John M. (Jack) Clemens is a Barnes County native and has lived in the county all his life. Jack was born September 27, 1930 to Nicholas and Elizabeth Clemens and received his education at Uxbridge, St. Catherines, Valley City and graduated from St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota in 1952 with a Business Economics degree. Having served two years in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict, Jack returned to the home farm near Wimbledon to begin farming with his father. Jack and Marjorie Cysewski, Courtenay, North Dakota were married on September 26, 1955. They have lived on the home place since their marriage. Jack has been Uxbridge township supervisor since 1963, a committeeman on the ASC for 13 years, FHA county committeeman, an active member in church and community affairs and recently has been appointed to the North Dakota Winter Show board.
Jack and Marjorie have five children: Michael, a 1975 graduate of Wimbledon Public School; Susan, Christopher and Patrick presently enrolled in Wimbledon Public School; and Elizabeth (Betsy) a preschooler at home.
Jack's parents, Nick and Elizabeth, came to North Dakota from Iowa. Nick was born February 10, 1889 at North Washington, Iowa and received his schooling in New Hampton, Iowa. In 1918, he enlisted in the United States Army and after his discharge, came to Wimbledon and helped Louis Altringer put in his crop. He then started working for the Dennstedt Land Company. In 1920, he and Elizabeth Seelhammer were married at North Washington, Iowa. He continued working for the Dennstedt Land Company for the next eight years, then moved to the Southwest ΒΌ, Section 2-142-61 Uxbridge township where they started farming. In 1940, Nick purchased the farm. In 1945 they moved into Wimbledon residing in the Stroud house. In 1952 they built a home in Gibson's 1st addition just west of the Stroud house. Nick retired from farming in 1958 and sold the farm to Jack who lives there today. Nick died November '24, 1963 and-Elizabeth died November 5, 1969. Besides Jack, they left Kathleen who is married to Tom Dunn, lives in Rhode Island and has five children; Mary who is married to Nathan Crosby, lives in Valley City, North Dakota and has six children; and James J. who lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 47