Family/Spouse: Vernell McCarver. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Karen Lynne Clift
2. Leslie Hunter Clift

Notes:

1930 US Census
Name: Ben J Clift Age: 36 Estimated birth year: abt 1894 Birthplace: Tennessee Relation to head-of-house: Prisoner Race: White Home in 1930: Brushy Mountain Penitentiary, Morgan, Tennessee

DEATH: Name CLIFT, BEN J. Date DEC. 23 1965 Newspaper TIMES

MILITARY: Prairie I
(Aux. cruiser: dp. 6,620; l. 404’9”; b. 48’3”; dr. 20’9”; s. 15 k.)
Prairie, formerly Morgan Liner S.S. El Sol, was built in 1890 by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pa. She was purchased by the Navy 6 April 1898 from the Southern Pacific Co., and commissioned 8 April 1898 at New York, Comdr. C. J. Train in command.

MILITARY: Prairie was converted into an auxiliary cruiser and assigned at first to the Northern Patrol Squadron and later to the North Atlantic Fleet. During the Spanish-American War, she served in Cuban waters July and August 1898, and returned to Fore River, Mass., 28 August. She decommissioned 15 March 1899 at Philadelphia.

MILITARY: Prairie was placed in reserve commission 23 March 1899 and cruised with the Naval Militia off the Atlantic coast until she decommissioned at New York 18 February 1901. She carried government exhibits to France at the turn of the century for the Paris Exposition. She recommissioned at Boston 9 November 1901 as a training ship, and remained with this mission until she decommissioned at Boston 14 June 1905.

MILITARY: She recommissioned 26 September 1906 at Boston as a transport and was attached to the Atlantic Fleet. She protected American interests in Cuba, March to April 1907. Later she resumed her training duties with the Naval Militia from May to September 1907, July to August 1908 and July to August 1909.

MILITARY: Converted to a destroyer tender in late 1917, Prairie served as one during World War I.
Prairie decommissioned 22 November 1922 at San Diego, Calif., and was struck from the Navy List. She was sold 22 June 1923 to Louis Rothenberg, Oakland, Calif.

Benjamin married Mary Lillian Hunter on 18 May 1918 in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Mary (daughter of James McFarland Hunter and Mary Alice Watson) was born on 17 Aug 1899 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; died on 14 Apr 1991 in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee; was buried in Soddy Presbyterian Cemetery, Soddy-Daisy, Hamilton County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DEATH: Name CLIFT, R. H. Date MAR. 30 1935 Newspaper TIMES

Ross married Alice Huldah Settles in 1887 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee. Alice (daughter of John Terrill Settles and Catherine Varner) was born on 9 Mar 1868 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; died on 6 Apr 1952 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; was buried in Soddy Presbyterian Cemetery, Soddy-Daisy, Hamilton County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married Mary Alice Watson on 31 Mar 1887 in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Mary (daughter of Samuel A. Watson and Lydia Wiley) was born on 16 Dec 1867 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; died on 21 Mar 1940 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; was buried on 23 Mar 1940 in Soddy Presbyterian Cemetery, Soddy-Daisy, Hamilton County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Kraft. Sarah (daughter of George Croft and Sarah) was born on 11 Feb 1835 in Georgia; died on 4 Apr 1927 in Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee; was buried on 5 Apr 1927 in Soddy Presbyterian Cemetery, Soddy-Daisy, Hamilton County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DEATH: Name CLIFT, SARAH A. E. (MRS. ROBERT E.) Date APR. 5 1927 Newspaper TIMES

Notes:

GIVEN NAMES: Also shown as John

John married Catherine Varner. Catherine (daughter of James Madison Varner and Nancy Willis) was born on 28 Aug 1840 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; died on 10 Jan 1926 in Soddy, Hamilton County, Tennessee; was buried in Varner Cemetery, Soddy-Daisy, Hamilton County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

BIRTH: Also shown as Born Hamilton County, Tennessee.

Robert married Sarah Jane Hickman. Sarah was born in in Hamilton County, Tennessee. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Samuel married Lydia Wiley. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]