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Bluebag Media
Longtown
founder descendent proud of his ancestry
GREENVILLE – The story begins as Connor Keiser, a child, remembers his
grandmother watching for stories about Longtown. “She was a Clemens.
She would clip them out and give them to me… she never said anything,”
he said, “but I put two and two together and now I’ve proven it.”
He’s proven he’s the fifth generation grandson of James Clemens, the
free “Person of Color” who, along with his wife Sophia, founded
Longtown, Ohio. “My grandfather (fifth generation) was the first free
black man to buy land in this county… 1821. That was James Clemens.” He
came to Ohio with Adam Sellers, Rockingham County, Va., who was
believed to be a slave owner. Sellers settled in Warren County but
stopped first in Darke County to free his slaves. “We don’t know for
sure if he (grandfather) was a slave, or a free-male slave… I’m not
sure I understand the difference.”
Keiser has been in contact with Sellers’ fifth generation grandson,
Michael Sellers. “I’ve been looking for him for a long time. He put a
post online, wanting to know about my grandfather. We’ve been sending
emails back and forth ever since.”
Keiser, a 2011 Versailles High School graduate and Edison Community
College student, said he’s been on his search for two or three years.
“It consumes me anymore,” he added.
Proving the lineage with Clemens was only the beginning. “I’m satisfied
I’ve proved it,” Keiser said, “but I know there’s more.” There was a
Burden in Longtown… “The father of all Burdens, he had 13 children. I
believe he’s a great grandfather also.” There was also a Reuben Bass
from North Carolina, who may also be a great grandfather...
Read the rest of the article at Bluebag Media
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