The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1884-12-23


Period In Euglish History.
Editor Of the Washington Post:
Many inquiries having been made of a
descendant of the Cleveland family, al
present in this city, with regard to the
ancestry Of the President-elect, he has
furnished ma the following information !:
The family derived the name from the
town of Cleveland, in the county of Dur
ham, England, but the principal branch
was settled in the county of York. In
the fourteenth century Sir Guy de Cleve-
land, or Cliffeland, was present at the
battle of Poictiers, where he commanded
the spearmen. The surname is corrup-
tion of Cliffeland, and is of English
origin.
The heraldic bearings of the family are
thus described:
Coat-of:Arms: Per chevron sable and ermine a
chevron engrailed, countercharged.
Crest A demi-Old man habited azure, having on
his head a cap, gules, turned up with fur, holding
in his dexter hand spear proper, having from the
blade golden cord passing behind and coied in
the left hand.
Motto: "Pro Deo ct Patria"
Moses Cleveland came to America from
Ipswich, county of Suffolk, England,
about 1895, settled in Woburn, Mass,
where he married Ann Winn in 1913,
and died there January, 1902. He had
seven sons and four daughters. The old
est son, Moses, settled in Martha's Vine
ward about 1887, and Isaac removed to
Norwich, Conn, in 1903. Aaron, the
second son, from whom Grover Cleveland
is descended, lived and died in Woburn.
10
Aaron, Rev. Aaron, Deacon William,
Richard F. and Grover. Norwich and
vicinity have been for more than Gen.
tury the headquarters of the family. The
great grandfather of the Governor (also
the grandfather of the late William E.
Dodge, of New York;, Rev. Aaron Cleve-
land, was Congregationalist minister of
Haddam, Conn, and a poet. His collec-
tion of poems was published in Everett's
Poets of Connecticut" and his remark
able poem on Family Blood" also ap-
pears in the " Genealogy of Benjamin
Cleveland" published in 1879 by Horace
G. Cleveland, of Cleveland, o., which
city received its name from one OF the
family.
There was usually in each family q
poet, a preacher, and one named Aaron.
Sometimes all three were united in the
same person, as In the one just mentioned.
A beautiful hymn
90, could fnd from day to day.
that is in many of the hymn books now
in use. was written by Benjamin Cleve-
land, an ancestor OF the writer, but not
of Grover Cleveland.
The New Haven Register has gathered
! other information from the widow OF
Abiiah Cleveland, who said:
"Grover Cleveland's grandfather (son
of Rev. Aaron, above mentioned) was
William Cleveland, deacon in the First
| Congregational Church on tie old Nor.
| wich town green. He was . goldsmith
His son. Richard F., was Grover Cleve
lands father. He lived in Norwich for q
long time, was graduated at Yale College
married and went ont into the Middle
states. Grover Cleyelapd's ancestry il
such that he can well afford 70 be proud
of it."
The family was celebrated for its lon
0evitv. aFsther" Cleveland, missionary
in Boston, lived and preached until b
reached nearly the age of 100 years. A
female member OF the family, who was ~
old woman when the writer Of this was {
school boy, died in 1877, aged lol year
and . few days over four monthA III
i knew many of the family who lived unit
| upwards Of ninety ysarG. BxHyAAIN.
| WAsHrHGrox, Nov. 10.
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