Infant Clayton

Other Events:

• Group: Davidson 001 Family of Immigrant John Davidson
• Group: Davidson DNA Family 001

Notes:

Group:
Descendants of immigrant John Davidson of DNA Family 001

Group:
Descendants of John, George, and Samuel Davidson of Beverley Manor, Virginia, and Iredell county, North Carolina

Other Events:

• Group: Davidson 001 Family of Immigrant John Davidson
• Group: Davidson DNA Family 001
• Alt. Birth: 4 Mar 1823
• 1870 Census: 7 Jul 1870
• 1880 Census: 5 Jun 1880, Boyd, Transylvania County, North Carolina
• Alt. Death: 7 Nov 1907
• Alt. Burial: Aft 7 Nov 1907, Buncombe County, North Carolina

Notes:

Group:
Descendants of immigrant John Davidson of DNA Family 001

Group:
Descendants of John, George, and Samuel Davidson of Beverley Manor, Virginia, and Iredell county, North Carolina

1870 Census:
Brevard PO - Brevard Twp., Transylvania Co., NC, p. 403 (13)

1880 Census:
Boyd Twp., ED 184, pp. 6-7    NA Film Number   T9-0983   Page Number   211B-212C
Orr, James        W  M  62   Head         Farming                          NC  VA  NC
---, Huldah         W  F  62    Wife         Keeping house               NC  VA  A. E.?
---, Hannah P.    W  F  21     Dau         At home                         NC  NC   NC
---, Sarah R       W  F  19     Dau         At home                         NC  NC   NC
---, Jettie T.        W  F  17     Dau         At home                         NC  NC   NC

Clayton, James W    W  M  57   Head  Md   Farming               NC  NC  NC
---, Mrgret. L.           W   F  44   Wife   Md   Keepeeping H.    NC  NC  NC
---, Charlie. P.           W  M  29   Son    S     Farming               NC  NC  NC
---, Stuard. R.           W  M  23   Son    S     Farming               NC  NC  NC
---, Oviton. E             W  M  17   Son    S    Farm Labor          NC  NC  NC
---, Margret. C          W   F  14   Dau    S    At Home               NC  NC  NC
-----  p. 7  -----
---, James. W.          W  M    3   Son                                       NC  NC  NC

Clayton, W. H.          W  M   27  Head         Farming               NC  NC  NC
---, Gracie. T.           W   F  19   Wife          Keeping H.          NC  NC  NC
---, Rachel. L.           W   F   7/12 Nov  Dau                            NC  NC  NC

James married Margaret Louisa "Maggie" Young on 1 Apr 1874 in Transylvania County, North Carolina. Margaret (daughter of Strawbridge "Straub" Young, II and Martha Ann Gash) was born on 19 Apr 1836 in North Carolina; died on 27 May 1918; was buried after 27 May 1918 in Davidson River Cemetery, Pisgah Forest, Transylvania County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Swamp John Clayton
• Group: Davidson 001 Family of Immigrant John Davidson
• Group: Davidson DNA Family 001
• Residence: 1791; ____, Buncombe Co., NC
• 1810 Census: 1810
• 1820 Census: 1820
• 1830 Census: 1830
• 1840 Census: 1840
• 1860 Census: 10 Aug 1860, Henderson County, North Carolina
• Alt. Death: 2 Mar 1868

Notes:

Swamp John Clayton, who lived in the low lands on the northern bank of the French Broad River, was for sometime Chairman of the Buncombe COunty Court.  He served in the North Carolina House of Commons in 1826, 1827, and 1828 and again in 1831, 1832, and 1836.  He was a member of the North Carolina Senate in 1833.

Group:
Descendants of immigrant John Davidson of DNA Family 001

Group:
Descendants of John, George, and Samuel Davidson of Beverley Manor, Virginia, and Iredell county, North Carolina

1810 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 85, 00100-20100-00

1820 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 110, 300010-22010-2

1830 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 217, 110 400 100 0000 - 111 211 000 0000

1840 Census:
____, Henderson Co., NC, p. 134, as John Clayton Sr., 011 100 010 0000 - 311 100 100 0000

1860 Census:
Davidson River PO, p. 872 (p. 172)
John Clayton          72  M   Farmer  $6000  $4000  (NC)
Susan                    73   F      
Elizabeth                31   F
Florida                    10   F                                                   school
Zoriah                      8   F                                                      "
George W Wilson   19  M   Farm Laborer

Mary A Clayton       42  F                ----         ----     SC
Thomas                   17  M                                        NC        school
John                        15  M                                                          "
Esther                      13  F                                                          "
David                       12  M                                                          "
Esther Leaster        73  F                                         SC

John married Susan Wetzel on 1 Feb 1806 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Susan (daughter of Jacob Wetzel and Margaret Summy) was born on 25 Nov 1787 in Lincoln County, North Carolina; died on 26 Sep 1872 in Transylvania County, North Carolina; was buried after 26 Sep 1872 in Davidson River Cemetery, Pisgah Forest, Transylvania County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Alt. Death: 26 Sep 1873, Transylvania County, North Carolina

Other Events:

• 1870 Census: 9 Jul 1870
• Alt. Death: 25 Jun 1873, Transylvania County, North Carolina

Notes:

1870 Census:
Brevard PO - Brevard Twp., Transylvania Co., NC, p. 403

Strawbridge married Martha Ann Gash on 4 May 1823. Martha (daughter of John Gash and Nancy Gudger) was born on 21 Sep 1801 in Buncombe County, North Carolina; died on 6 Jul 1885 in Transylvania County, North Carolina; was buried after 6 Jul 1885 in Davidson River Cemetery, Pisgah Forest, Transylvania County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Alt. Birth: 28 Apr 1801, Buncombe County, North Carolina
• Alt. Death: 25 Jun 1885, Transylvania County, North Carolina

Other Events:

• Alt. Death: Buncombe County, North Carolina
• Alt. Birth: 22 Jan 1755, Dover, Kent County, Delaware
• 1790 Census: 1790, Iredell County, North Carolina
• 1800 Census: 1800
• 1810 Census: 1810
• 1820 Census: 1820
• Alt. Burial: Aft 12 Jul 1828, Pisgah Forest, Transylvania County, North Carolina

Notes:

One of the key mysteries of Lambert Clayton is the identity of his wife. He married Sarah Davidson on 14 Dec 1782.   We know her name, but there is serious uncertainty in who her parents were.

Marriage Certificate for Lambert Clayton and Sarah Davidson: (from "Lambert Clayton", by Maxwell)

"Be it remembered that we have bound ourselves and each of us and each of our heirs, heirs executors, and administrators, jointly and severally firmly by these present to the state of N. C. in the sum of 50 pounds special on the following conditions to-wit, that there shall not hereafter appear any lawful cause why the rites of matrimony should not be solemnized between Lambert Clayton and Sarah Davidson agreeeable to a license of equal date with this obligation.  Witness our hand and seals this the 14 day of Dec. anno Domini 1782.
                        Lambert Clayton (Seal)
                        Jas. Ker  (Seal)

"Test:
    S. H. C.
North Carolina, Rowan County.

   I, John Giles, Cleark of Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for said county, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the marriage bond of Lambert Clayton taken from the original files of my office.
   In witness I have herein set my hand and office seal of said court at office the 12th day of April A. D. 1844.
                            John Giles, Clerk, by John H. Hardie, D. C."

The Lambert Clayton book goes on to say that "Sarah Davidson ...  was the daughter of John Davidson and Nancy Brevard, both of whom were killed by the Indians on the headwaters of Catawba River, in North Carolina, prior to the Revolutionary War, the exact date and place is not known.  The daughter escaped by reason of being on a visit to her grandfather, John Brevard, and she was raised by her uncle, Dr. Ephraim Brevard.

"John Davidson was a brother (first cousin) of Genl. Wm. Davidson and (uncle of Gen.) Ephraim Davidson, both of whom took part in the War of the Revolution."

Robert Stephens Hand in his book on the Davidson Family points out that there are several problems with this assignment.  John Davidson was the son of Col. George Davidson and Catherine Penelope Reese who were married in 1749, probably in Stateville area of North Carolina.  John Davidson was their first child, and he was born about 1750.  He married Nancy Brevard who was born about 1757.  Rowan County records place their marriage as being 27 Nov 1779.   The date of the massacre has been suggested to be either about July 1776 or 1782.  If they were not married until 1779, then 1782 is a more reasonable date for the massacre.  But anyway, any child of that marriage would only be 3 years old at the most.  And that is the year that Lambert Clayton was married!  Were Sarah Davidson to be 14 when she was married, John Davidson would then be about 18 at her birth and Nancy Brevard would be 11.  Further, Sarah Davidson Clayton is quoted as being born in 1759.   Whereas this date is a reasonable date for the date of birth for the wife of Lambert Clayton, this date is not reasonable for a daughter at the massacre as she would be somewhere between 17 and 23 at the time.
_____________

SACRED
to the Memory of
LAMBERT CLAYTON
who was born near Dover, Delaware
June 22, 1755
and died July 12, 1828

Having entered the American Army, 1776, he
served his country faithfully during the whole war;
was present at the battles of Kings Mountain,
Guilford Courthouse and Eutaw Springs,
and received, at the close of the war,
an honorable discharge

Notes: His service in the Revolution may be as depicted above; however, he never mentioned any of this in his Pension application and documentation has been found for only one year's service.

His Pension papers in which he gives his age indicates that he was born, maybe 1760/61.

Also nothing in the claim supports what is on his tombstone for service. However, the known documents support what is in the Pension Application.

Virginia

============================================================

Original Claim
Declaration, in order to be placed on the pension list, under the act of the 18th March, 1818

County of Buncombe, State of North Carolina
On this 23rd day of June, 1825, personally appeared in court being a court of
record by the laws of this state, Lambert Clayton resident in said County,
aged sixty four years, who being first duely, according to law doth on his oath
make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the provision made the
acts of Congress of the 18th March 1818, & the 1st May 1820:  that he the said
Lambert Clayton, enlisted for the term of one year, on the twelfth Day of May in
the year 1781, in the State of North Carolina in the company commanded by
captain John G. McKee, in the first regiment commanded by Col Sumner in the line
of the state of North Carolina, on the ( blank    ) continental establishment;
that he continued to serve in said Corps until the 12th day  of May 1782,
when he was Discharged from the service at Stono, in the State of South
Carolina:--
___________

Lambert Clayton entered the American Army in 1776 and served during the whole War.  He was present at the battles of Kings Mountain, Guilford Courthouse, Eutaw Springs.  He received an honorable discharge at the end of the war.

According to the pension rolls of the U.S.A., Vol 3, pages 25 and 514; private allowance, $96.00; annual sum $259.16.

N. C. Continentals
January 31, 1826
June 23, 1825
    Age 70
Buncombe County

Lambert Clayton, Sergeant of Company commanded by Capt. McLees in first Regiment commanded by Col. Sumner.  Discharged at Stono, SC.

1790 Census:
p. 389 
George Clayton          1-2-5-0-1
...
Lambert Clayton         1-4-2-0-1
...
Joseph Davidson       1-0-1-0-2
Alexander Davidson  1-3-5-0-0

1800 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 165, 03010-30010-01

1810 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 84, 10101-21101-00

1820 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 110, 001101-00101-2

Lambert married Sarah Davidson on 14 Dec 1782 in Rowan County, North Carolina. Sarah (daughter of Thomas Davidson and Sarah [--?--]) was born on 25 Dec 1759; died on 20 Mar 1843 in Henderson County, North Carolina; was buried after 20 Mar 1843 in Davidson River Cemetery, Pisgah Forest, Transylvania County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Name: Sarah Scott Davidson
• Group: Davidson 001 Family of Immigrant John Davidson
• Group: Davidson DNA Family 001
• Alt. Death: Buncombe County, North Carolina
• Alt. Death: 20 Mar 1813
• Alt. Death: 1815

Notes:

After Lambert's death, Sarah Davidson Clayton lived with her daughter Henrietta and her husband Elijah Young.
______________

Sarah Davidson Clayton died the 20 March 1843.  This is on her tombstone, in her obit, and in the Pension papers where she drew a Rev. War Widows Pension.  She is buried in Davidson River Cemetery, now in Transylvania County, NC, but was in Henderson County when she died.  [This is one of those spots that was in Rutherford County when the Clayton's moved there, was then in Buncombe County, then Henderson County, and finally today is Transylvania County.]
_____________

I have been trying to identify the true parentage of Sarah Davidson, wife of Lambert Clayton.  One of the clues that I noticed in studying the names of her children and grandchildren was that most of the time the name Thomas was given, the middle name of Davidson was given.

There are several examples of this:

   Thomas Davidson Clayton, s/o Lambert & Sarah Davidson
   Thomas Davidson Clayton, s/o John Clayton & Susan Wetzel
   Thomas Davidson Neill, s/o George Clayton Neill & Nancy Ann Clayton
   Thomas Davidson Brittain, s/o William Brittain & Rachel Clayton
and more in the following generations. (Surprisingly, it is not seen in the Orr family that I have found.)

The only other grandchildren named Thomas that I am aware of are:

   Thomas Young, s/o Elijah Young & Henrietta Clayton
   Thomas L.(?) Clayton, s/o Ephraim Clayton & Nancy McElroy

And the use of Davidson as a middle name in those generations was exclusively used with a forename of Thomas.

And there was no Thomas Davidson that I am aware of in the Old Buncombe county area in this time period. So, as a working assumption, I theorized that maybe her father's name was Thomas Davidson.

Here is what we know about Sarah:

* According to her tombstone she was born on or about 25 Dec 1759.
* She married in Rowan County, NC on 14 December 1782.
* She died in what is now Transylvania county 20 March 1843, probably at the home of her daughter Henrietta Young.
* She was buried in Davidson River Cemetery. Tombstone Reading:
   SACRED
   to the memory of
   SARAH
   relict of
   LAMBERT CLAYTON who was born
   December 25, 1759
   and died March 20, 1843

Then there's a statement that I can't read all of in this picture
     "With her patriotic spirit
       of the women of - 70
      she (can't read this part)
      that made her (can't read)
      beloved (not lamented)"

The tombstones for Lambert and Sarah appear to be of the period of about 1850.  I suspect his was not erected when he died, but both were probably put up shortly after she died.

* Lambert Clayton was born in Delaware in 1755 and served in the Rev War.
* Iredell County was broken off from Rowan County in 1782.

Census Data:

Lambert Clayton
1790  Iredell Co., NC, p. 155 (389), 1-4-2-0-1
1800  Buncombe Co., NC, p. 165, 03010-30010-01 (Sarah 26-45, Sarah b. 1755-1774)
1810  Buncombe Co., NC, p. 84, 10101-21101-00 (Sarah >45, Sarah b. bef 1765)
1820  Buncombe Co., NC, p. 110, 001101-00101-2 (Sarah >45)

James Neill
1830  Buncombe Co., NC, p. 206, 120 021 000 0000 - 000 001 001 0000 (?Sarah 60-70)

Elijah Young
1830  Buncombe Co., NC, p. 223, 200 001 000 0000 - 010 010 001 0000 (?Sarah 60-70)
1840  Henderson Co., NC, p. 131, 322 001 000 0000 - 011 001 000 1000 (Sarah 70-80)

The census data is consistent with her birth in 1759/1760, probably no later than 1765.

It is time to review various existing theories.

The Mary Maxwell 1927 Lambert Clayton book says that "Sarah Davidson ... was the daughter of John Davidson and Nancy Brevard, both of whom were killed by the Indians on the headwaters of Catawba River, in North Carolina, prior to the Revolutionary War, the exact date and place is not known.  The daughter escaped by reason of being on a visit to her grandfather, John Brevard, and she was raised by her uncle, Dr. Ephraim Brevard."

Robert Stephens Hand in his book on the Davidson Family points out that there are several problems with this assignment.  Judge John Davidson was the son of Col. George Davidson and Catherine Penelope Reese who were married in 1749, probably in Statesville area of North Carolina.  John Davidson was their first child.

John was born about 1750 in Rowan Co. (known as Anson Co. at the time). Nancy Brevard was the daughter of John Brevard and Jane McWhorter of Rowan County, and she was born about 1757.  They were married in Rowan County, NC on 27 Nov 1779.

The date of the massacre has been suggested to be either about July 1776 or 1782.  If they were not married until 1779, then 1782 is a more reasonable date for the massacre.  But anyway, any child of that marriage would only be 3 years old at the most.  And that is the year that Lambert Clayton was married!  Clearly, these dates do not match up. What is clear is that this raid is real; and Sarah Davidson was not the child who survived.

However, Indian attacks on the Carolina frontier were common. Maybe the legend of an Indian attack killing her parents is real, but the names of parents were confused.

Another theory that has been recently proposed to me is that she was the daughter of John one eye Davidson and Jane. This promoted by two items:

* first, the names of the first children of Lambert and Sarah were John and Jane whose names do not fit the family. (However, Jane ?Tucker (Davidson) Morrison may have recently died, and this is a way of honoring John and Jane Davidson - see below.)

* second, there was supposedly an inscription on Sarah's tombstone indicating that her parents were One eye John and Jane; however, recent photos and readings do not bear this out.

I believe that several Davidsons of this family have vision problems, notably lazy eye or crossed eye. The designation "One Eye" might refer to a number of people, but in this time period, it was the common nickname for Col. George's youngest brother John, who was born in 1744 in Augusta County, VA and died in 1825 in Maury Co., TN. The key challenge that I have NOW with this is that John was in Burke county - his mother JANE ?Tucker married William Morrison after the death of his father John Davidson in 1749, and William and Jane removed to Burke county with family where they lived, as recorded in 1790 census. Sarah was married from Rowan county. And the ages are also a challenge. Of course, there could be an issue of an out of wedlock child, but ...

OK.

This led me to research all of the known Davidson families in the area to see where a Sarah could fit.  (E.g., Family of Joseph, Family of Alexander, Family of Samuel of Augusta Co., VA - including sons James and Benjamin, John Davidson of Mecklenburg Co., NC, George Davidson - Old John's Brother).  I needed to find a Sarah, born about 1759, and most families already had a Sarah accounted for.

I also looked into the possibility that Sarah might have been a young widow.  But I could not within those families find a man who had married a Sarah, who could have been born in 1759, who had died before 1782.  But this is trickier as we are now looking 20 years later when more families entered the area and more possibilities exist.

I also searched through the known Davidson lines in the area for any Thomas Davidsons that might have been old enough to have had a daughter born in 1759-1765 time frame.

The most likely Thomas that I could find was the most obvious: Thomas (b. abt. 1730, Ireland), son of old John Davidson (b. abt 1709 - d. 1749) who was the brother of Col. George, Samuel, Maj. William, and John One-eye Davidson and whose family history has not been documented anywhere that I have found.

Little has been recorded about this Thomas Davidson. What was known in family stories is that he went to Charleston and died there and left a family. It had also been alluded to that he was the Thomas Davidson who served in the Revolution and was at Cowan's Ford with Gen. Davidson.

Based on this, I began inquiries with the South Carolina Dept. of Archives and History concerning wills, deeds, and any other documents extant mentioning Thomas Davidson.  I found two distinct individuals.

1.  I found a Thomas Davidson of Culleton Co. who was married to a Rosanna, who served in the War and drew a pension, and died in November 1807. I have not yet found a will for this individual or any estate papers. The papers that I do have talk about a man with young children. Based on the census reports, I am going to suggest that this Thomas Davidson was born in the 1760s. This is not my candidate.  However, based on the documents that I now have, I think that this individual could somehow tied into the family.

2.  I found a Thomas Davidson who left a will in 1764 in Charleston County. He addressed it to two of his brothers George and William to act as his executors.  His wife's name was Sarah and he mentions a daughter Sarah. His land was based on a grant from Matthew Rowan on Fishing Creek given in 1754 that because of a boundary change between North and South Carolina became part of South Carolina.

I have the following documents:

    * WPA transcript of this will;

Will of Thomas Davidson - Will Book, 1760-1767, p 419.

Thomas Davidson, wife Sarah, dau. Sarah Davidson.  1 March 1764
George and William Davidson are executors.
Samuel West, Andrew Neill, Samuel Davidson, - witnesses
Proved: 6 sept 1764. Qualified William and George Davidson as Executors.

    * copy of the original clerk's copy that the WPA transcript was made from;

    * copy of a Mar 1775 document - part of a series of actions that were being made at the time to sort out land that was changing province as a result of the new boundary between NC and SC: from George Davidson that identifies the source of the land patent from Matthew Rowan to Thomas Davidson, deceased.  It also identifies George Davidson as the current owner;

    * copy of an Indenture made 3 June 1778 between Sarah Davidson of Rowan County and Thomas and Samuel Carson of Camden District, Craven Co., SC regarding the sale of the land.

I believe that this Thomas Davidson is the son of Old John Davidson, and that he and his wife Sarah are very likely to be the parents of the Sarah Davidson who married Lambert Clayton.

Further, I believe, although more work needs to be done in North Carolina records, that Sarah Davidson and her daughter went back to Rowan County to live with the family of Col. George Davidson, her brother-in-law, (or maybe she went to live with her own family in Rowan Co. that is still unidentified.)

Some additional commentary: Thomas Davidson would have been in his early 30s at the time of his death in the 1760s. It could be assumed that his daughter would be young so the time frame of our Sarah is appropriate. As he had just one child mentioned in the will also suggests that the Thomas Davidson of the will was young.

A young death could be disease or accident, but it could also be because of an Indian raid. It is also possible that his wife died as we have no record of her remarriage. The Sarah Davidson in 1777 could have been either daughter or mother.

What is left to be proved?

First, we need to find some way to prove that this daughter Sarah was the Sarah who married Lambert Clayton.  This may prove difficult unless we can find some record of her mother's death and a will to go along with it.

Second, who was Sarah Davidson's mother. There is one story that the name Scott is somehow involved with the family. Some people actually give her name as Sarah Scott Davidson. There was definitely a Scott family in the area where they lived in SC as I have a document signed by a Scott. Sarah, who would have been born about 1740, could also be from a number of the early families in Rowan County. I suspect that because of the story dealing with the Brevard family, that she might turn out to be a Brevard. And that she might have lived with them after Tom's death and not with the Davidsons.

We need to look into more probate and land records in North Carolina to see if we can find solid additional clues.

I welcome comments and suggestions.

John Lisle
Nashua, NH
16 September 2003

Group:
Descendants of immigrant John Davidson of DNA Family 001

Group:
Descendants of John, George, and Samuel Davidson of Beverley Manor, Virginia, and Iredell county, North Carolina

Buried:
SACRED
to the memory of
SARAH
relict of
LAMBERT CLAYTON who was born
December 25, 1759
and died March 20, 1843

"With her patriotic spirit
of the women of - 76
she (can't read this part)
that made her (can't read)
beloved (not lamented)"

The tombstones for Lambert and Sarah appear to be of the period of about 1850.  I suspect his was not erected when he died, but both were probably put up shortly after she died.

Other Events:

• Name: Jacob Joseph Wetzel
• 1810 Census: 1810
• 1820 Census: 1820

Notes:

1810 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 85, 01001-01001-00

1820 Census:
____, Buncombe Co., NC, p. 112, 100011-00101-2

Jacob married Margaret Summy in 1767. Margaret (daughter of Hance Peter Summy and Margaret Mertz) was born in 1748 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; died in 1832 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Nancy Gudger on 1 Jan 1794. Nancy (daughter of William Gudger and Martha "Patsy" Young) was born on 2 Apr 1777 in Washington County, North Carolina; died in 1851 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]