Clement Oakman was born about 1828 in Ireland and sailed to the US on the Sir C Campbell which arrived at the Port of New York on 7 July 1846. In 1851, Clement was living at 186 Monroe St, New York County when he witnessed the naturalisation of his relative Walter Oakman. On 28 October 1858 Clement was Naturalised and the witness to his Naturalisation was Catherine Davison (the mother of William Oakman) of 7 Munro St, NYC. Were Clement and Walter brothers to William?
Clement worked as a Boiler Maker, and Railway Employee in Amboy, Illinois. He and his wife, Ellen, had four children – William, Mary, Clements G and Richard. The oldest two children became School Teachers, while Clements Jr had a varied career as a Machinist, Furniture Merchant, Undertaker and Real Estate Agent, living most of his adult life in Clintonia, Illinois. Richard worked on the railroads and also lived in Clintonia, DeWitt County with his wife and family.