John Clough of Salisbury, MA

English Origins

John Clough of Salisbury, MA was born approx. 1613 in England and is believed to have sailed from London on "The Elizabeth" in 1635. The ship manifest lists a passenger named Jo:Cluffe - 22 (age). I believe that the spelling using the "ff" gives us an idea of how the name Clough was pronounced. It is not known where he was from in England, and it is believed that he came as a servant to another settler. The General Court of Massachusetts granted John Cluffe a lot with his masters consent in March 1638/9.

Salisbury 

In 1639 John became one of the original proprietors of the new settlement of Salisbury.  He was a carpenter and farmer. There seems to have been a second John Clough in Massachusetts at the same time who was a tailor by trade. John engaged in multiple purchases and sales of land.  In 1651 he bought 2 acres of marshland in the 'higgledee piggledee lots'. I love that, higgledee piggledee. Below is a map of the original house lots in Salisbury; John's is outlined in blue.

In 1650 he took the oath of fidelity. He held many town offices including serving on the Grand Jury and acting as town constable.

John signed his will and in his probate inventory were listed several books. 

Family

His wife Jane/Jone was not listed on the manifest for the Elizabeth and it is unknown when she arrived or when they married. Their first living child was not born until 1642, so it seems unlikely that they were married for more than a year or two at that time.

Children of Jane and John Clough 
Elizabeth b. 16 Dec 1642, m. William Horne, named in her fathers 1691 will
Mary b. 30 July 1644 not named in will
Sarah b. 28 June 1646 m. 14 may 1667 Daniel Merrill My Ancestors
John b. 9 March 1648/9 m. 13 Nov 1674 Mercy Page
Thomas b. 29 May 1651 m. 10 March 1680 Martha Gile
Martha b. 22 March 1654 m. 13 Nov 1674 Cornelius Page
Samuel b. 20 Feb 1656/7 m. 3 Aug 1679 Elizabeth Brown, only son to move to Amesbury, he was a blacksmith

RIP  

Their eldest daughter Elizabeth's husband was killed in the June 1689 attack of Dover, NH. Many histories have Elizabeth also being killed by she was named in her father's will so that doesn't seem likely. Jane Clough died in 1680 and John remarried in 1686/7 to the twice widowed Martha Cilley. John wrote his will on 3 July 1691, he died on the 26th of July.  Their descendants erected a memorial plaque near the area where they are believed to have been buried.

See this post on Nathaniel Merrill husband of Jane Clough

Sources:
Great Migration 1634-1635, C-F. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume II, C-F, by Robert Charles Anderson, George F. Sanborn, Jr., and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001.
https://www.americanancestors.org/DB115/i/7373/107/235157654

Hoyt, David Webster, 1833-1921. The Old Families of Salisbury And Amesbury, Massachusetts: With Some Related Families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich And Hampton. Providence, R.I.: [Snow & Farnham, printers], 1897-1917.