The American branch of the Clift family had its origin at Marshfield.
   In the colonial records the first appearance of the name is under date of Nov. 25th, 1691, the marriage of
   William¹ Clift of Marshfield to Lydia Wills of Scituate.
   From that union it is believed all the Clifts in the United States have come into being.   They are found not in great numbers, but widely scattered in different sections of our country, and a few specimens of the stock today are found in its native heath in the old town that first knew the name.
   Tradition has it that the above-mentioned William made his advent in Yankee land under romantic circumstances.   It is related that when seven years of age, he was brought from England by a Scituate ship master, who was hired to do so by the boy's relatives.   Why the little fellow's kindred wished to be rid of him does not appear, but there is an inference that he was an inconvenient heir to coveted estates.   The ship captain made a death bed confession that he received a sum of money, to be expended for the boy's benefit, which trust he betrayed by appropriating the money to his own use.   The boy seems to have done very well, however, and the Rev. Samuel Wills of Scituate gave him his daughter Lydia to wife, as appears by the marriage record referred to above.
   The waif from over seas and the parson's daughter of sixteen years, made them a home at Marshfield, begat sons and daughters in large numbers, as was the fashion of that day, struggled with their lot as best they might, we may well believe, and went the way of all the earth.   The wife, Lydia Wills Clift, mother of all the American Clifts, died July 1, 1761, age 85, and her remains lie buried in the old church yard at Marshfield Hills, a few yards back of the present Unitarian church.   When William Clift the first died, and where he was buried, is unknown, but William