Changes

Clements was born in the small town of Morganfield in Union County in southwestern Kentucky.<ref name=congbio>"Earle C. Clements" in ''Biographical Directory''</ref> He was the youngest of two sons and four daughters born to Aaron Waller Clements (1853-1925) and the former Sallie Ann Tuley (1860-1934).<ref name=findagrave/> After he graduated from Morganfield High School in 1915,<ref name=congbio />he enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the [[University of Kentucky]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], at which he played [[football]] in 1915 and 1916 for the popular Kentucky Wildcats.  

Clements was born in the small town of Morganfield in Union County in southwestern Kentucky.<ref name=congbio>"Earle C. Clements" in ''Biographical Directory''</ref> He was the youngest of two sons and four daughters born to Aaron Waller Clements (1853-1925) and the former Sallie Ann Tuley (1860-1934).<ref name=findagrave/> After he graduated from Morganfield High School in 1915,<ref name=congbio />he enrolled in the College of Agriculture at the [[University of Kentucky]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], at which he played [[football]] in 1915 and 1916 for the popular Kentucky Wildcats.  

Clements' studies were interrupted by the outbreak of [[World War I]].<ref name=harrison206>Harrison in ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia,'' p. 206.</ref> In 1917, he enlisted as a private in Company M of the Kentucky National Guard.<ref name=jillson377>Jillson, p. 377.</ref> The soldiers in his company were dispatched to Camp Taylor near [[Louisville]] where he was mustered into the infantry of the [[United States Army]].<ref name=jillson377/> Clements then entered the office training school at Fort [[Benjamin Harrison]] near [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]],<ref name=jillson377/> from which he graduated with the rank of first lieutenant. He remained within the country as a professor of military science.<ref name=kygovs185/><ref name=jillson377/> He reached the rank of [[Captain]] prior to his discharge from the Army in 1919.<ref name=jillson377/>

Clements' studies were interrupted by the outbreak of [[World War I]].<ref name=harrison206>Harrison in ''The Kentucky Encyclopedia,'' p. 206.</ref> In 1917, he enlisted as a private in Company M of the Kentucky National Guard.<ref name=jillson377>Jillson, p. 377.</ref> The soldiers in his company were dispatched to Camp Taylor near [[Louisville]] where he was mustered into the infantry of the [[United States Army]].<ref name=jillson377/> Clements then entered the office training school at Fort [[Benjamin Harrison]] near [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]],<ref name=jillson377/> from which he graduated with the rank of first lieutenant. He remained within the country as a professor of military science.<ref name=jillson377/> He reached the rank of [[Captain]] prior to his discharge from the Army in 1919.<ref name=jillson377/>

After the war, Clements worked for two years in the burgeoning [[petroleum]] fields of East [[Texas]]. His father was a county judge and [[sheriff]] in Union County.<ref name=kygovs185 />When the senior Clements' health began to fail, Clements returned to Kentucky to help with the farm and served as his deputy sheriff.<ref name=kygovs185 /> On January 18, 1927, Clements married the former Sara M. Blue (1894-1976).<ref name=findagrave/> Their only child, Elizabeth "Bess" Hughes Clements Abel (1933-2020), became the social secretary to First Lady [[Lyndon B. Johnson|Lady Bird Johnson]] and later U.S. Senator [[Walter Mondale]], who lost the 1984 presidential election to [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref name=kygovs190>Syvertsen, ''Kentucky's Governors,'' p. 190.</ref>

After the war, Clements worked for two years in the burgeoning [[petroleum]] fields of East [[Texas]]. His father was a county judge and [[sheriff]] in Union County.<ref name=kygovs185 />When the senior Clements' health began to fail, Clements returned to Kentucky to help with the farm and served as his deputy sheriff.<ref name=kygovs185 /> On January 18, 1927, Clements married the former Sara M. Blue (1894-1976).<ref name=findagrave/> Their only child, Elizabeth "Bess" Hughes Clements Abel (1933-2020), became the social secretary to First Lady [[Lyndon B. Johnson|Lady Bird Johnson]] and later U.S. Senator [[Walter Mondale]], who lost the 1984 presidential election to [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref name=kygovs190>Syvertsen, ''Kentucky's Governors,'' p. 190.</ref>