John Clifton
Montpelier Examiner, Friday, 1 August 1913, page 1
Bear Lake County has lost another one of its pioneers, in the
person of John Clifton, who died in his home in Paris last Friday at the
advanced age of 84 years, six months and three days. Mr. Clifton was born in
Wormanton, Nottingham, England on March 31, 1829. When a young man he left his
father's family and went to Crowle, England where he met and married Hannah
Pettinger on Nov 26, 1851. A few years after the marriage he and his wife
accepted the Mormon faith and were baptized in March 1852.
In December 1859 they emigrated to the United States, arriving in Brooklyn February 1860. Mr. Clifton worked there for a year in order to have means with which to move his family to Utah. In June 1861 they joined Capt. Joseph Horn's company and crossed the plains with ox teams, arriving in Salt Lake valley late in September of that year. On October 30, 1861 he was married to Ann Cook, who died at Willard a year later, leaving a daughter.
While residing at Willard, Mr. Clifton with others was called to settle in Bear Lake valley and he was with the first party that entered the valley, arriving here on Oct 7, 1863. The team he drove from Willard consisted of an ox and a cow. Mr. Clifton located at Paris and he has resided there ever since, with the exception of about six months spent at Hyrum, Utah.
His is survived by three sons, four daughters, 70 grandchildren and 54 great grandchildren. His funeral services were held in the Paris Second ward meeting house last Monday morning at 10 am.