William Clayton (Governor)
| William Clayton | |
|---|---|
| Governor of Pennsylvania Colony | |
|
In office 1684–1685 |
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| President of Pennsylvania Provincial Council | |
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In office 1684–1684 |
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In office 1682–1682 |
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| 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In 1681, he presided over the first Upland Court in Chester, and eventually was one of the first judges of nearby Philadelphia.
In 1682, he served as President of Governor Markham's council, and in 1684 for Penn.
In 1684, he was the acting Governor of Pennsylvania, serving in that post over the next two years.
William's brother Joshua accompanied him to America, settling in Delaware. Among his descendants are:
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