A NOTE and SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO EVERYONE...

Even though this project started in the late 1970's and was going to become a published printed piece- I need to apologize that the printed version did not happen. Even though the printed pages were in boxes in storage, they eventually got water damaged and could not be salvaged. I did, however, keep a separate master book as well as kept all the original photographs in a separate file. After compiling this web site, I realized how appropriate this medium is as opposed to a printed book. All the photographs have been sent them back to the rightful owners. In addition, if you have family photographs that you'd like to share or be posted here, please scan and email to me as well.

I would like to pay special tribue to those who have so generously and willingly assisted in gathering data for this family history, otherwise it could not have been accomplished, in saying so I realize that many have already passed on...

Lela Jacklin, Spokane, Washington

Wayne and Sarah Potter, Lovettsville, Virginia

Mildred Witt Thomas, St. Joseph, Missouri

Lucille Grills, Spokane, Washington

Robert Martin Cliser, Wheeling, West Virginia

Herb and Norma Clizer, Savannah, Missouri

Merle Cliser Fox, Luray, Virginia

Paul Kleiser, Munich, Germany

Ina Jane Shenk, Luray, Virginia

Synnove Kildal, Oslo, Norway

George Kleiser, Ontario, Canada

James Matsen, New London, Pennsylvannia

Harry Kleiser, Maple Valley, Washington

I know time marches on and we're not here forever in this life, as far as updates, they will eventually cease - however I hope my efforts may not have been in vain, and that this work may receive your approval and support.  Gary -

EMAIL ME

THE FIRST LETTER from HERB & NORMA CLIZER, 11-12-1978

Herb & Norma Clizer

Savannah, Mo

Dear Gary,

It was a real thrill to receive your letter and to realize that we probably have common ancestors. No one here has ever done any research into the family history except for the part of the family that lived on our family farm since pre-civil war days. Herb and I lived on this farm in 1950 when we were first married, and my interest' in antiques lead me to explore old trunks of school books and letters. I found some marvelous letters from Samuel Cliser of Virginia from 1867 and John E. Clizer from Washington. I am sending copies of the two that may interest you.
We still have the old Clizer Family cemetery on the hill behind the location of the log house. It's not in good shape - one reason is because of the roots from the evergreen trees that were brought back from Virginia to be planted there, (this information on the trees was in a letter). My husbands grandfathers' (Herman Clizer, 1880-1922) grave was moved into Savannah when his wife died about 10 years ago. I am an only child and Herb and I and the youngest children live on my family farm one mile north of Savannah, it is only 108 acres, but land is worth $1000 per acre more or less in the location.
The Clizer's farm is 180 acres and is eight miles west of us. Herb helps dad Ken oversee the crops and the 120 head of cows and calves, although he has this farm to see and a full time job at the co-op in Savannah. Herb is also president of the Board of Education of our county's school district and Chairman of the Board of the Savannah United Methodist Church. He is carrying the traditions of the Clizer family to be involved with education and church. As far as I know, Clizer's have not been involved in politics.
Last year Herb's brother, Herold bought the farm to keep it in the family a while longer although he has no children, he is vice president of Wilson's Meat Company in Oklahoma City. Herold, Herb and I graduated from the university of Missouri. Our son Gregg is there now studying engineering. Our two older daughters, Linda and Denise are teachers. Kevin is in the 7th grade - a good student-athlete, and the first hunter we have had in the family. I've learned to fix all sorts of game.
I substitute teach several days a week, but except for the first year we were married, I have never worked full time. That year I taught 7 students in the country school house at the end of our lane that Joshua Clizer had help build. The next year I found Herb as a second Lt. in Korea.
Kenneth and Iva Mae Clizer did live a mile from the farm on the highway, but now have a lovely house in Savannah. No one has lived on the farm for close to 10 years - many houses nearby are vacant too as farms are merged together and people are afraid to be very isolated as they grow older.
I'll give you more information from the gravestones and look forward to hearing more about your family and you. For some reason I thought you were in your 70's - so nice to know you are the age of our children and interested in all this.

Sincerely, Herb and Norma Clizer

LETTER from MERLE CLISER FOX - 1-31-1979

Dear Gary,

I am getting the information you requested together, but I will have to go to the cemetery for some dates, and we have had snow here and it is calling for more, so just as soon as I can get in the cemetery I will send you what I have which I feel you will be glad to get.

Thanks for the copy of my grandfathers letter to Missouri, it is interesting. I have clippings also of which I will have to make copies. One interesting item I ran across an old Bible where my grandfathers birth was recorded and it was spelled with a Z. Also my father's uncle Ernest Cliser was spelled with a Z.

I will get this together just as soon as the weather permits and mail it to you.

Respy,

Merle B. Cliser Fox
1103 Main Street
Luray, Virginia 22835

LETTER from LELA JACKLIN 1-4-1979

North 1118 Bates

Spokane, Washington

Dear Cousin Gary,

I have your letter here that you wrote to my sister Dora Stockdale. I have copies of some information that you may be interested in.

Our grandfather was Benjamin F. Clizer and our mother was Letitia A. Clizer born in Andrew County, Missouri. We are very much interested in this sort of thing, but have never done anything about it except try to save bits of informatio as we find them. If you are interested, I could trace our family farther to include prresent day members.

My grandfather Benjamin F. Clizer came to Washington around 1879 by covered wagon. They started once and then turned back because of Indian uprisings in the Black Hills. It took them about 3 months to get here. My mother (Letitia) was about 9 years old at the time.

Lela Jacklin

LETTER from EDWARD BOWEN - 1-8-1979

Dear Gary Cliser,

I received your letter asking for information on the Cliser Family. I talked with Merle Fox who was a Cliser before marriage. I beleive she wrote you about all I know on the Cliser Family.

My mother was Mattie Cliser, daughter of Ambrose Cliser. My mother had two brothers names John Cliser and Frank Cliser, but neither of them married. My grandfather Ambrose had brothers brothers named Samuel and Matt, as I always heard him called. Possible his real name was Martin. You mentioned him to be your great grandfather. Matt has a son I know by the name of Jett. Jett had a large family, according to a local 53 year old man, he went to a one room mountain school named Rocky Branch with boy named Bernard Cliser, Could this have been your father? If so, was he born and raised here in Page County?

This is all I can give you on our anscestors. Mrs. Fox may have given you more information. I wish you good luck and success with the book you plan to publish. I am sure it will be very interesting.

Sincerly,

Edward Bowen
Rt 1
Luray, Virginia 22835

LETTER from SARAH (CLISER) POTTER 1-11-1979

Sarah Potter
Lovettsville, Virginia

Dear Gary,
Thanks for all the Cliser family data you sent us recently. Enclosed are reproduced copies of all the ancestral data, except some photographs, that we have on the Oliver Jett Cliser family. I am still compiling data on his descendants, and we will send copies of that when it is completed.
We feel sure that the information Robert M. Cliser sent us several years ago is correct, because Oliver Jett Cliser agreed that it was, as he remembered it: and that Martin Mathias Cliser born August 4, 1846 and died Feb 11, 1895 was his father, and that he was buried on the CLISER FARM as indicated on his family group sheet that is enclosed.
The CLIZER family information you received from Russel Scott of Olympia, Washington is very interesting; from which I have compiled one family group sheet for the JOHN CLIZER family showing the subject JAMES M. CLISER the oldest of 10 children.
On another family group sheet, I have listed the children of the paternal grandparents, but as stated in the first paragraph of James M. Cliser biography, with a third child named Martin Clizer, which you underlined as being Oliver Jett Cliser's father or grandfather. this child Martin died in Virginia as stated.
We do know the father of Oliver Jett Cliser and additional research will be required to find his grandparents. On July 16, 1976, we were searching records in Washington, Rappahannock County, Virginia and found a land record dated "1836, MARTIN CLIZER, 1166 acres, 130 miles from court house, $2.00 per acre, total value of land and buildings $2332.00, tax $1.87" The courthouse must have been in Richmond at the time. At any rate we will have to recheck further on this, They wanted to close the clerks office as it was getting late. We plan to go back in the Spring and look further.

Sarah & Wayne Potter

LETTER from CHARLES B. CLIZER - 2-25-1979

Charles B. Clizer
1206 Pleasant
Walla Walla, Washington 99362

Dear Gary,

I have been long overdue in answering your letter from Christmas time. We had our four children home at Christmas and it was a busy time. Since then I have been very busy with personnel cases and school activities. I am Assistant Sup't of schools in Walla Walla. Prior to coming here I was Sup't of schools for seven years in Dayton, Wa.

I am enclosing some material which may be of interest to you, the information I have doesn't go back as far as yours, probably because our information shows John Edward Clizer being born in Germany around 1795. I would be interested in filling the 'blanks' between John Edward Clizer and Mathias Cliser in your letter.

For you information, I see Gary Clizer and family once in awhile in Coeur d'Alene and his mother and father who live in Spokane.

My father, Charles B. Clizer was named after an uncle of the same name as you can see. My grandfather Benjamin F. Clizer homesteaded near Latah, Wa. He and my grandmother both died before my father Charles B. Clizer married my mother Katherine Power. So you can see I am at least 3rd to bear the name of Charles. My mother is still living in Tekoa, Wa. all of my father's brothers and sisters have now died. The last one to die was Christia who was of the age of 92.

Thanks for your good letter and I hope to hear from you.

Best Regards,

Charles