The Clarksons who served, from a Fairfield militia in 1657 to World War II

26 veterans · 1657 to 1953 · 13 Confirmed, 13 Likely · Both lines: Veterans of the family

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By the end of World War II, two Clarkson men wore a general's star. Herbert Slayden Clarkson, a Naval Academy man commissioned into the Field Artillery in 1913, retired in 1946 as a brigadier general. Percy W. Clarkson, an infantry officer since 1916, was a major general in the wartime Army of the United States by the end of 1942.

Herbert's 1913 commission is the earliest military record for any of William Clarkson's own descendants. The family's service goes back much further through the families the tree shows it marrying into, the Ligon, Nash, Gold, Wells, Sharpe and Bearden ancestors of Cissie Ligon Clarkson, though some of those links haven't been checked yet. Their records run from Connecticut in the 1650s to the Pacific in 1945, and a shorter section at the end covers uncles and great-uncles who sit beside the line rather than in it.

Where a regiment's battles are named, they show where the unit was, not that a particular man fought there. Living relatives appear only through public records. The Oak family's service, including the Fairfield militia officers of the same era and town (shared in time and place, not in ancestry), is on Oak-line military service.

Fairfield and Stratford militia officers, 1657 and after

Connecticut towns kept trainbands, their militia companies, and the colony's General Assembly confirmed their officers. Nathan Gold of Fairfield was a lieutenant in 1657, a captain by 1667 and the county's major by 1673. In 1715 the Assembly made "Mr. Thomas Nash of Fairfield" lieutenant of the west parish trainband, and in 1727 captain of the company at Greens Farms (Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vol. 5, p. 505; vol. 7, p. 125). In May 1727 it also confirmed "Mr. John Wells of Stratford to be Captain of the south company or trainband" (vol. 7, p. 94). These were local duties, and no battle is recorded for any of the three.

The family tree makes all three ancestors of Cissie Ligon Clarkson: Gold through her father's side, and Nash and Wells through her mother's Nash line. Those links came into the tree from imported research and haven't been checked yet.

The Revolution, in Connecticut, Virginia and the Carolinas

Blackman Ligon served four years to the day in the Continental Army. His pension file (W9132) records service in the 7th Virginia from February 12, 1776 to February 12, 1780. Those were the years the regiment fought at Brandywine, sent men to Germantown and wintered at Valley Forge. His rank is uncertain, and so is his regiment: his grave marker calls him a sergeant in the 5th Virginia.

In Connecticut, a service jacket names "Nash, Thomas, Captain" in Whiting's militia regiment. He is probably Thomas Deacon Nash III, though nothing else confirms it, and the jacket gives no dates. The Connecticut rolls do: a Captain Thomas Nash of Fairfield served with the guards of Col. Samuel Whiting's regiment from April 5 to 23, 1777, led his company to Fishkill and Peekskill from October 5 to 30, 1777, turned out for the New Haven alarm of July 1779, and was a captain of guards in 1781 (Record of Service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution, pp. 518, 548, 629-630). No battle is credited to him.

John Sharpe also served in the Revolution; his rank, too, is uncertain.

Tennessee militia, 1814

In 1814, Jeremiah Bearden served four months in Captain Abraham Allen's Tennessee company, from January 28 to May 28 by his pension papers (the envelope gives his discharge as May 26). Allen's company belonged to Napier's 1st West Tennessee Militia, which marched by the forts of the Creek campaign. Part of the regiment fought at Horseshoe Bend on March 27 while others guarded Fort Williams; nothing we have seen says where Bearden was.

The same pension envelope tells the rest of his story in a few lines. He married Rachel Hamilton on March 20, 1811, in Montgomery County, Tennessee, and died on May 15, 1850, in Pike County, Mississippi, as the family tree has it (National Archives, War of 1812 pension index, M313, roll 6).

The twentieth century

Herbert Slayden Clarkson went from the Naval Academy into the Army, commissioned a second lieutenant of Field Artillery on June 26, 1913. Thirty years later, on September 14, 1943, he was appointed brigadier general in the Army of the United States (Official Army Register, January 1, 1946, p. 127). One biography says September 1942, but the register gives 1943. He retired as a brigadier general on May 31, 1946, and the 1955 register adds his Distinguished Service Medal (1947 register, p. 1335; 1955 register, vol. I, p. 936).

Percy W. Clarkson was commissioned in the infantry on November 30, 1916. The war brought three promotions in fourteen months in the Army of the United States: colonel on October 14, 1941, brigadier general on June 20, 1942 and major general on December 5, 1942 (Official Army Register, January 1, 1946, p. 127). He probably took command of the 33rd Infantry Division in October 1943. That division fought its way toward Baguio, on Luzon in the Philippines, beside the 37th in 1945. The 1955 register lists his retirement as a major general on December 31, 1953. His story is told in Percy W. Clarkson.

Herbert Kelso Clarkson entered the Army in February 1941 and later became a lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve. The Navy's 1949 register of reserve officers lists three Groos officers on one page: Gus Julius Groos Jr. and two men who were very probably his older brothers, Clarkson Groos and Frederick Carl Groos Jr. The 1920 census lists Florence Groos at San Antonio with sons Clarkson, Frederick and Gus. Veterans Administration records give Clarkson's Navy service from March 1942 to November 1945 and Frederick's from June 1942 to November 1945. In 1949 all three were still Reserve officers: Frederick a lieutenant, with that rank from October 1944; Gus a lieutenant commander from October 1945; Clarkson a lieutenant commander from August 1946. The register does not say when any of them was first commissioned. Gus was a son of Florence Clarkson Groos: the 1969 amendment to his birth certificate names his parents as Frederick Carl Groos and Florence Alice Clarkson.

Relatives beside the line

These men aren't ancestors or descendants of anyone above, as the tree has them. Bradford Chisholm, W. O. Ligon Jr. and Winchester Kelso Jr. are brothers, uncles or great-uncles of people in the line. William Nash is entered as a son of a Dempsey Nash whom the tree keeps separate from Cissie's ancestor of the same name; whether they were one man, we don't know.

Texas, and the Civil War

A William Nash, probably this one, appears under Thomas S. McFarland in an index of Texas rolls for 1836, the year of Texas independence.

Bradford A. Chisholm was probably in Waul's Texas Legion; an indexed service entry links him to it, though his service cards haven't been checked yet. The legion's infantry served at Vicksburg and, after their parole, on the Texas coast.

Gloster's state company, 1899

In 1899, two newspaper notices named a W. O. Ligon Jr., probably this one, first lieutenant of the Gloster Light Infantry, a Mississippi state company. Nothing we've seen says he fought in the Spanish-American War.

World War I

Winchester Kelso Jr. was commissioned a first lieutenant of infantry in the Regular Army on October 26, 1917.

Everyone in this line

Confirmed: an official record shows the service and ties it to this man. Likely: the record matches by name and place, or rests on the family's account; the note says why.

Jump to: 1600s · 1700s · 1800s · 1900s · Date not yet found

1600s

Veterans in this line, 1600s

Name	Branch	War	Years	Service record
MilitiaHave a clipping or record about Nathan?Nathan Gold	Militia	Colonial militia	1657–1673Commission dates, not a tour: lieutenant 1657, captain by 1667, major 1673.	Confirmed

1700s

Veterans in this line, 1700s

Name	Branch	War	Years	Service record
MilitiaHave a clipping or record about Thomas?Thomas Nash	Militia	Colonial militia	1715–1727Commission dates, not a tour: lieutenant of the west parish company of Fairfield, 1715, and captain of the Greens Farms company, 1727 (Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vol. 5, p. 505; vol. 7, p. 125).	Confirmed
MilitiaHave a clipping or record about John?John Wells	Militia	Colonial militia	1727Captain of Stratford's south company, 1727 (Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, vol. 7, p. 94).	Confirmed
Continental ArmyHave a clipping or record about Blackman?Blackman Ligon	Continental Army	Revolutionary War	1776–17807th Virginia Regiment of the Continental line (pension file); his rank is unresolved.	Confirmed
Have a clipping or record about John?John Sharpe	Branch not stated	Revolutionary War	about 1776Estimated: his gravestone says Revolutionary officer; about 1776 is a guess from his birth in 1755. No roll seen.	Likely
MilitiaHave a clipping or record about Thomas?Thomas Deacon Nash III	Militia	Revolutionary War	1777–1781Captain in Col. Samuel Whiting's Connecticut regiment: guards at Fairfield, April 5-23, 1777; the Fishkill campaign of October 1777; the New Haven alarm of July 1779; captain of guards in 1781 (Record of Service of Connecticut Men; Rolls and Lists, vol. VIII). Separate calls, not one tour. The records name a Captain Thomas Nash of Fairfield; that it is this man is Likely.	Likely
MilitiaHave a clipping or record about Samuel?Samuel B. BillingsleyBy marriage	Militia	Revolutionary War	1781"Samuel Billingsbe" served 12 days on the payroll of Capt. Joseph Sharpe's company of Col. Francis Locke's North Carolina militia, January 26 to March 11, 1781 (State Records of North Carolina, vol. 17, p. 1056, cited by his SAR patriot record). That he is Samuel B. Billingsley is Likely: the spelling differs and the payroll gives no family details.	Likely

1800s

Veterans in this line, 1800s

Name	Branch	War	Years	Service record
MilitiaHave a photo, clipping or record of Jeremiah?Jeremiah Bearden	Militia	War of 1812	1814Private, Capt. Abraham Allen's company, Tennessee militia, January 28 to May 1814: the pension correspondence gives his discharge as May 28, the pension envelope as May 26 (National Archives, War of 1812 pension index, M313, roll 6). The envelope names his widow, Rachel, born Hamilton; their marriage, March 20, 1811, Montgomery County, Tennessee; and his death, May 15, 1850, Pike County, Mississippi.	Confirmed
Have a photo, clipping or record of Asa?Asa Columbus Mitchell	Branch not stated	Army of the Republic of Texas, 1836	1836Private in Capt. William W. Hill's ranger company on the frontier, July 3 to October 3, 1836, discharged at Hickory Point by order of Gen. Thomas J. Rusk (audited Republic claim 855; General Land Office bounty certificate No. 3571): Confirmed. At San Jacinto: the San Jacinto List (Texas State Archives; General Land Office copy, p. 31) has "A. Mitchell," sergeant, in Company B, 1st Regiment of Volunteers, Capt. R. Roman, and the Handbook of Texas places him there; the list gives only an initial, so that is Likely.	Confirmed
Have a photo, clipping or record of John?John Dempsey Nash	Branch not stated	Texas Revolution, San Jacinto, 1836	1836At San Jacinto by a Kaufman Sun obituary of July 1, 1898 ("Another Old Veteran Passes Away"), seen only as transcribed on Find a Grave; the San Jacinto List (General Land Office copy, p. 30) has "J. Nash" in the Cavalry Corps under Mirabeau B. Lamar (initial only).	Likely
Have a photo, clipping or record of Nathan?Nathan Mitchell	Branch not stated	Texas Revolution, San Jacinto, 1836	1836At San Jacinto in Company H, 1st Regiment, Capt. William W. Hill's company under Robert Stevenson (the San Jacinto List, General Land Office copy, p. 36: "Nathan'l Mitchell"), and a second lieutenant of a mounted gun company in December 1836; later in the quartermaster corps in the Mexican War, year not given (Briscoe Center, Nathan Mitchell Papers, biographical note; Handbook of Texas). Both are compiled accounts, not service records. A son of Asa Mitchell; the Briscoe note says both fought at San Jacinto.	Likely
William NashNot in uniform	Branch not stated	Republic of Texas volunteer company, 1836	1836On an index of Republic of Texas rolls, McFarland's volunteer company, 1836.	Likely
Confederate ArmyHave a photo, clipping or record of Bradford?Bradford A. Chisholm	Confederate Army	Civil War	1862Waul's Texas Legion; the indexed entry gives age 25 in 1862.	Likely
Confederate ArmyHave a photo, clipping or record of Oscar?Oscar Fitz Allen Nash	Confederate Army	Civil War	1862Private, Company F, 17th Texas Infantry, age 21 in 1862 (service card); an O. F. Nash also served in the 3rd Battalion of Texas Volunteers and the 33rd Texas Cavalry.	Likely
State troopsHave a photo, clipping or record of William?William Orlando Ligon Jr.	State troops	Mississippi state company	1899First lieutenant, Gloster Light Infantry, a Mississippi state company.	Likely

1900s

Veterans in this line, 1900s

Name	Branch	War	Years	Service record
Herbert Slayden ClarksonIn uniform	Army	World War II	1913–1946The years are his Army career, commissioned 1913 and retired 1946; he was a general in World War II from 1943.	Confirmed
Percy W. ClarksonIn uniform	Army	World War II	1916–1953The years are his Army career, commissioned 1916 and retired 1953; he was a general in World War II from 1942.	Confirmed
Winchester Kelso IINot in uniform	Army	World War I	1917First lieutenant of Infantry, Regular Army, rank from 26 October 1917.	Confirmed
Herbert Kelso ClarksonNot in uniform	Army, Navy	World War II	1941Entered the Army in February 1941; later a lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve. No transfer date found.	Confirmed
NavyHave a photo, clipping or record of Clarkson?Clarkson Groos	Navy	World War II	1942–1945Navy service from March 1942 to November 1945 (VA death file); a Naval Reserve lieutenant commander in 1949, date of rank August 1, 1946 (Naval Reserve register). When he was first commissioned is not known. Very probably a brother of Gus Julius Groos Jr.	Confirmed
ArmyHave a photo, clipping or record of Edgar?Edgar Raye ChamblissBy marriage	Army	World War II	1942Private, Air Corps, enlisted November 2, 1942, at Ellington Field, Houston (Army enlistment record); his grave marker reads U.S. Army Air Corps, World War II. Natalee Ligon's first husband.	Likely
NavyHave a photo, clipping or record of Frederick?Frederick Carl Groos Jr.	Navy	World War II	1942–1945Navy service from June 1942 to November 1945 (VA death file); a Naval Reserve lieutenant in 1949, date of rank October 1, 1944 (Naval Reserve register). When he was first commissioned is not known. Very probably a brother of Gus Julius Groos Jr.	Confirmed
Gus Julius Groos Jr.Not in uniform	Navy	World War II	1945U.S. Naval Reserve officer: a lieutenant commander from October 3, 1945, and still in the Reserve in April 1949 (Naval Reserve register, 1949). When he was first commissioned is not known; the register's pay base date of July 1941 is not a commissioning date.	Confirmed

Date not yet found

Veterans in this line, Date not yet found

Name	Branch	War	Years	Service record
Confederate ArmyBuckston Thomas Ligon	Confederate Army	Civil War	date not yet foundA Buxton Thomas Ligon is indexed as a private, later sergeant, in Company A of the 1st Mississippi Light Artillery (National Park Service index; no dates). Likely, because the uncommon full name matches; the index gives no age, home or parents. A Buckston T. Ligon of the 10th Mississippi Infantry may be the same man, but nothing ties the two entries.	Likely
Confederate ArmyCharles A. Ligon	Confederate Army	Civil War	date not yet foundA Charles A. Ligon is indexed as a private in Company E (the Quitman Guards of Pike County) of the 16th Mississippi Infantry (National Park Service index; no dates). Likely, because the company was raised in Pike County, where this Ligon family lived; the index gives no age or parents.	Likely
Confederate ArmyLemuel T. Ligon	Confederate Army	Civil War	date not yet foundA Lemuel T. Ligon (also indexed as Leonard T.) is indexed as a private in Company E (the Quitman Guards of Pike County) of the 16th Mississippi Infantry (National Park Service index; no dates). Likely, because the company was raised in Pike County, where this Ligon family lived; the index gives no age or parents.	Likely

What we're still looking for

We are still looking for a personal record of O. F. Nash of Allen's 17th Texas Infantry, a name not yet tied to anyone in the tree; the rest of Jeremiah Bearden's War of 1812 pension file, beyond the envelope; and the ships and later units of the twentieth-century men. If you know of any of these, or of a veteran we've missed, please write. The Oak family's service is on Oak-line military service.

Know a veteran we missed? Send us their details.

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