William Claiton (abt. 1610 - aft. 1658)

Born about 1610 in Boxgrove, Sussex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Jone (Smith) Claiton — married 30 Oct 1631 in Boxgrove, Sussex, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Simmons) Claiton — married 4 Jan 1645 in Boxgrove, Sussex, England

Descendants

Died after 1 Feb 1658 after about age 48 in Chichester, Sussex, England

Problems/Questions Profile managers: T Stanton [send private message], Glenn York [send private message], X Gorby [send private message], Rena Donze [send private message], and SJ Baty [send private message]

Disproven Ancestry

Note: This profile was previously linked to parents William Clayton and Margaret (Cholmondeley) Clayton. Research by Winton-Misch of the National Society of Descendants of Early Quakers (NSDEQ) and Charles Hanson have disproven these links. Please see the discussion thread for specifics. https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/628663/william-clayton-1632-governor-pennsylvania-ancestry-errors.

Biography

William Claiton "Jun" or "Junr" (the younger) was born about 1610, most likely in Boxgrove, Essex, England. He is the son of William Cleton the Elder, and Elizabeth (last name unknown).^[1][2]

"Winton-Misch identified an entry for William in the Boxgrove parish records and estimated that he was born about 1610. From his death records we know that he was referred to as William “the Younger."^[3]

Marriage

William married Jone (Joan) Smith on 30 October 1631 in Boxgrove, Sussex, England.^[4]

Children

William and Jone (Joan) had 5 children:

i. William Claiton - Baptized 9 December 1632 in Boxgrove.^[3][5]

ii. Joan Claiton - Baptized 23 August 1635 in Boxgrove. Just before her 8th birthday, Joan was buried in Boxgrove on 20 July 1644.^[6]

iii. Elizabeth Clayton - Baptized 11 February 1637 in Boxgrove.^[7] Elizabeth was buried in Boxgrove on 16 October 1638,^[8] she had aged only a little more than 10 months.

iv. Richard Claiton - Baptized 13 September 1640 in Boxgrove, Worcester. Born to "Willia[m] and Jone Claiton."^[9]

v. Thomas Claiton - Baptized 26 February 1642 in Boxgrove.^[10]

William's wife Joan died in April 1644 and was buried in St. Mary and St. Blaise Church on 27 April 1644 in Boxgrove, Sussex, England. The record of her death states that she was "Joan Claiton,"^[11] the "wife of William Claiton jun."^[12][13]

Second marriage

Almost 9 months after Joan's death, on 4 January 1644/45, William married Elizabeth Simmons.^[14] Sometime after his remarriage, he moved (or simply transferred churches) to St. Pancras Parrish, Sussex where they resided "without the east gate of Chichester, Sussex" (outside the Chichester city wall near the east gate).^[15][16]

The East Gate of Chichester by Grimm 1782

William and Elizabeth had a daughter who they named Mary. A record of her birth has not been found.^[17]

vi. Mary Claiton - Likely born in the mid 1640's^[17]

Religion

Hunt speculates that William was likely a Quaker, possibly joining the society of friends sometime between 1655 and 1658. His second wife Elizabeth was a Quaker: her burial in 1660 is listed in the Lewes and Chichester Monthly Meeting minutes.^[18]

Occupation

In his will, William is noted as a "timberman." Hunt concludes that he was likely a "framer" - a maker of wood frames for the mining industry; there were many operating iron mines operating in Sussex during his lifetime.^[16][19]

Death

William Clayton wrote his will February 1, 1658/9 and died sometime later. The will was not probated, but it was recorded in the Consistory Court Will Register in Chichester in volume 21B, page 59.^[16] The original can be viewed (with ancestry subscription) here. Because the will was not probated, the time and exact location of his death are unknown. The will lists the children: Will (and his children WIlliam & Prudence), Richard and Thomas (both under 21 years), Elizabeth and Mary (under 21 years and indicates Mary was by his second marriage). It is also in his will that we learn of William's occupation:

William Clayton. In the name of God I Will Clayton of the Parish of Pancras without the East Gate, of Chichester in the County of Sussex, Timberman, being sick & weak in body yet of perfect memory Lord to be thanked, do make & ordain this my last will & Testament in form following...

Research Notes

Previously, Hunt's research was available online but the website seems to have been taken down. I (SJ Baty) have a copy of this work. If you are interested in viewing Hunt's research regarding this profile, please send me a PM.

Sources

1. ↑ "The circumstantial evidence of a connection between the two generations is strong, as presented in the article An Alternative Ancestry for William Clayton of Chichester, Sussex, and Pennsylvania, published in the journal Plain Language in 1996 (Vol. 6, No. 2)" as cited in: Hunt, pp. 211-212.
2. ↑ "It is the opinion of Marilyn L. Winton-Misch of the National Society of Descendants of Early Quakers (NSDEQ), who spent years in England researching primary source records of early Quakers, that William Clayton of Walberton, baptized there on 24 February 1589, was the same person as William Clayton “the Elder” who later lived in Boxgrove, about four miles away. She determined there is no convincing evidence of a connection with the Clayton families of Rudgwick parish, 24 miles away," as cited in: Hunt, p. 211.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Hunt, p. 211.
4. ↑ Marriage record, William Claiton and Jone Smith: "England, Sussex, Parish Registers, 1538-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDX-M7RT : 11 March 2018), William Claiton and Jone Smith, 1631. Accessed 26 June 2018 SJ Baty.
   Local file: https://www.wikitree.com/photo/png/Clayton-2220.
5. ↑ Christening record of William Claiton: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J33H-95Y : 11 February 2018, William Claiton, 09 Dec 1632); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 504,433. Accessed 7 July 2018 SJ Baty.
6. ↑ Christening record of Joan Claiton: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NY2Q-9M2 : 11 February 2018, Joan Claiton, 20 Jul 1644); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 504,433. Accessed 28 June 2018 by SJ Baty.
7. ↑ Record of Christening of Elizabeth Clayton: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J33H-SJ4 : 11 February 2018, Elizabeth Clayton, 11 Feb 1637); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 504,433. Accessed 7 July 2018 SJ Baty.
8. ↑ Record of burial of Elizabeth Claiton: "England, Sussex, Parish Registers, 1538-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q4-S1XX : 7 December 2017), Elizabeth Claiton, 1638. Accessed 7 July 2018 SJ Baty.
9. ↑ Christening record of Richard Clayton: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J9HD-7RQ : 9 March 2018, Richard Claiton, ); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,040,974. Accessed 7 July 2018 SJ Baty.
   Local file: https://www.wikitree.com/photo/png/Clayton-1248.
10. ↑ Christening record of Thomas Claiton: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQ5W-YBX : 11 February 2018, Thomas Claiton, 26 Feb 1642); citing , index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 504,433. Accessed 7 July 2018 SJ Baty.
11. ↑ Some online sources show a death date of 25 April. However the only record known shows the date of burial on 27 April: "England, Sussex, Parish Registers, 1538-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q4-S1F7 : 7 December 2017), Joan Claiton, 1644. Accessed on 28 June 2018 by SJ Baty.
12. ↑ Hunt and other researchers use the name Clayton exclusively while the source records show the name spelled as "Claiton:" Hunt, pp. 211-213.
13. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #49463876 memorial page for Joan Smith Clayton (1610–Apr 1644), Find A Grave Memorial no. 49463876, citing St Mary and St Blaise Church, Boxgrove, Chichester District, West Sussex, England ; Maintained by Scott Parkey (contributor 47061125). Accessed on 13 February 2018 by Carol (Winton) Keeling.
14. ↑ Marriage record of William Claiton and Elizabeth Simmons: "England, Sussex, Parish Registers, 1538-1910", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Q4-SRF4 : 7 December 2017), William Claiton and Elizabeth Simmons, 1644. Accessed 7 July 2018 SJ Baty.
15. ↑ "Without the east gate means that they were living outside of the city gate. Hunt, p. 212.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} A copy of William's will has been transcribed and can be accessed at: "https://www.geni.com/people/William-Clayton/6000000008356823850." As cited at: Consistory Court Will Register 1653-1668 in Chichester Miscellaneous Wills 1653-1668, vol. 218, Ref. ST61/218 at the West Sussex Record Office, Chichester, Sussex. Copied and transcribed by Marilyn London Winton, 1984. Last accessed 17 July 2018.
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Hunt, p. 213.
18. ↑ It seems unlikely that in the 17th century Elizabeth would attend a different church than her husband. Hunt, p. 212.
19. ↑ In his will, William is referred to as a "timberman." Hunt, p. 212.

• Hunt, Roger D. The History of the Hunt Family. Oregon City, OR: Privately published, 2011. pp 210-216. Accessed 29 April 2015 SJ Baty.
  See also: Hansen, Charles M. “The Parentage of William Clayton, Quaker Immigrant to Pennsylvania: A Correction,” The Genealogist 4 (1983): 169-73.
  http://fasg.org/fellows/current-fellows/charles-m-hansen/, and
  "An Alternative Ancestry for William Clayton of Chichester, Sussex, and Pennsylvania," published in The Journal Plain Language in 1996 (Vol. 6, No. 2).
• Putman, Bill. "http://www.billputman.com/Beals.pdf." The Beals Family History, last accessed 15 July 2018.