Joshua Clayton (abt. 1677 - bef. 1761)

Born about 1677 in Middlewich, Cheshire, England

Descendants

Died before 26 Jan 1761 before about age 84 in Little Creek Hundred, Kent, Delaware

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Biography

• Joshua Clayton, a Quaker, who came from Lincolnshire, England in the late 17th century, was the grandfather of his namesake, Joshua Clayton, the 1st Governor of the State of Delaware and subsequently, Senate from Delaware.^[1]

Son of James Clayton and Jane (unknown)

Husband of Sarah (Needham) Bedwell, widow of Henry Bedwell.

Husband of Sarah (Miers) Cummins.^[2]

Migration

Joshua Clayton was a William Penn fleet passenger.

Joshua migrated to the new world with his family on board the William Penn Fleet ship Submission.^[3]

Research Notes

Thought erroneously to have been a passenger on the "Welcome," but proven by the Welcome Society to have arrived on the "Submission" in 1682, another ship in William Penn's "Welcome" fleet. Joshua was possibly the twin of Lydia Clayton, aged 5 in 1682. Joshua was the fifth child of James Clayton and Jane (unknown).

At age 21, Joshua and his older brother John bought 200 acres of "Shoemaker's Hall" in Kent County, Delaware, on the south side of Walker's Branch on the Dover River, 15 June 1698.

Joshua later sold and acquired land in Little Creek Hundred at a place later known as "Cowgill's Corner," named for his descendants.

All of Joshua's children were by his first wife.

The will of Joshua Clayton of Little Creek Hundred, dated 2 Sep 1760 was probated 26 Jan 1761. IT names his wife Sarah and his deceased daughter Sarah Cowgill, and grandchildren John Cowgill, Henry Cowgill, Sarah Register, wife of John Register, and Elizabeth Neal (wife of Francis). Also Thomas and Ezekiel Cowgill, Sarah Hand (wife of Samuel Hand), Eleanor (called Ellen in her mother's will) and Jean (called Jane in her mother's will) who married Daniel Smith, these four being children of Thomas and Sarah (Clayton) Cowgill. Other grandchildren in the will were Eunice Osburn and Lydia Durburrow, the former child of the testator's daughter Elizabeth who had married Mark Manlove, Jr., 3 Sept 1730, and Joshua also mentioned her husband, Jonathan Osburn.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Joshua Clayton," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joshua_Clayton&oldid=1054907062 (accessed March 15, 2022).
2. ↑ U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935: Delaware: Kent: Duck Creek Monthly Meeting:Women’s Minutes, 1711-1830. Database and images at Ancestry.com

   22nd Fourth Month 1747 / June 22, 1747 Image

   Joshua Clayton & Sarah Cummins appeared here and published their Intention of Marriage with Each other, being the first time.

   26th of Fifth Month 1747: second publication of intention

   17th of Sixth Month 1747 Image: Report that Marriage was accomplished Orderly.

3. ↑ "https://www.welcomesociety.org/ancestors-approved-memberships.html." William Penn Fleet ancestors approved for membership: The Welcome Society of Pennsylvania. Accessed 16 September 2018 Sj Baty.
4. ↑ "Clayton, Joshua" pp. 120-129 in George E. McCracken, "The Welcome Claimants: Proved, Disproved, and Doubtful," Philadelphia: The Welcome Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, 1985).