John Clough was born in England, ca. 1613; died in Salisbury, MA 26 July 1691. He married (1) Jane -----, who died probably in Salisbury, MA 11 January 1679/80. He married (2) Martha (Blaisdell) Cilley, daughter of Ralph Blaisdell.
The preponderance of evidence seems to indicate that John Clough came to America in the ship Elizabeth, William Stagg, Master, arriving at Charlestown, MA in 1635. The passenger list of the ship includes "Jo: Cluffe - 22." One English pronunciation of Clough is Cluff, the pronunciation generally in use in our family. It is possible that John Clough so pronounced his name when embarking from the Port of London in 1635. It is believed that his wife, Jane, came with him, although this may be questioned as the first of their seven children was born eight years after his arrival in this country. Unlike many of the other settlers in New England, the passengers on the Elizabeth were not an organized company, but rather a group of individuals seeking land and a new home. "John Clough evidently came from a prosperous family as he paid at least 25 pounds for his passage on the Elizabeth and 50 pounds to become a proprietor of Salisbury." Laurence Clough, "Ancestors of Daniel and Almira Taylor of Shelburne, Vermont", 1979.
In 1639, John Clough was one of the original settlers of a new township named Colchester near the mouth of the Merrimack River. The name of this new town was changed to Salisbury the following year. John received his land in the "first division" and acquired additional land in 1640. John was a house carpenter and probably brought his tools with him from England. "It is noted that the town fathers fixed the price for carpenter's work: ... eighteen pence per day in winter, twenty-two in summer..." Speare, ed., "The Family of John Clough," p. 34.
By 1650, then 37 years old, and having taken the oath of fidelity, John Clough was firmly established in Salisbury, MA where he became prominent in public affairs when he was appointed as the "Jury of Tryals," an office he filled many times before 1677. That he was involved in other activities is indicated by this note in a town meeting: "Liberty be granted to John Clough, Left Pike, and Henry True to transport so many plank as will serve for the deck of a vessel building in Boston."
Around 1659, John Clough purchased a lot on Batt's Hill near Salisbury Plains, from Christopher Batt who had moved to Boston. This particular lot had been purchased by Andrew Greeley but was given up by default when he neglected to pay for it with the 200 bushels of wheat that had been agreed upon. Later, John, jointly with John Gill, bought 90 additional acres for 80 pounds sterling where they both built new homes. That John acquired substantial property in and around Salisbury is indicated in his will, probated in 1691, in which he bequeaths land in Salisbury, Salisbury Beach, Amesbury, and Haverhill to his children and grandchildren.
John and his first wife Jane Clough had seven children, all born in Salisbury, MA: