Marilyn,
What, if any, evidence do you have that Martha HUDSON Blankenship's father was a CLAY... Blankenship is my mother's maternal line and my biological surname is CLAY. Both Dr. Charles Clay & Hannah Wilson AND Ralph Blankenship & Martha Hudson are my 8th g-grandparents... AND they were neighbors in Chesterfield Co, VA.
Dr. Charles Clay and Hannah Wilson never had any daughters named Martha and also her dates are all wrong to be one of their daughters...
Here is my story about how the CLAY name came to be associated with Martha...
"The Saga of Martha HUDSON Blankenship
Lynda Davis-Logan·Friday, May 5, 2017
I am creating this document so that I don’t have to write it over and over and over…
RALPH BLANKENSHIP, our IMMIGRANT = (Ralph was the 1st Blankenship in Am., arriving in Va. ca 1686 (Henrico Co., Va Record Book 2, page 326). Born about 1662 to before April 15 1714.
(and all of these dates are derived from the following records found in the early Henrico Co, VA Court Records:
· Apr 1695 Henrico Co., Va. Will & Deed Book (1688-97) p 577 states:
'He was about 33 yrs of age.'
· 15 Apr 1714 inventory of Ralph Blankinship's possessions.
· May 1714 Henrico Co., Va. Will & Deed Book (1710- 14) p 258, Martha Blankinship, widow of Ralph presented estate's inventory.
· 1715 Henrico Co., Orphans Court, Martha, widow of Ralph reports on children: Ralph, John & James.)
Ralph Blankenship married Martha HUDSON who was the daughter of William Hudson and Elizabeth Jennings…
Ralph and Martha Hudson Blankenship were neighbors of Dr. Charles Clay and his wife, Hannah Wilson.
Charles and Hannah had 7 children:
John, Thomas, Henry I, Mary Hannah, Elizabeth, Judith and Charles Clay II.
Charles and Hannah Wilson were my 8th g-grandparents on my paternal side as CLAY is my biological name.
Ralph and Martha had 5 sons and possibly 1 daughter…
William, Richard, Ralph Jr, John B or Buck, James and Ann?
SO why does everyone think that MARTHA was a CLAY???
Because the 2 couples were neighbors and following the death of Dr. Charles Clay June 1686 Hannah became a widow (and we know the thinking of the day – “Women could not possibly take care of themselves and their children ALL BY THEMSELVES!!!”
Living about 6 miles west of the CLAYS and BLANKENSHIPS lived a very eligible bachelor “enter” one EDWARD STANLEY!!!
Edward and Hannah Wilson Clay were married about
Oct 1 1687. Part of Hannah’s dowry that she brought from her marriage to Dr.. Charles Clay was her land and her minor children.
Hannah created a new Will on Oct 1 1687 to make sure that the children of her first marriage would be protected and receive their inheritance from her…
“(See Orphan Court Paper, Henrico Co., VA.)
Henrico Co, Va. Deeds 1677-1705 Weisiger 975.5453W
Page 44 p.463 I give to JOHN CLAY, Thomas Clay, Henry Clay, and Charles Clay, my sons, each, 1 cow 4 years old with calf by her side, at attaining age, also I well-fixed gun. To my daughter Judith Clay, 6 new pewter plates at her marriage or when of age. 1 Oct 1687
Hannah (X) Clay Recorded 1 Oct. 1687”
Edward Stanley and Hannah Wilson Clay Stanley had 1 daughter –
Hannah born about 1688.
Following Hannah’s death in 1705 Edward Stanley became an eligible widower… and he remained in that state until after Ralph Blankenship died sometime before April 15 1714 and then he began courting Martha Hudson Blankenship his now widowed neighbor.
Martha Blankenship and Edward Stanley were married sometime about 1716 and while the Clay children had now come of age… their names were still associated with Edward Stanley leading everyone to ASSUME that Martha had been a Clay. They were married about 10 years when Edward Stanley passed away in 1726.
AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY!!!
Lynda Clay Davis-Logan
May 5, 2017