Aloysius Michael Clemens

FAMILY LINE AND HISTORY 

Aloysius Michael “Louie” Clemens
5th of 11 children of Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens & Barbara Nigon
Born: May 5, 1904, on the family farm in Cascade Township, Olmsted Co., Minnesota
Died: May 5, 1929 (age 25), Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota; auto accident
Buried: May 7, 1929, Calvary Cemetery in Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota
Occupation: Auto mechanic at Buick garage

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Timeline and Records

Spellings and information in the census and other records
are retained as in the original documents.
(italicized clarifications or corrections are in parentheses)

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Eleven children of Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens & Barbara Nigon:

00. (stillborn twins, female and male)
1898–1898
1. Mary Ann Clemens
1899–1994
2. Elizabeth Barbara Clemens
1900–1996
3. Amelia Rose Clemens
1902–1972
4. Dorothy Clemens
1903–1903 (died at 4 months)
5. Aloysius Michael Clemens
1904–1929
6. Carl John Clemens
1905–1986
7. Cecelia Helen Clemens (Sister Ann Clemens)
1908–2003
8. Agnes Catherine Clemens
1909–2005
9. Anna Frances Clemens
1911–1995
10. Lawrence Matthew Clemens
1912–1978
11. Joseph William Clemens
1914–2010

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Apr 19, 1898: Marriage of Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens & Barbara Nigon, the parents of Aloysius Michael “Louie” Clemens, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota

Eleven children: Mary Ann Clemens, Elizabeth Barbara Clemens, Amelia Rose Clemens, Dorothy Clemens, Aloysius Michael Clemens, Carl John Clemens, Cecelia Helen “Sister Ann” Clemens, Agnes Catherine Clemens, Anna Frances Clemens, Lawrence Matthew Clemens, Joseph William Clemens

May 5, 1904: Birth of Aloysius Michael “Louie” Clemens, 5th of 11 children of Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens & Barbara Nigon, on the family farm in Cascade Township just outside Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota

May 5, 1904: Minnesota Birth Index:
Name Aloysius Michael Clemens
Birth Date 5 May 1904
Birth Place Olmsted, Minnesota
Mother Maiden Name Nigon
Certificate Number 1904-18187
URL https://www.mnhs.org/search/people

May 5, 1904: Minnesota Birth Certificate:
Name Aloysius Michael Clemens

May 8, 1904: Rochester Catholic Churches Baptism Record (in Latin):
Aloysium Michaelem baptizavi die 8 memsis Mai AD 1904 ex Mathheus Clemens et Barbara Nigon.
Translation: I baptized Aloysius Michael on 8 mems May AD 1904 from Mathheus Clemens and Barbara Nigon.

Jan 28, 1905: Minnesota State Census, Cascade, Olmsted Co., Minnesota:
Clemens Mathew S Age 31, born Minnesota, father born Luxenburg (Luxembourg), mother born Luxenburg (Luxembourg) (father, Mathew Sylvester Clemens)
Clemens Barabor Age 32, born Germany, father born Germany, mother born Germany (mother, Barbara (Nigon) Clemens)
Clemens Mary Age 5, born Minnesota, father born Minnesota, mother born Germany (Mary Ann Clemens)
Clemens Elizabeth B. Age 4, born Minnesota, father born Minnesota, mother born Germany (Elizabeth Barbara Clemens)
Clemens Aamelia R. Age 3, born Minnesota, father born Minnesota, mother born Germany (Amelia Rose Clemens)
Clemens Aloysious M. Age 1, born Minnesota, father born Minnesota, mother born Germany (Aloysius Michael Clemens)

1906: Aloysius “Louie” Clemens and his brother Carl (Carl was born Sep 25, 1905):

All the Clemens babies were baptized at St. John’s Catholic Church in Rochester in the same white lace-collared dress made by their Aunt Lena Nigon. The photo above shows Carl in his baptismal dress, with his older brother, Aloysius, standing next to him, who wore that same dress when he was baptized.

Apr 27, 1910: U.S. Federal Census, Cascade, Olmsted Co., Minnesota:
Name Mathew Clemmons (Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens)
[Mathew Clemens]
Age in 1910 36
Birth Date 1874
Birthplace Germany
Home in 1910 Cascade, Olmsted, Minnesota
Race White
Gender Male
Immigration Year 1881
Relation to Head of House Head
Marital Status Married
Father’s Birthplace Germany
Mother’s Birthplace Germany
Native Tongue English
Occupation Farmer
Industry General Farm
Employer, Employee or Other Employer
Home Owned or Rented Own
Home Free or Mortgaged Free
Farm or House Farm
Naturalization Status Naturalized
Able to read Yes
Able to Write Yes
Years Married 12
Enumerated Year 1910
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship:
Mathew Clemmons Age 36, Head, Married 1, 12 years, born Germany (Minnesota), father born Germany, mother born Germany (Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens)
Barbara Clemmons Age 36, Wife, Married 1, 12 years, born Minnesota (Germany), father born Minnesota (Germany), mother born Germany (Barbara (Nigon) Clemens)
Mary Clemmons Age 10, Daughter, born Minnesota (Germany), father born Germany, mother born Germany (Mary Clemens)
Elizabeth Clemmons Age 9, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany (Minnesota), mother born Germany (Elizabeth Barbara Clemens)
Amelia Clemmons Age 8, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany (Minnesota), mother born Germany (Amelia Rose Clemens)
Alvinia Clemmons Age 6, Daughter (Son), born Minnesota, father born Germany (Minnesota), mother born Germany (Aloysius Michael Clemens)
Charles J Clemmons Age 4, Son, born Minnesota, father born Germany (Minnesota), mother born Germany (Carl John Clemens)
Celia H Clemmons Age 2, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany (Minnesota), mother born Germany (Cecelia Helen Clemens)
Agness C Clemmons Age 0, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany (Minnesota), mother born Germany (Agnes Catherine Clemens)
Sebastian Bosneyk Age 26, Hired Man, born Austria, father born Austria, mother born Austria, farmer laborer on general farm

Fall of 1912: Clemens’ farm in Cascade Township, Olmsted Co., Minnesota:

Mathew Clemens, Sr., Matt Sylvester Clemens (Grandpa), mid-rear is Jane Nigon (Elizabeth Susanna “Jane” Nigon, Grandma’s youngest sister), the nine children (Joe, the youngest, was not yet born), Barbara (Nigon) Clemens (Grandma) holding Lawrence, Anna Mary (Reiland) Clemens at far right (Grandpa’s mother). Aloyisius is standing next to Carl, the blonde boy in the middle.

abt 1914: Clemens siblings: L-to-R: Carl, Anna, Agnes, Amelia, Lawrence, Aloysius “Louie” (in glasses), Cecelia:

Jan 12, 1920: U.S. Federal Census, Cascade, Olmsted Co., Minnesota:
Name Mathew S Clemens (Mathew Sylvester Clemens)
Age 45
Birth Year abt 1875
Birthplace Minnesota
Home in 1920 Cascade, Olmsted, Minnesota
House Number Farm
Residence Date 1920
Race White
Gender Male
Relation to Head of House Head
Marital Status Married
Spouse’s Name Barbara Clemens
Father’s Birthplace Germany
Mother’s Birthplace Germany
Able to Speak English Yes
Occupation Farmer
Industry General Farming
Employment Field Own Account
Home Owned or Rented Owned
Home Free or Mortgaged Free
Able to read Yes
Able to Write Yes
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship:
Mathew S Clemens Age 45, Head, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany, farmer on general farm
Barbara Clemens Age 46, Wife, Immigrated 1881, Naturalized 1890, born Germany, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Mary A Clemens Age 20, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Elizabeth Z Clemens Age 19, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany, Chamber at Mayo Clinic (Elizabeth Barbara Clemens)
Amelia R Clemens Age 18, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Aloysius M Clemens Age 15, Son, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Charles J Clemens Age 14, Son, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany (Carl John Clemens)
Celia H Clemens Age 12, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Agnes C Clemens Age 10, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Anna F Clemens Age 9, Daughter, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Laurence M Clemens Age 7, Son, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany (Lawrence Michael Clemens)
Joseph W Clemens Age 5, Son, born Minnesota, father born Germany, mother born Germany

Apr 1923: Mathew & Barbara Clemens family: Amelia, Lawrence, Barbara (mother), Mary, Agnes, Aloysius “Louie,” Cecelia, Joe (young boy in front), Mathew (father), Elizabeth, Anna, and Carl

Apr 1923: Clemens and Nigon cousins on the family farm outside of Rochester:

Slightly different photo with all present identified (Aloysius”Louie” is #3:)


Note: #37 (infant Clair Nigon) is in the arms of #1 (Mary (Clemens) Wallerich)

Oct 6, 1925: Marriage of Clarence Elmer Kleist & Elizabeth Susanna “Jane” Nigon, the 13th of 13 children of Nicholas Nigon & Barbara Leinen, in Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota
Note: Jane, the youngest sister of Barbara (Nigon) Clemens, is the aunt of Aloysius

Margaret Nigon (Jane’s sister), Jane & Clarence, and Aloysius Clemens (Jane’s nephew, son of Barbara Nigon):

May 5, 1929: Death of Aloysius Michael “Louie” Clemens (age 25), 5th of 11 children of Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens & Barbara Nigon, in Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota; in an auto accident on his 25th birthday

May 5, 1929: Minnesota Death Index:
Name Aloysius Clemens
Record Type Death
Death Date 5 May 1929
Death Place Olmsted, Minnesota
Death Registration Date 1929
Certificate Number 010199
Record Number 537081

May 5, 1929: State of Minnesota Certificate of Death:

AS I WAS TOLD: The Clemens brothers were all altar boys at St. John’s. As a child, Louie had bad eyesight and a terrible stutter. He would squint, and was not able to get the words out except when reciting his prayers in church or while saying the rosary. He died in a car accident on his twenty-fifth birthday. While the Clemenses and Conways were gathered at the farmhouse for his party, he and his brother Lawrence had gone into town for the forgotten candles. The newspaper clippings read as follows:

May 6, 1929: Newspaper obituary, Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota:
YOUNG MAN, 25, KILLED HERE ON HIS BIRTHDAY
Aloysius Clemens, 25 years old, of St. Paul, son of Mr. & Mrs. Clemens of Cascade Township, was fatally injured shortly before noon yesterday, his birthday. The coupe he was driving collided with a car, struck the guy wire of an electric light post, hit a tree, seemed to jump in the air fifteen feet, then turned turtle and landed upside down at the north end of the street. His brother, Lawrence, who was with him at the time of the original impact, was uninjured save for slight lacerations of the legs.

Lawrence Clemens, in his testimony, was brief. He said that he and his brother were going back to their father’s home in the country west of Rochester and that they were going quite fast. He said he thought their speed was 35 miles per hour. He testified that he believes his brother did not see the other automobile coming onto First street, from the south. He, himself, saw it just before the impact. The windshield of their car was broken and the top was off after the accident, he said.

Dr. H.E. Robertson of the Mayo Clinic gave more information regarding the post mortem examination following Aloysius Clemens’ death. The chief injuries were about the face and head, he said. There was a deep gash in the left cheek left of the nose and below the eye. On touching the bones of the face and skull it could be seen that there was not a single bone not fractured. On moving the scalp, the bones of the cranium were found to be fractured in a half a dozen fragments. The brain was lacerated, and there was a large amount of hemorrhage. There were practically no injures save those about the head.

The coroner’s jury returned a verdict that Clemens’ death was caused by an automobile accident. The blame was not fixed.

Clemens is survived by his parents and a number of brothers and sisters.

Arrangements for the funeral had not been made yet this morning. The young man had come down from St. Paul Saturday night for the purpose of celebrating his twenty-fifth birthday at his home a mile west of the city. All was in readiness for the birthday dinner when it was found that candles were lacking for the cake, and the brothers, Aloysius and Lawrence, volunteered to drive to Rochester to get them. Following the accomplishment of this mission, they were hurrying back to the birthday party when the crash appeared.

CLEMENS FUNERAL SET FOR TOMORROW
Funeral services for Aloysius Clemens, who died Sunday from the effects of injuries received in an automobile accident on First Street SW, will be conducted at St. John’s Church. Clemens and his brother Lawrence, were driving from town to their home in the country, with final supplies for a birthday dinner in honor of Aloysius, who was 25 years old on Sunday. At First street and Thirteenth avenue SW, their automobile collided with another car and, after striking a tree, landed upside down on the boulevard. Aloysius was badly injured about the head and died a few minutes later.

Pallbearers for the funeral tomorrow will be Will Adamson, John Adamson, Anthony Conway, George Fitzpatrick, Donald Kehaly, and Leo Hennessy. Mr. Clemens is survived by his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Clemens of Cascade Township, and by the following brothers and sisters: Carl, Spokane, Lawrence and Joseph, Rochester, Mrs. Frank Wallerich, Wabasha, and Mrs. Patrick Conway, Jr.

May 6, 1929: Rochester Post Bulletin, Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota:

Prayer Card:

May 7, 1929: Burial of Aloysius Michael “Louie” Clemens at Calvary Cemetery, Rochester, Olmsted Co., Minnesota; Section CC 31 13

May 1929: Minnesota Cemetery Inscription Index:
Township Cascade
County Olmsted
Name Aloysius Clemens
Birth Date 1904
Death Date 1929
Cemetery Calvary Rochester
Comments WITH MATHEW & ANNA MARY
Section CC 31 13

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2025: Researched and compiled by Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau

Direct line of Catherine:
Peter Clemens & Maria Mary Reding (gg-grandparents)
Nicholas/Nikolas Nigon & Barbara Leinen (gg-grandparents)
Mathias “Mathew” Clemens & Anna Mary Reiland (great-grandparents)
Mathew Sylvester “Matt” Clemens & Barbara Nigon (grandparents)
Carl John Clemens (brother of Aloysius) & Noreen Ellen Chatfield (parents)

Note: The cemetery headstone photos from Find A Grave contained herein are the property of those who photographed them.