William Clayton (Governor)
| William Clayton | |
|---|---|
| Governor of Pennsylvania Colony | |
|
In office 1684–1685 | |
| President of Pennsylvania Provincial Council | |
|
In office 1684–1684 | |
|
In office 1682–1682 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 9, 1632 Boxgrove, England |
| Died | 1689 |
| Spouse(s) | Prudence Lanckford |
| Profession | Carpenter |
William Clayton (December 9, 1632 – 1689) was acting Governor of the Pennsylvania Colony in 1684-1685. He was one of the first judges of the city of Philadelphia as well as a President of the Pennsylvania Provincial Council in 1682 and 1684.
Early life
Clayton was baptized on December 9, 1632, in Boxgrove, England, the son of William Clayton and Joan Smith. He was a descendant of Robert de Clayton, who crossed over to England with William the Conqueror, as well as Thomas de Clayton of Clayton Hall. Clayton Park reflects the family's heritage.[1]
His mother died before he was a teenager, and in 1653 he married Prudence Lanckford, a daughter of William Lanckford, in St Pancras, London. Clayton became a carpenter by trade and a follower of the Quaker religion.[2]
Pennsylvania
Clayton was a founder of the Pennsylvania colony, serving as an original commissioner for William Penn, as well as one of Philadelphia's first judges and eventually acting Governor of the colony.
Penn Company Commissioner
In 1677, Clayton set sail for America, arriving in New York after being selected by Penn to serve as a commissioner. He oversaw the clearance of Indian land titles acquired by Penn in present-day western New Jersey near Burlington. In 1681, his family removed to present-day Chester County, where Clayton had secured a 500 acre land patent.[2]
Chester and Philadelphia judge
In 1681, he presided over the first Upland Court in Chester,[3] and eventually was one of the first judges of nearby Philadelphia.[4]
Governor Council President
In 1682, he served as President of Governor Markham's council, and in 1684 for Penn.[3]
Acting Governor of Pennsylvania
In 1684, he was the acting Governor of Pennsylvania, serving in that post over the next two years.[5]
Notable American relations
William's brother Joshua accompanied him to America, settling in Delaware. Among his descendants are:[1]
- Thomas Clayton, U.S. Senator from Delaware
- Joshua Clayton, 10th Governor of Delaware
- John M. Clayton, 18th U.S. Secretary of State
- Powell Clayton, 9th Governor of Arkansas
- W.H.H. Clayton, United States federal judge
References
- 1 2 "Genealogical and personal history of the upper Monongahela valley, West Virginia", James Morton Callahan. Lewis Historical Publishing co., 1912. p. 1367
- 1 2 "THE CLAYTON FAMILY: The Branch from England to America", Bill Putnam. 2009
- 1 2 "Biographical and genealogical history of the state of Delaware, Volume 1", Runk, J.M. & Co. 1899. p. 232
- ↑ "Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania", John Fanning Watson. Parry and M'Millan, 1879. p. 49
- ↑ "History of Colorado, Volume 3", Wilbur Fiske Stone. S. J. Clarke, 1918. p. 53