Thomas Clay (abt. 1637 - bef. 1679)

Born about 1637 in Isle of Wight, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

Husband of Elizabeth (Muggett) Shugan — married Jan 1675 (to Mar 1679) in Isle of Wight, Virginia

Died before 6 May 1679 before about age 42 in Surry, Colony of Virginia

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Biography

Thomas Clay was a Virginia colonist.

Thomas Clay, son of John Clay and Mary Unknown, was born about 1637 in Isle of Wight, Virginia. Note: There isn't a record as to where he was born, may have been born in England. He is listed as eldest son of John Clay in John's will.

Thomas Clay is named in the will of his father John Clay on 7 April 1675

• John Clay gave to Thomas Clay "my eldest son, that point of land where son John lives to the bounds of George Hardy..."^[1]

Thomas Clay is included in the Surry County Tithables (White) in 1668. Both Thomas and brother William Clay are on the List of Tithable as of 10 June 1674 in Southwark or Lawnes Creek Parish, Surry County.^[2] Thomas Clay listed among the titheables in Lawnes Creeke in 1668, 1677 and 1678, Hogg Island Lawnes Creek.^[3]

Thomas had participated in 1673 in the unlawful meeting in Lawnes Creek regarding taxes which was attended by William Hancock, Robert Lacy, Mathew Swann, and others. They were prosecuted by Lawrence Baker and Robert Hancock, Justices.^[4]

Marriage

Thomas Clay married first perhaps about 1670; his wife's name is not known. They had one known son, Thomas Clay, Jr., born before 1675. Thomas Clay, Jr., is named in the will of Thomas' brother William Clay on 10 January 1675/6.

• William Clay bequeated "Unto my Cuzin Thomas; the Sonne of my brother Thomas CLAY, one flock[?] Bedd, w.th boulster & blankett;" ^[5]

Thomas Clay married widow Elizabeth (Muggett) Mason Shugan as his second wife before January 1675 in Surry County, Virginia. They didn't have children. After Thomas' death, Elizabeth married John Shugan [Sugars/Shugar] between March 1679 and July 1680.

In January 1675, Thomas Clay and Elizabeth, his wife, who was then 32, testified that John Spencer of Lawnes Creek lay sick at William Hancock's house and deponent asked him how he would dispose of his estate and he said he would leave what he had to his sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. [This would place Elizabeth as being born in 1643.]

:2 May 1676, Guardian Accounts in Surry, Thomas Clay was appointed the guardian of the children of John Mason, deceased, with William Seward as security.

Death & Legacy

Thomas Clay made his will in Surry 10 April 1679, probated 6 May 1679. He left his entire estate to his wife Elizabeth and her heirs. (Davis 39, BK 2-204)^{[1] [6]}

It appears Thomas' son, Thomas Clay, Jr., named in the will of William Clay, died before April 1679 since Thomas, Jr. is not named in his father's will.

Thomas Claye, May 6, 1679, Surry, VA, in Surry record book has recorded he died by this date.^[7][3]

Elizabeth's third marriage, between March 1679 and July 1680, was to John (Jean) Shugar. They didn't have children. Elizabeth could have been nineteen years older then John, depending on how old he was when he came to Virginia.

19 July 1680, Surry County Order Book, the marriage of Phillip Shelley, Sr. and Ann Mason was entered. The citation that Phillip Shelley had married Ann Mason was part of an acknowledgement by Phillip Shelley that John Sugar had satisfied the bond of Thomas Clay. It also stated that John Sugar had married Elizabeth Clay who had been granted the administration of Thomas Clay, her deceased husband at the March Court in 1679.^[8]

September 1682, John Shugar, had fully paid the orphan's estates of John Mason, deceased, and the bond was discharged.'^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Boddie, John Bennett. Historical Southern Families. Originally Published: Redwood City, California, 1960. Reprinted for Clearfield Company, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore, Maryland 1993, 1994. Digital version available on ancestry.com. Volume 4, Ancestry Sharing Image, Page 66
2. ↑ Hopkins, William Lindsay. Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Deeds 1647-1719, Court Orders 1693-1695 and Guardian Accounts 1740-1767. Pages 183, 185
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} MacDonald, Edgar, Slatten, Richard, Surry County Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, Genealogical Publishing Com, 2007, CLAY p. 4, 8, 9, 16, 30; JOHN SUGER p.129, 147, 155, 268; MUGGETT p. 41, 249, CLAY
4. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett, Colonial Surry, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1974, p.101-102, THOMAS CLAY p102
5. ↑ ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, VA - WILLS - William CLAY, 10 Jan 1676
6. ↑ Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s. Farmington Hills, MI, USA: Gale Research, 2012. Place: Virginia; Year: 1646; Page Number: 169, Thomas Clay
7. ↑ Chalkley, Lyman. Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, 1745-1800. Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1965. Originally published in 1912., Book: 2-135 Prove date: 20 Oct 1675 Name: Thomas Clay Date: 7 Apr 1675 Location: Isle of Wight, Ancestry.com, accessed 4 June 2019
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Isle of Wight County Records The William and Mary Quarterly Vol. 7, No. 4 (Apr., 1899), Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture DOI: 10.2307/1919740 pp. 205-315