Karan Rodgers
Ed Clark was a craftsman--not a carpenter. He touched every part of Clifton, located on Rt. 729 near Flint Hill, while it was being restored in the late 1970's and early 80's. He wore out multiple mud pans as he repointed every rock inside and outside walls of the old house. He built four poplar doors with wooden pegs to match the almost 200 year old original doors in the house. He used his father's draw knife to carve the new banister to match the original. He wore out several rubber hammers as he pounded rock-hard heart pine boards into place. He worked quietly and alone with the most meticulous attention to any detail concerning the house. He looked for gold coins and Civil War memorabilia--never found, and ghosts--never seen, but perhaps heard. But he really wanted to find a signature somewhere in the house from the man who had build Clifton. The signature was never discovered during his work. But a later restoration of the plaster walls discovered the signature. Someone hit a hammer against the plaster and a large block fell. Uncovered was the name Elias Chelf's written in the original plaster in large sweeping curves. (Chelf was probably very tired and relieved to be finished with the building of Clifton.) Ed's name is written on a beam in the attic for another craftsman to find and to marvel at his handiwork during another restoration. And Ruth? She sent
piping hot coffee and two fried egg sandwiches for Ed's lunch every single day. She
supported Ed in all his work. Both of them can be loved but never replaced.
Karan Rodgers--Fairhope, Alabama
(With Dr. Robert (Doc) Rodgers and Juanda Rodgers, deceased--whose work and love
of Clifton inspired the work that Ed Clark accomplished.)