From Memorial and Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, publ. 
1894 - Page 134-137
 
WRIGHT P. CLIFFORD.  Although Mr. CLIFFORD has long been a resident of Dodge County, 
Wis., he owes his nativity to the Province of Quebec, Canada, where his eyes first opened on the 
light February 16, 1820.  His father, Samuel CLIFFORD, was born in New Hampshire, and when 
a lad of some twelve years, was taken by his parents to Canada, where he grew up.  The 
CLIFFORDs were among the New England pioneers, and some of the early members of the 
family were soldiers of the Revolution.  In the country of his adoption Samuel CLIFFORD was 
united in marriage with Deborah KILBURN, a native also of New Hampshire, but reared in 
Canada, and in the Province of Quebec they reared their family on a farm.  They then moved to 
Vermont, and, after residing there a few years, came to Wisconsin in 1856, and here spent the 
last years of his life with his son, and died here in 1872, at the advanced age of eighty-four 
years.  His wife survived him and passed away in 1876, at the age of eighty-one years.  Ten 
children were born to this worthy couple, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order 
of birth, and he and one brother and three sisters are the only survivors.  He spent his youth and 
early manhood in Quebec, and received fair educational advantages.  After arriving at mature 
years he engaged in farming near the old homestead, but in 1844 came to Wisconsin, and on 
July 1 pre-empted a claim in Dodge County of 160 acres, where he is still residing.  He first 
erected a log shanty on his land, with puncheon floor and clapboard roof, in which he lived while 
opening his farm, but later built a small frame house adjoining the cabin, and this building is still 
standing and is in good repair, and is used as a tenant's house.  In later years he improved his 
farm, building thereon a large and substantial residence, good barn, granaries, etc., and his place 
is now one of the most valuable in the county.  He sold off part of the old place and bought more 
land, and his estate now comprises 174 acres, located about one mile from Burnett Junction.  Mr. 
CLIFFORD commenced life with little or no means, therefore his success is more worthy of notice 
and in every way worthy of emulation by the poor young men of the present day.  He was united 
in marriage in Dodge County, Wis., January 20, 1853, to Miss Mary Jane VOORHEES, who was 
born in Chenango County, N.Y., and in 1845 came to Wisconsin, at which time she was a miss of 
twelve years.  Tunis VOORHEES, her father, was a native of New Jersey, but moved to New 
York, where he opened up a farm and reared the following children: Mrs. W. P. CLIFFORD; Mrs. 
A. FARLOW, a sketch of whom appears in this work; John C., who died in Wisconsin at the age 
of twenty-four years; Alexander, who resides in Colorado; Ralph, a resident of Nebraska; 
Augustus, a resident of Kansas; J. Monroe, and Vandervere, the last two being business men of 
Chicago.  Mr. and Mrs. CLIFFORD have two children: Sherman, who is a man of family and 
resides in South Dakota, and Alfred L., who is a young hardware merchant of Hazel, S. D.  He 
was formerly a telegraph operator, but gave up this business to engage in merchandising.  Three 
children died young, James, at the age of five years; Gertrude grew to mature years, married Dr. 
LARABEE, and died in Burnett Junction in 1883, at about the age of thirty years, and Sumner 
died in February, 1894, at the age of thirty-six years, leaving a wife and three children.  He 
resided on the farm with his parents.  Mr. and Mrs. CLIFFORD are members of the Free Baptist 
Church, and politically he was at first an old Jacksonian Democrat, but later became a 
Republican and cast his first presidential vote for Franklin  Pierce.  He has served as a member 
of the school board of his district, has always been extremely public-spirited and has given much 
valuable aid to the building up of the county.
 
Submitted by Carol