Alexander Clayton 1720|K2QM-T2X,L7M5-VVH,L9G2-ZRK
ALEXANDER CLAYTON is born about 1720.
We first (No previous information has been found.) hear about ALEXANDER CLAYTON with his marriage intention to RUTH SMITH, of Wrentham, Mass, 26 Dec 1741 filed in Upton, Mass. A son, JONATHAN CLAYTON is born about 1742. The Compendium of American Genealogy-First Families of America, indicate they were married, but no record has as yet been found. MARY CLAYTON, the daughter of ALEXANDER CLAYTON and SARAH was born at Wrentham, Mass 26 Aug 1744. Indications are that RUTH died before 1748 since she was not mentioned in her father’s will. From this birth entry listing SARAH, RUTH apparently died at, or shortly after, the birth of JONATHAN.
JACOB SMITH was born in Boxford 26 Jan 1674 and married REBECCA SYMONDS also of Boxford. They had 7 children born in Boxford. One was RUTH, born 21 Sep 1721. JACOB’s will , dated 8 Dec 1748 does not mention her. There are no sisters named SARAH or MOLLY. JACOB had 3 brothers – but no cousins named RUTH are listed and no MOLLY. Two SARAH’s are listed from older brothers. One died 1704 and the other born 1708, much too early considering the births of the children of ALEXANDER and SARAH. (NEHGR 55:270 Research report by ETHEL BOLTON). “If” this RUTH is the one who married ALEXANDER, then the theory of SARAH being a sister is incorrect. From my perspective, RUTH “fits” but I haven’t seen anything that confirms she is the correct “RUTH.” How did she get from Boxford to Wrentham? However, if the sister SARAH theory is true, then there needs to be another RUTH SMITH. Conclusion: A RUTH SMITH, of Wrentham, vs Boxford, is our choice with no specific identification of parents until some other documentation is found. There are a large number of SMITH entries in the Wrentham vital records. Searching these may lead to a connection with RUTH.
Both JONATHAN and his father ALEXANDER were involved in the settlement of New Hampshire starting in 1753, but maintained connections in the Upton and Grafton area of Mass. ALEXANDER was one of the 69 original grantees of Townshend, Vermont, on charter dated 1753. Later in Keene, Cheshire, NH, ALEXANDER CLAYTON and SARAH were listed as parents of SUSANNA b. abt. 1754 in Keene. SUSANNA married JOHN PLUMLY and bore daughter PATTY. SUSANNA died in 5 Sep 1783.
There were two other children; JOHN and SARAH. Based on the “Warning Out” records for various children in various towns it could be concluded that MARY was born in Wrentham, SARAH in Upton, and SUSANNAH and JOHN in Grafton The New Hampshire V/R need to be reviewed to see if they support the birth of SUSANNAH there or whether it was in the Upton and Grafton area of Mass. like the other children.
A search of the deeds in Norfolk and Suffolk Counties shows no land owned by the Claytons,
So we find on 26 Feb 1767 the marriage of JONATHAN CLAYTON and SUSANNAH WATKIN in Upton. In nearby Grafton, are the marriage records of SUSANNAH CLAYTON and JOHN PLUMLY on 7 Aug 1774; MARY CLAYTON to WILLIAM DRUCE 30 Dec 1775; SARAH CLAYTON and NATHAN TWINING 8 Jul 1779; and JOHN CLAYTON and SARAH TRAPHIS 2 Nov 1780.
The first three of JONATHAN’s children are also born in Upton. He owned land in Townshend in 1771 and was living there in 1799. He served in Capt JOSEPH TYLER’s Co. of volunteers in 1780, and in Capt. JOSIAH FISH’s Co., in Col. SAMUEL FLETCHER’s Battalion in 1781.
The connection with N.H. and Vermont was still there since NATHAN TWINING dies in Alstead, N.H. and the PLUMLY children are all born in Vermont.
ALEXANDER died after 1760. His wife SARAH died after 1807, when she is mentioned in Alstead, New Hampshire town committee minutes as a widow needing help.
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