Joseph Clements was born Joseph E.(Everett?) Chapman in Manhattan, New York to Benjamin F Labree and Adelaide Everett. The circumstances are unknown but soon after his mother's death in 1902, Joseph ended up on an Orphan's Train and was adopted by Emory and Zella Clements in Lyons, Nebraska, where he can be found in the 1920 census with that family. It is known that he was employed as a Detective with the Whittier, CA Police Department for many years, and was the Police Captain in Whittier. California at the time of his death.
His biological father - Benjamin - was actually born Benjamin Labree about 1863-65 in Philadelphia, PA, to Peter Tees Labree and Hannah Elizabeth Chapman. Benjamin went by his mother's maiden name of Chapman instead of Labree up until the 1910 census in Manhattan, NY where he was then enumerated as Benjamin Labree. Because Benjamin Labree was going by the surname of Chapman at the time of Joseph's birth, Joseph and his two siblings were also given the surname of Chapman.
On September 30, 1988, Joseph's daughter - Ella Jeraldine Clements - sent a letter to the OrphanTrainDepot Organization providing additional information about her father and the Clements family who adopted and loved Joseph as though he was their own child.
She wrote:
"The City of Lyons, a small farming community near Omaha, had an assembly hall called the Opera House which was upstairs, over some of the local stores. They brought the children to this hall and paraded them across the stage and whoever wanted one, was able to take one. ... A story told by our grandmother is that when he was selected, he turned to the man who brought them and said "Mr. Bogardus, I have my own father now" as he took his new father's hand.
The Clements family were as close and caring as if he had been their own son. He was never abused in any way. The Clements were a Christian family and active in their church and provided good morale standards for him to live by."
Joseph's adoptive father was Emory S. Clements (1870-1929), FindaGrave Memorial #61291020 , and his adoptive mother was Zella Van Schoick (1877-1964), FindaGrave Memorial #35893594.
His biological father - Benjamin - was actually born Benjamin Labree about 1863-65 in Philadelphia, PA, to Peter Tees Labree and Hannah Elizabeth Chapman. Benjamin went by his mother's maiden name of Chapman instead of Labree up until the 1910 census in Manhattan, NY where he was then enumerated as Benjamin Labree. Because Benjamin Labree was going by the surname of Chapman at the time of Joseph's birth, Joseph and his two siblings were also given the surname of Chapman.
On September 30, 1988, Joseph's daughter - Ella Jeraldine Clements - sent a letter to the OrphanTrainDepot Organization providing additional information about her father and the Clements family who adopted and loved Joseph as though he was their own child.
She wrote:
"The City of Lyons, a small farming community near Omaha, had an assembly hall called the Opera House which was upstairs, over some of the local stores. They brought the children to this hall and paraded them across the stage and whoever wanted one, was able to take one. ... A story told by our grandmother is that when he was selected, he turned to the man who brought them and said "Mr. Bogardus, I have my own father now" as he took his new father's hand.
The Clements family were as close and caring as if he had been their own son. He was never abused in any way. The Clements were a Christian family and active in their church and provided good morale standards for him to live by."
Joseph's adoptive father was Emory S. Clements (1870-1929), FindaGrave Memorial #61291020 , and his adoptive mother was Zella Van Schoick (1877-1964), FindaGrave Memorial #35893594.
Joseph Clements was born Joseph E.(Everett?) Chapman in Manhattan, New York to Benjamin F Labree and Adelaide Everett. The circumstances are unknown but soon after his mother's death in 1902, Joseph ended up on an Orphan's Train and was adopted by Emory and Zella Clements in Lyons, Nebraska, where he can be found in the 1920 census with that family. It is known that he was employed as a Detective with the Whittier, CA Police Department for many years, and was the Police Captain in Whittier. California at the time of his death.
His biological father - Benjamin - was actually born Benjamin Labree about 1863-65 in Philadelphia, PA, to Peter Tees Labree and Hannah Elizabeth Chapman. Benjamin went by his mother's maiden name of Chapman instead of Labree up until the 1910 census in Manhattan, NY where he was then enumerated as Benjamin Labree. Because Benjamin Labree was going by the surname of Chapman at the time of Joseph's birth, Joseph and his two siblings were also given the surname of Chapman.
On September 30, 1988, Joseph's daughter - Ella Jeraldine Clements - sent a letter to the OrphanTrainDepot Organization providing additional information about her father and the Clements family who adopted and loved Joseph as though he was their own child.
She wrote:
"The City of Lyons, a small farming community near Omaha, had an assembly hall called the Opera House which was upstairs, over some of the local stores. They brought the children to this hall and paraded them across the stage and whoever wanted one, was able to take one. ... A story told by our grandmother is that when he was selected, he turned to the man who brought them and said "Mr. Bogardus, I have my own father now" as he took his new father's hand.
The Clements family were as close and caring as if he had been their own son. He was never abused in any way. The Clements were a Christian family and active in their church and provided good morale standards for him to live by."
Joseph's adoptive father was Emory S. Clements (1870-1929), FindaGrave Memorial #61291020 , and his adoptive mother was Zella Van Schoick (1877-1964), FindaGrave Memorial #35893594.
His biological father - Benjamin - was actually born Benjamin Labree about 1863-65 in Philadelphia, PA, to Peter Tees Labree and Hannah Elizabeth Chapman. Benjamin went by his mother's maiden name of Chapman instead of Labree up until the 1910 census in Manhattan, NY where he was then enumerated as Benjamin Labree. Because Benjamin Labree was going by the surname of Chapman at the time of Joseph's birth, Joseph and his two siblings were also given the surname of Chapman.
On September 30, 1988, Joseph's daughter - Ella Jeraldine Clements - sent a letter to the OrphanTrainDepot Organization providing additional information about her father and the Clements family who adopted and loved Joseph as though he was their own child.
She wrote:
"The City of Lyons, a small farming community near Omaha, had an assembly hall called the Opera House which was upstairs, over some of the local stores. They brought the children to this hall and paraded them across the stage and whoever wanted one, was able to take one. ... A story told by our grandmother is that when he was selected, he turned to the man who brought them and said "Mr. Bogardus, I have my own father now" as he took his new father's hand.
The Clements family were as close and caring as if he had been their own son. He was never abused in any way. The Clements were a Christian family and active in their church and provided good morale standards for him to live by."
Joseph's adoptive father was Emory S. Clements (1870-1929), FindaGrave Memorial #61291020 , and his adoptive mother was Zella Van Schoick (1877-1964), FindaGrave Memorial #35893594.
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