna Louisa Clifton
Nellie B. Clifton
Sibling(s):
John
L. Clifton
Allen J. Clifton
Mary L. Clifton
Clarence E.
Clifton
Alexander
Jacob Clifton
George W. Clifton
Franklin H.
Clifton
Charles W. Clifton
Tillie D. Clifton |
Died:
Easton Express, Thursday, April 30, 1931, page 1
Allen J. Clifton, Commander of Lafayette Post, G. A. R. Dead
Only 18 Survivors of Civil War Veteran's Local Associaton Left; Joseph
Bruch Becomes Commander
Allen J. Clifton, commander of Lafayette Post No. 217, Grand Army of
the Republic, one of the few Civil War veterans of Easton died at 3:15
o'clock yesterday afternoon at his home 50 South Second
Street. On March 8 last, while ascending stairs at his home. Mr. Clifton
fell and broke an arm. The shock to his system at his advanced age
resulted in a general breakdown and his death followed. He was in the
88th year of his age.
Mr. Clifton had been commander of Lafayette post since the death of
Montville Young a little over a year ago. Mr. Young had succeeded Noah
Dietrich who for many years was commander of the post. With the death
of Mr. Clifton, Joseph Bruch, senior vice commander, will automatically
become commander. Mr. Clifton's death leaves only 18 members of Lafayette
post, most of whom live out of town, only five or six residing Easton.
Mr. Clifton was born at Atllentown on October 21, 1843, and came to
Easton when the family moved here in 1851. He resided in Easton Phillipsburg
for the remainder of his life. He was a Republican in politics and
served two terms as a jury commissioner of Northampton county from
1918 to 1926.
Mr. Clifton was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Phillipsburg;
Delaware Lodge, No. 52, F and AM of Phillipsburg; Hugh de Payens Commandery
No. 19, Knights Templar, of Easton, Lehigh Consistory, Scottish Rite
Masons, of Allentown, and Phillipsburg Aerie No. 1272 Fraternal Order
of Eagles.
He is surived by three children; Mrs. Frederick Schwenk, of Easton,
Mrs John Salzmann, Jersey City and Miss Annie L. Clfiton of Easton;
also by a a sister and two brothers, Mrs. William Fulmer, of park Ridge,
N.J., George Clifton, of Alabama, and Frank Clifton, of Utah.
Mr. Clifton had one of the most extended war records of any who went
out from this state, in the day of the Civil War. He enlisted in Campany
H. Fifty-First Pennsylvania Volunteers, Captain F. W. Bell, of Easton,
and was mustered into service at Harrisburg on September 15, 1861.
he was then almost 18 years old. The regiment was taken into service
of the United States on October 9, went to Annapolis and was made part
of the Burnside Expedition into South Carolina, and from then on was
constantly on the go for three and a half years. It's first engagement
as at Roanoke Island February 1 and 2, 1862 then came the battle of
Newbern, N.C. March 13 and 14 and next the fight at Camden S.C a month
or so later. The regiment was at Bull Run Agust 29 and 20. The next
heavy engagment was at Fredericsburg Va, where Mr. Clfton was wounded.
In the spring of 1863 the regiment went to Kentucky and then to Vicksburg,
Miss., where hs fought in the memorable clashes there from June 16
to July 4, Jackson Miss. was the scene of the next fighting in which
Mr. Clifton participated and then the regiment was marched northward
thorugh Cumberland Gap, fighting at Knoxville and going into camp for
winter.
In the spring of '64 the regiment started for Virginia, fighting in
the battles of Wilderness, at Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and finally
at Petersburg, Va., where the regiment was enaged from June 15 to August
18, 1864. This was the last big battle in which Mr. Clfton particapted.
of course there were many other minor combats in which he took part
all during his enlistment. It is recroded that the regiment marched
1, 775 miles through "mud and dust" was trasports by boats,
5, 390 miles, by rail, 3,311 miles, a total of 10, 456 miles during
this entire enlistment. Mr. Clifton was not absent from the ranks,
except when suffering from his wound and when in a hospital beacuse
of worn out feet in 1862. Whe the regiment returned from services,
he was one of but a few who sent out with the original regiment. |
