Francois Clerget – St. Nicholas Cemetery, Kinsley, Edwards, Kansas

Not all the early settlers came from Germany. An example would be a headstone located in St. Nicholas Cemetery in Kinsley.

Francois Xavier Clerget was born October 27, 1822 in Frotey-les-Lure, Departement de la Haute-Saone, Franche-Comte, France. His wife, Emilie Piquard, was also born in the same village in France on August 6, 1827. They were married in 1850.

By the time of their immigration to America in 1862, they had four children. Clarissa was 10, Josephine was 7, Adele was 6 and Jules was 9 months. The family first settled in Illinois and moved to Pottawatomie County, Kansas (northeastern Kansas) by 1875. Daughter Adele passed away that year and is buried in the Neuchatel Cemetery in Nemaha County, Kansas. The family moved to Edwards County in 1879.

Mr. Clerget passed away on the 15th of January 1888 at the age of 66. He died of dropsy which is an old term for the swelling of soft tissues due to the accumulation of excess water. Today it would be called congestive heart failure.

The 1895 Kansas census list Francois’ wife, Emilie, living in Nemaha County, Kansas with her married daughter, Clarissa Bonjour. She died April 5, 1905 and is buried at the Neuchatel Cemetery alongside Adele. Clarissa married twice and died in 1917. She is also buried with her mother and sister. Josephine married August Sire and had two children. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Ford County, Kansas.