Work by several researchers (Louis Jones and Charles Hansen come immediately to mind) have made a convincing case that William Clayton who married Prudence Lanckford was not connected with the gentry Clayton family in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Tom Hamm >My wife is descended from William Clayton and Prudence Lanckford so, when I >came across the following passage in an old book today (at the Chester >County Historical Society, West Chester, PA), I copied it down. > >I'm not vouching for this in any way, just sharing it. > >The book is mostly about the author's world travels, but he devotes a >chapter or so to his genealogy and memories of growing up in and around >Bethel Township, Delaware Co., PA. > >Mark > > >"I have not been able to trace the family in England further back than 1560, >when Thomas Clayton was the owner of "Clayton Hall" in Yorkshire. > >"They Claytons, according to family tradition, came originally from Sussex, >England, where there was a small town of that name. In the olden time, >surnames did not indicate relationship but location. All the inhabitants of >Claytown (Clayton) took that as their surname. As York was then the >political center of the Kingdom, it was quite natural that the bright young >men of the sleepy old town should migrate to the fashionable metropolis of >England. > >"The first son of Thomas of "Clayton Hall" died a minor. His second son was >William of Okenshaw. He was a barrister of the Inner Temple. He died in >1627. The estate known as "Clayton Hall," descended to Thomas (2) who was >in possession as heir in 1666. He had a son William, who came to this >country in 1671, and is the ancestor of our family, and will be hereafter >called William of Chichester, to distinguish him from the many other William >Claytons that succeeded him. Thomas (2) had also a son, John, who was a >barrister of the Inner Temple. He died April 6, 1666. > >"William of Okenshaw, the grandfather of 'William of Chichester, had a son, >Jasper, who was knighted by his sovereign for some service which is not >stated in the record. He was afterwards called Sir Jasper Clayton." > >Source: Rambles and Reflections: Europe from Biscay to the Black Sea and >from Aetna to the North Cape with Glimpses at Asia, Africa, America and the >Islands of the Sea. By Thomas J. Clayton, 1892. > > >==== QUAKER-ROOTS Mailing List ==== >Need assistance? Please contact:Quaker-Roots-L-Admin@RootsWeb.com > List Manager for Quaker-Roots-L and Quaker-Roots-D > Now with over 750 subscribers