John Clayton
© February 2005
Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber
22937 Long Branch Road, Rush, KY 41168
John Clayton, [Edmond, Henry] was born circa 1631 at Aldingham Parish, Lancashire, England. He was the son of 256. Edmond and Margaret Clayton. He married Alice Myres 11 December 1661 in Swarthmoor, England. Swarthmoor Monthly Meeting was part of the Lancashire Quarterly Meeting, Society of Friends. He may have had a prior marriage to Sarah but nothing further is known about her.
John and Alice’s first three children were all born in England. Their births are carefully recorded in the Swarthmoor Meeting minutes. Our ancestor Zebulon’s birth is recorded as 6 5th month 1666 son of John of Hallbank. One must take into consideration the different calander utilized by the Quaker faith to determine that Zebulon was born in November. Daughter Rachel was born 20 November 1662 and died at Hallbank on the 6th of December.
Two other daughters, Leah and Sarah may have been born in England as well. Sarah was born in February 1670/71. It is thought that John came to America shortly after her birth. The family was first in Rhode Island where his sister Ann married Nicholas Easton March 2, 1671. John’s sister is thought to have been a servant of Judge Thomas Fell at Swarthmoor Hall in Lancashire, England. It is recorded that Ann traveled by way of the East Indies to America but it is unclear if she traveled with her brother’s family. Fell’s wife Margaret later married George Fox and kept a journal where she wrote of her home at Swarthmoor.
By 1676 John is in Shrewsbury Monmouth County, New Jersey where the continued to attend monthly meetings. The family was at the wedding of Francis Borden in
1677. John and Alice’s new daughter, Rachel’s birth was recorded 16 June 1677 in the Shrewsbury MM records. Two years later son John was born.
On January 2, 1681 John had his ear mark recorded in the first town book of Middletown, New Jersey. His mark is described as a "slitt in ye right eare and a crop in ye left eare and his brand marke...the right thigh is J C." George Keith, surveyor of East Jersey sold him 380 acres of land in Burlington County in 1691. By 1699 John had settled his family in Chesterfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey. In March 1700 John sold land at Oneanicken, Burlington County to his sons Asher and John for "love and affection." The land had been purchased from William Biddle and contained houses, buldings, orchards, mines, minerals, fishing and hawking.
John Clayton wrote his will in Chestefield, Burlington County May 16, 1702. Besides providing for his children he left forty shillings a piece to each of his grand children. Among his property John left Asher and John pewter, brass, bedding, cattle, horses, sheep loins and husbandry gear.
John and Alice Myres Clayton are American ancestors to Princess Diana, Prince William and Harry through their daughter Rachel who married Michael Newbold, Jr. Their daughter Sarah married Thomas Boude. They are also the ancestors of Past President Richard Milhous Nixon through son Zebulon. Nixon is our 5th cousin with mutual ancestry through Thomas and Mary Clayton.
Children of John Clayton and Alice Myres are:
i. Rachel Clayton, born 20 November 1662; died 06 December 1662 in Hall Bank, Lancashire, Eng.
ii. Zebulon Clayton, born 27 November 1663 in Hall Bank-Rampside, Lancashire Eng; died 1744 in Upper Freehold, Monmouth County NJ; married Mary Hartshorne.
iii. Joseph Clayton, born 06 July 1666 in Hall Bank, Lancashire, Eng; died in d young.
iv. Leah Clayton, born 1668; married Abraham Brown 29 July 1692 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., NJ.
v. Asher Clayton, born 1674; died 19 February 1733/34; married Mary Hunloke.
vi. Sarah Clayton, born February 1670/71 in Eng; married Gershom Mott 12 February 1695/96 in Monmouth Co., NJ; born Abt. 1663 in Long Island, NY; died 03 March 1733/34 in Monmouth County NJ.
vii. Rachel Clayton, born 16 June 1677 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., NJ; died 17 April 1777; married Michael Newbold, Jr 24 February 1697/98 in Burlington Co., NJ; born 1667; died 01 December 1721.
viii. John Clayton, born 01 November 1679 in Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., NJ; died 1716 in Chesterfield, Burlington County NJ; married Mary Wood 06 April 1706.