Nancy Louisa Poyfair was the daughter of Jeremiah Poyfair and Ellen Flynn. She was born on 6 May 1844 in Lockport, Niagara County, New York State. She was baptized on June 21 1844 at Saint John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Lockport. She died of cancer on 12 December 1890 in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan State and was buried in Saginaw's Oakwood Cemetery.
Louisa married Fredrick Clifton, a US immigrant, son of US immigrants who came from England. in 1865 in Lockport.
Frederick was born on 23 December 1842 in England. He died on 19 November 1907 in Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan and was buried in Saginaw's Oakwood Cemetery. He had come to the US as a young child; he fought in the Civil War in a regular New York Infantry Regiment but was transfered to the 8th Regiment New York Heavy Artillery. He was taken prisoner at Cold Harbor and went to Andersonville.
Louisa and Frederick had children:
Two scanned documents follow as well as a transcription:
NAME |
RELATION |
MARITAL STATUS |
AGE |
BIRTHPLACE |
OCCUPATION |
Fred. G. Clifton | Self | M | 28 [sic] | ENG | Engineer At Water Works |
Louisa Clifton | Wife | M | 36 | N Y | Keeping House |
Hattie Clifton | Daughter | S | 13 | MI | At School |
Frederic Clifton | Son | S | 12 | MI | At School |
William H. Clifton | Son | S | 10 | MI | At School |
Benjamin C. Clifton | Son | S | 8 | MI | At School |
Ella E. Clifton | Daughter | S | 1 | MI | . |
Clifton- Fred. G. Clifton died at his home, 920 South Harrison street, at 4.20 o'clock yesterday morning after a brief illness. Mr. Clifton had lived in this city for more than fourty-one years and was widely known. He was born in England, December 23, 1842. His father's family came to this country when he was a small child, and located at Lockport, New York, where Mr. Clifton grew to manhood and learned the machinist trade. In 1860 he entered the employ of the Holly company and in 1862 he enlisted in Co. B, No. 129, Regular New York volunteer infantry, and was afterward transferred to the Eight Regular New York heavy artillery. On June 3, 1864, he participated in the battle of Cold Harbor and was taken prisoner. He was confined to Andersonville prison for four months and in the Florence prison for three months and two months in other prisons, being held as a prisoner for nine months. After the close of the war he returned to Lockport and re-entered the employ of the Holly company for a time. In 1866 he came to Saginaw and worked at his trade as expert machinist. When the waterworks was established on the west side in 1872, he was appointed as first engineer, a position that he held for more than twenty-five years. In 1868 he was a member of the first paid fire company and was in charge of the Silsby fire steamer, which is still kept as a part of the city's fire department equipment. At the time of his death and for some time before, he had been in the employ of the sugar company at Carollton, as engineer.
In 1865 he was united in marriage with Miss Louise Poyfair of Lockport, New York. She died in 1889 and in 1891 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary M. Knowlton, who survives him. He was the father of five children, all but one of whom, Fred. G. Clifton, Jr., survive him. Those surviving are: Mrs William J. Becker, Lake City; William Clifton of Mt. Vernon, Ohio; Benjamin Clifton of Hamilton, Montana; and Mrs William Achard of this city. There are six grandchildren.
Fraternally Mr. Clifton was a Mason and a member of the G. A. R. He was a member of Saginaw Lodge No. 154, F. & A. M., at the time of his death. His G. A. R. relations were with J. N. Penoyer Post No. 90. The funeral will occur at two o'clock Tuesday afternoon and will be under the auspices of Saginaw Valley Lodge. F. & A. M. Rev. Emil Montanus of St. John's church will conduct ser-
© Shirley Poyfair Yaremo