Posted 5 years ago
Watchsearc…
(88 items)
Here is one of my Trade Tokens about which I have found not a shred of information.
Maybe someone here has knowledge of it, the store location or proprietor of the store.
One side says: Morton Bend Store, WM Clemones, non-transferable
Opposite side says: Good for 5 (cent mark) in trade
I spent some time online looking for the store name and owner’s name but came away with nothing.
The token is the same size as a nickel coin and is the color of brass.
The token belonged to my dad and I found it among many odd, unusual or old coins.
I welcome all comments!
Thanks for having a look.
Keramikos!! You are a wizard at coming thru with info!! And this amazes me: The town and county are within 20 miles of where I live now. I’ve never heard of Morton Bend but I know exactly where Cave Spring Road is- I’ve driven on it many times.
My dad grew up in Rome and lived his entire life there, just as Mr Clemenes did. I’m wondering if my dad could have been a friend of Mr Clemenes since they were only 9 years apart in age.
It’s very likely my dad would have been a customer of the Morton Bend Store, given the proximity.
I’ve got to get out the map—find that road, maybe go for a drive, locate where the store was.
I would give you a big hug if I could!
Correction: it was the son of the store owner that my dad was close to in age. All this new info from Keramikos calls for more digging!
I love cemeteries like that! The iron fence and obviously lovingly maintained graves.
I just did an extremely slow drive thru a very old cemetery yesterday, looking at the lovely monuments, and rows of un-named Civil War graves.
Thanks for all the Loves
Bobby725
Keramikos
Fortapache
Jscotto363
Newfld
Brunswick
A special thank you to Keramikos for solving the mystery!!
Thank you for all that info! The obituaries were touching with a father and son dying young and within months of each other—they we the son and grandson of the Mr Clemones who owned Morton Bend Store and produced the trade token.
Regarding the sale of the land just recently to a Mr Evans—I believe my dad knew his father.
Small world.
nice job ...Keramikos
I was looking earlier than that, with just a Google search. I didn’t know “tokencatalog.com” existed.
I have 2-3 more tokens so I’ll be heading to that site soon.
Broochman, you brought a smile to my face with your wonderful compliment! Thank you!
The coins above were from my Grandfather's store on the family farm.They were good only at the store on the farm.The hired help were paid in the coins for work done on the farm.
Rexxter, this is just incredible that you found my post and so generously provided this new information!
Do you have any pictures of the store inside/outside? Pictures of your grandfather? Whatever became of the store?
It would be a terrific follow-up on my coin post if you created a post about the store and your grandfather!
To produce his own “currency” for use in the store and for the payroll shows he must have been quite the business man....impressive!
He must have been a remarkable man.
Thank you again for your response and I look forward to hearing more!
William Clemones was my Great Grandfather. During the Great Depression he used these coins to pay his workers. They could spend them in his stores. The store is located on Morton Bend Road in Rome, Georgia. It's near the Alabama/ Georgia state line. The store is still standing; However, hasn't been open for over 30 years. You will see a graveyard on the way to the store, he is located there. Behind the graveyard is his first cabin when he moved to Georgia. He come to Georgia in the early 1900's riding a bull from Birmingham AL to coosa (aka rome) He passed away in the early 80's. The coins are rare, I don't own one but have searched for a few years now. If you have any questions, send me an email.
TommyStanleyJr@yahoo.com
TommyGeorgia, I really appreciate your information about the token. Mr Clemons must have been quite a man...from a humble arrival in the area to becoming a landowner and successful businessman! I know you must be very proud of him.
If you do not have one of your great grandfather’s tokens, and truly do want one, it would only be the right thing to do to gift this one to you since it’s part of your family history.
Give me a day or so and I’ll be in touch.
Wow. Just wow. :-)
https://goo.gl/maps/WSFW6HtrnZnVkN7f7
https://goo.gl/maps/dNVttPZmKDk99CBh8
That's where the cabin is. Last year his estate trustee clear cut all the trees and did repairs to the chimney to keep it standing.
TommyGeorgia, Cool. Thank you. :-)
TommyGeorgia and Keramikos, thank you both for information you contributed!
And thank you to everyone for the ‘loves’.
TG, do you have a photo of your great grandfather, the store, his gravestone, the cabin or chimney you mentioned?
I would love for you to make a post showing us anything like that.
Have you checked with the Rome History Museum to see if they have records related to Mr Clemons or his Morton Bend Store? He must have been a prominent citizen of the community.
Watchsearcher, You're welcome. :-)
It's so nice of you to offer the token to one of Clemones' descendants.
Let's hope TommyGeorgia creates a post with some pictures.
The Internet makes the world a small place, doesn't it?
I can't remember if I linked this stuff a year ago or not, but FWIW:
*snip*
William McKinley “Bill” Clemones
Birth 12 Jul 1904
Death 20 Jul 1984 (aged 80)
Burial
Clemones Cemetery
Floyd County, Georgia, USA
*snip*
(touched up text converted via an OCR of the image)
*snip*
William McKinley (Bill) Clemones, 80, 1406 Cave Spring Rd., died at 5.30 p.m. Friday at a Rome hospital after an eight-day illness. Clemones was born in Cherokee County, Ala., July 12, 1904, son of the late William M Clemones and Elvie Higgenbotham Clemones, moving to Floyd County at an early age. He started his farming career as a sharecropper on a farm at Morten's Bend which he later purchased. Floyd County's leading cotton grower in the 1940s, he owned the first cotton picking machine in the state. For over 50 years, his business interests were the Clemones Farm and Clemones Real Estate Company. He was a member of New Zion Baptist Church at Morten's Bend. Mr. Clemones was preceded in death by his wife. Mary Loveless Clemones, July 28, 1978. Survivors are one son, Duane Clemones. Rome; five daughters, Mrs. Carolyn Clark Bruzzichesi, Mrs. Jeanie Buffington, Mrs. Opal Highfield and Mrs. Rebecca Cromer, all of Rome, Mrs. Linda Blankenship, Jackson, Miss.; two sisters, Mrs. Mance Loveless and Mrs. Pluma Anderson, both of Rome; 18 grandchildren and 14 great-gandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2 p m. today at Heritage Chapel of Jennings Funeral Home with the Rev. Joe Eaves and Parnick Jennings Sr. officiating. Interment will be at the Clemones family cemetery on the farm at Morten's Bend. Pallbearers will be Tim and Billy Cromer, Greg Yarbrough. Mike. Rodney and Carey Clemones and Brad Clark.
*snip*
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72458947/william-mckinley-clemones
This findagrave entry is linked from the other one, and it's a bit iffy, as the creator admits, but there are some interesting tidbits in it:
*snip*
William M. “Bill” Clements
Birth 25 Oct 1845
Alabama, USA
Death 13 Dec 1904 (aged 59)
Georgia, USA
Burial Unknown
*snip*
Son of Aaron Granser Clements and Sarah Catherine Mize.
William Clements served as Postmaster at Blountsville, Tennessee before it became Alabama. James Edward Clements has a certificate issued from Washington Town before it was Washington, D.C.
Frank Hatton is the Postmaster General of the United States of America at the time. William was appointed October 6, 1884. Family stories say that he was offered a Postmaster's job in Georgia and his wife could not bear to leave Alabama; so they parted. He is said to have left with only the clothes on his back and was leading a cow. No one knows if he planned to walk the cow to Georgia or if he planned to sell her for his passage. He took the job in Georgia, divorced Sarah and married Elvie there. They had five children.
*snip*
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70666728/william-m.-clements
Apparently, there are about ten graves in that cemetery:
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/33299/clemones-cemetery
The saddest:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72458461/mary-dean-clemones
Keramikos, thank you so much for finding all this information about the man who created my trade token. Family information is always so interesting- whether walking from Alabama to Georgia with the cow or riding a bull - either way, it’s a colorful and amazing family history. And the wife who wouldn’t leave Alabama! Silly woman! Her husband walked it...it’s not that far! But, back then, moving to another state may have seemed like a world away from the life she knew....I hope life was good for her back in Alabama.
Since Mr Clemones died in 1985, it’s entirely possible my dad obtained this token from him....I’ll never know.
But, if I were to keep the token, it will mean nothing to my descendants- just more ‘stuff’ for them to deal with someday.
It would be best to reunite it with the family where it will be appreciated.
Watchsearcher, You're welcome. :-)
For the most part, I'm probably just re-finding stuff I found a year ago. };-)
I think this might be the right WM Clemones:
*snip*
William M. Clemones, 1845 - 1904
William M. Clemones was born on month day 1845, at birth place, Alabama, to Aaron Granser Clements and Sarah Catherine Clements Mize.
Aaron was born on February 6 1813, in Hall Co., GA.
Sarah was born on March 22 1815, in Union Co., SC.
William had 7 siblings: Peter Clements, John C. Clements and 5 other siblings.
William married Elvira Elvie Bing (born Higginbotham) at marriage place, Georgia.
Elvira was born on August 30 1877, in Chulafinne, Clebume, AL.
They had 5 children: William McKinlly Clemones, Cora L. Owens (born Clemones) and 3 other children.
William lived in 1850, at address, Alabama.
He lived in 1860, at address, Alabama.
William passed away in 1904, at age 58 at death place, Georgia.
*snip*
https://www.myheritage.com/names/william_clemones
Here's that fateful token catalog listing again, BTW:
http://tokencatalog.com/token_record_forms.php?action=DisplayTokenRecord&td_id=65901
Here's another 5 cent token, albeit one in rough shape:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOT-PERFECT-BUT-RARE-MORTON-BEND-STORE-W-M-CLEMONES-TOKEN-5-CENT-ROME-GEORGIA-/383831692236
A ten cent token:
https://images.app.goo.gl/GHCmVVNMd8McjBvCA
Some of the information at that tokencatalog dot com listing is a bit confusing. There are multiple mentions of a "Friendly Super Store" on Cave Spring Road. I had been under the impression that the store was out there on Clemones Road SW.
However:
*snip*
Rome News Tribune Nov. 11, 1979
Mr. Clemones
William Clayton Clemones, 48, of 1405 Cave Spring Rd. died suddenly Saturday morning.
*snip*
http://sites.rootsweb.com/~gafloyd2/obits/clemonesWilliamClayton.html
That sure does look like it could be an old store in front of a residence:
1405 Cave Spring Rd SW, Rome, GA 30161
https://goo.gl/maps/Ym17RiFJthMAJ6nn8
https://goo.gl/maps/Jconvx5VoFvBDjVf6
I'll stop now. If you think any of this is inappropriate, just delete it.
Keramikos, I’m appreciative of all the info, so don’t stop!!
I’m a bit confused by the Friendly Super Store also.
Watchsearcher, It latterly occurred to me that family members might still be living in the house behind that old building, so I thought that I should stop.
To all who have followed the conversation about this trade token, I was in contact with TommyGeorgia via email and the token was mailed....should be arriving any day, back in the hands of the family.
TommyGeorgia, thank you for the picture of MrClemones, your great grandfather....he looked like a fine, upstanding man.
Please let me know that the token arrives safely and be sure to make a post about the store....a store like that with it’s own ‘currency’ surely is a thing of gentler times, long gone, sadly.
Watchsearcher, That's so nice. <3
Keramikos, Thank you. To me, it’s just like putting things back in order. I know the great grandson will appreciate the token more than I ever will....it’s just a curiosity to me, but it will be close to the family’s heart, I hope.
How come my token says the same thing on one side but something completely different on the other... mine says "good for 5 cents in trade" on one side and on the other it says "American legion 112"... how do I upload pictures on here ???
Hello Colton999666,
Welcome to CW, first of all, and thanks for your question.
To post a picture of your token, you will need to make a post of your own since the site doesn’t accommodate pictures placed in the comment section.
Look at the CW sure and it will give you the details of how to join and post your items. It’s free and fun and there are no strings attached- it strictly to show your items and receive feedback from fellow members or get your questions answered.
I can answer your question now but I’d still like to see you post it soon.
Lots of businesses created their own trade tokens. The tokens would have the value on one side and the name of their business on the other.
The tokens were only good at that business stated on the token.
I hope you will post your token soon.