The Society was founded in 1939 by Walter Cluff the first president of the Society and a group of John Clough of Salisbury, Massachusetts descendants and the first meeting was held in Exeter NH in 1940. At least 114 attended and there is a report that there were over 200 present (if guests are included). From the book Genealogy of the Descendants of JOHN CLOUGH of Salisbury, Massachusetts, Vol. I, we find that this Society was not the first to be founded, as two other Clough Societies had been organized and each made contributions to the genealogical work. This work is continued today by the John Clough Genealogical Society.
The Society is dedicated to the continuing study of the Clough/Cluff/Clow family line as related to John Clough who emigrated to Salisbury, Massachusetts in the year 1635. Since its founding, the Society has met yearly with the exception that in 1979 no reunion was held due to the gasoline shortage and no reunion was held in 1995 due to lack of registrations. The Board of Governors did meet during both of those years to insure that the business of the Society was carried on. Thirty different individuals have served as president over the Society's life. We have published the Bulletin 2-4 times/year since 1945.
In 1943 the Society published The Story of John Clough of Salisbury, Massachusetts. This book was the compilation of church record books, ancient family papers, Family Bibles, vital records, probate records, deeds and wills, and other available reference works. In 1952 a second book was published, Genealogy of the Descendants of JOHN CLOUGH of Salisbury, Massachusetts, Vol. I which contains genealogical data for descendants down through seven generations. In 1966, a third book, Vol. II, was published which carried the study down through the 8th, 9th and 10th generations. Today, another book is planned that will combine the two previous genealogical books with current information which has been compiled over the years.
