The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-12-04

The following sketch was written by
Mr. Cliff himself only few weeks ago
and turned over to his friend, Mr..
Harry C. Curran for publication in the
Public Ledger at his death:
B. F. Cliff, the subject of this sketch,
was born December 18th, 1888, moved
with his parents, Hensley and Mar
garet Cliff, to the home he now oc-
cupies. Hensley Cliff, his father, died
January 26th, 1857, left a will with
request that his son, B. F. Gift as
sist his mother as Administrative of
his will which was to serve ten years,
at which time he supposed his young
est child would have received an edu
cation equal to his older children; his
father leaving three sets of children
two by first wife, three by secohd wife
and six by the last wife. B. F. Cliff
being second child, II years old past
December. BY the will his wife was
to pay his debts which was eighteen
hundred dollars, by the sale of land
or Negroes, as we chose. We assumed
| the debts and paid them in the ten
years and accumulated $4,000 for her
and $4,000 for himself. B. F. Cliff
married December goth, 1855, to Co.
lumbia Berry. His wife continued to
1 Co 70
B. F. Cliff with his mother as before
marriage B. F. Cliff bought of Sim
mon Ford A acres grounds, log cabin
on same and had $500 in money to
pay $1,000. The following October
with my management. only lacked
$500 of being able to pay all. From
that commenced to grow.
My mother and I on January 26th,
1 put up the farm of 178 acres and the
Negroes under the will exposed same
to highest and best bidder. She and
1 buying the farm at $63 per acre,
She to make the first two payments
and the last The Negroes, four OF
them, bought by my mother. My
mother dying May II, 1861.
The following November I exposed
the land and Negroes to Public Sale
The Negroes brought cost. B. F. Cliff
bought no Negroes but bought the
land at $50 per acre. Well so much
for his early life. was then trading
in live stock. In 1874 B. F. Cliff and
B. A. Wallingford rented late in the
season the slaughter and packing
house for hogs in Maysville of Abner
Hord & Co. for one year and killed
and packed hogs, Sold out early, made
very nice money. Wallingford
rented the house for the next year
increased the size of the firm and
number of hogs killed, sold out and
were not In the business. Following
year with an organized company
bought and rebuilt the Pork House
Borrowed 5000. 900 and packed hogs al
81 per hundred gross. l was sent to
Richmond, Virginia, to sell meat tC
customers we had there and made
nice sale, making money, but meal
had advanced after ! left Richmond
One of the firm when arrived home
said ! had lost because / had not got
the advance. called the firm and
proposed to sell out to them. They
laughed at me. One OF the firm offer.
ed me $500 less than cost for the
building. sold and when the bust,
ness was wound up lost $4,000 more
on the product. But It releaved b. Y
Gift OF an interest in q firm that IN
one year broke almost all the rest, p
w. Cliff came out OF the Pork House
business with more than he entered
and was using II 90 buy land. In 1881
both my boys got married. lot ons
Of them ha 20 iaO acrea OF land Th'
other, he snd his wifa lived with m