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Don't know if this may help.
I have John Clanton b Abt 1794 Mouse Creek, McMinn Co. TN
d March 01, 1838 Cherokee Co. AL in the war
source: Dena Smith dsmith(a)eoni.com
May have gotten this from a roots web gedcom.
John married Nancy Bullard abt 1814 McMinn Co TN
Jo Ellis Clanton b January 17, 1815
source: LDS microfiche for Iredell Co NC ?
Jo Ellis d November 13, 1900 McDonald Co. MO age 85
married Elizabeth Brisco 1837 Benton Co Arkansas/ Missouri
source: LDS microfiche Arkansas
Elizabeth b abt 1818 in TN d 1845 buried Antioch cem McDonald MO age 27
Other info on John :Info from David :dyas@juno.com 4/6/97 : born abt
1810 at MouseCreek,McMinn Co TN. Half to full Cherokee. 1829 married
Nancy Bullard. 1831 moved with her parents Henry & Leah Bullard to
Cherokee Co.AL. 1836 enlisted in the Alabama Volunteer Militia. Killed
March 1,1838. Widow & her parents moved in 1840's to Newton Co. MO. John
said to have brother Eli or Elias. John & Nancy's children: Sarah
Ann,Jeremiah Anderson,Mary Catherine,Leah Jane,Martha.
I have for John & Nancy's children besides Jo Ellis :
James Hyrum b 1818, William Rufus b Mar 1820, Edmund I. b 1824,
Elizabeth Rebecca b Feb 16 1825 d August 20, 1889 MO age 64 McDonald Co
Roller cem. m Harrison Perkins November 18, 1847 McDonald Co. MO.,
Burrell (Buell) Clanton b 1829, Edward "Ned" Clanton b April 25,1832,
Sarah Ann Clanton b Nov 25 1830.
Have nothing proven re: John's parentage.
PS did a phone search :Wesley H Clanton
Phone : 707-557-3334
Vallejo CA 94590
Hope you get more from the other searchers. Betty
THE DESCENDANTS OF JOHN CLANTON (1610-??) by Robert B. Clanton shows
Jo Ellis Clanton to be the son of John Clanton b ca 1780 VA and died
ca 1840 Crawford Co., AR. He married Nancy (no maiden name) ca 1810.
John Clanton was the son of Edward Clanton born ca 1754. No spouse
listed for Edward and only one other child, Edmund, besides John.
According to the book, the line past Edward Clanton goes "unattached,
Marmaduke, John.) Hope this helps Chelsea although I'm not sure what
the relation is to the OK Corral gang. Perhaps someone else can give
her better information. Mary Louise
------
> GENEALOGY --- POEM: HUNG UP ON THE FAMILY TREE
> -- By Mel Oshins
>
> They think that I should cook and clean, and be a model wife.
> I tell them it's more interesting to study Grandpa's life.
> They simply do not understand why I hate to go to bed . . .
> I'd rather do two hundred years of research work instead.
> Why waste the time we have on earth just snoring and asleep?
> When we can learn of ancestors that sailed upon the deep?
> We have priests, Rabbis, lawmen, soldiers, more than just a few.
> And yes, there's many scoundrels, and a bootlegger or two.
> How can a person find this life an awful drudge or bore?
> When we can live the lives of all those folks who came before?
> A hundred years from now of course, no one will ever know
> Whether I did laundry, but they'll see our Tree and glow . . .
> 'Cause their dear old granny left for them, for all posterity,
> not clean hankies and the like, but a finished family tree.
> My home may be untidy, 'cause I've better things to do . . .
> I'm checking all the records to provide us with a clue.
> Old great granny's pulling roots and branches out with glee,
> Her clothes ain't hanging out to dry, she's hung up on the Tree.
>
>
----
Clanton members,
I received the following this week from a 14 year old Clanton
descendant named Chelsea. Wesley Hoyt CLANTON is the son of Albert T. CLANTON
& Minerva HOYT who probably met and married abt 1915 in Solano Co., CA. Welsey
Hoyt CLANTON was born 3 Mar 1916 there and married Alice Bell. Wesley & Alice
had a son, Wesley Hoyt, Jr. (wife UNKNOWN) & they had a son, Welsey H. III who
married Randee Holister VOLMER probably in Cowlitz Co., WA. These are
Chelsea's parents. Chelsea was born in Longview, Cowlitz Co., WA.
This whole string goes back to Jo Ellis CLANTON so I was hoping that
someone has done the genealogy on it. Can anyone help me out? Back further
than Jo Ellis...Did anyone ever connect Edward CLANTON(1754-??) to the main
CLANTON ancestors?
Lloyd McDaniel
i feel real stupid. my name is chelsea clanton i'm 14 and i just wanted to
know if in some way i was related to the Clanton gang (obviously) Anyway. My
gradfathers name is Wesley Clanton i don't know when he was born and i also
don't know his middle name if he is still alive he lives in Valajo
California. My fathers name is Wesley Hoyt Clanton and as far as i know he
lives in Kent Washington if not there he also lives in Valajo he was born
there and he was born in 1958 or 59. i'm probabley not related but hey it is
worth a try.
sincere
ly Chelsea Clanton
Looking for birthplace, marriage, and parentage of Ezekiel CLANTON
(1877-1953) and his wife Zella UNKNOWN. Both are buried in the Dermott
Cemetery, Dermott, Chicot County, Arkansas. They lived for a while in
Mississippi County, Arkansas. Any information would be greatly
appreciated.
Jack Fischer
Just a note to let you all know I'm still here. Just been busy this summer
with work. I think I have a bunch of Clanton relatives who don't care about
where they came from. Will get more involved this winter.
Can anyone offer proof that Evans was the maiden name of Sarah
Clanton whose will was proved in Brunswick Co, VA 1748? She was the
wife of Edward Clanton who died in Brunswick Co. ca 1741.
Mary Louise
THANKS AGAIN, CHIP!!!! My nephews &
neices are Clanton descendants of
Charles William Clanton & Phebe Jane Hurst.
As soon as I get all the info from my brother,
I will post it.
Regards,
Yvonne
totalreqksm(a)webtv.net
WOW, Chip, that was fantastic!!!! Thanks
so much for the great information on the
Clanton family!! For Charles William Clanton
who m. Phebe Jane Hurst, I have a birthdate
of July 28, 1809 Surry Co., N.C. He died
in Washington, not Oregon, on Sept. 11,
1897 at the county poor farm, age 88, widower of old age, resided
Sara, Clark Co., Wa.
(ref: Clark Co. Death Records, 1891-1903
by Colleen Bennett; pub. : Clark County
Genealogical Society, 1986).
I Really appreciate your posting all that in-
formation & never expected such a bonanza!
Will be looking forward to seeing the ancestors.
Regards,
Yvonne
totalreqksm(a)webtv.net
In a message dated 6/19/98 6:58:00 AM EST, Nuatha(a)aol.com writes:
<<
1. Edward M. Clanton was born in 1774 in Surrey County, North Carolina. He
died in 1834 in Adams Co., IL.1 from illness He was also known as Edward
Charles Clanton.1
He was married to Rachel Moore (daughter of John Moore and Nancy Roberts )
on
Nov 15 1797 in Yadkin County, North Carolina. Rachel Moore was born in 1781
in Surrey County, North Carolina. She died on Sep 4 1859 in Madison County,
Iowa. Edward M. Clanton and Rachel Moore had the following children:
+2 i. Nancy Clanton.
+3 ii. Charles William Clanton.
+4 iii. Isaac Clanton.
+5 iv. Elizabeth "Betsy" Clanton.
+6 v. Joel M. Clanton.
+7 vi. Ruth Ann Clanton.
+8 vii. Nancy Clanton.
>>
Would you happen to know if they moved to VA?????????
and around what date was Elizabeth Clanton born???????
I am looking for one.
Barb
Yvonne,
This is the ancestor information I have on Edward Clanton m. Rachel
Moore. How do you tie into the Clanton line? Good luck in your searches.
Chip Clanton
Nuatha(a)aol.com
CC216(a)worldnet.att.net
FIRST GENERATION
1. Edward M. Clanton was born in 1774 in Surrey County, North Carolina. He
died in 1834 in Adams Co., IL.1 from illness He was also known as Edward
Charles Clanton.1 The GEDCOM from Robert B. Clanton gives Edwards name
as Edward Charles Clanton. My information from Deborah Clanton Walsh, and
other Clanton researchers has his middle initial as M. All other information
about Edward M. (Charles) Clanton is in agreement.
SECOND GENERATION
2. Benjamin Clanton was born about 1750 in Virginia.2 He died in Aug 1811 in
Surrey County, North Carolina. He was married to Elizabeth in 1770.
3. Elizabeth. Benjamin Clanton and Elizabeth had the following children:
i. Nancy Ann Clanton was born in 1771 in Surry County, Virginia.
ii. Lucy Clanton was born in 1773 in Surrey County, North Carolina. She was
buried in Jun 1859 in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Yadkin County, North Carolina.1
She died on Jun 20 1859 in Yadkin County, North Carolina.3
iii. Thomas Clanton was born in 1773 in Virginia. He died in 1820 in Yadkin
County, North Carolina.
1 iv. Edward M. Clanton.
v. Mary Clanton was born in 1778 in Surry County, Virginia.
vi. Charles Clanton was born in 1780 in Surrey County, North Carolina.
vii. Elizabeth Clanton. @NI0406@
THIRD GENERATION
4. Thomas Clanton was born in 1736 in Surry County, Virginia.2,1 The
GEDCOM from Robert B. Clanton has Thomas Clanton's date of birth as ca. 1722,
in Virginia. He died on Sep 22 1793 in Surrey County, North Carolina.1
5. Elizabeth died in 1810.4 Thomas Clanton and Elizabeth had the following
children:
2 i. Benjamin Clanton.
ii. Edward Clanton was born in 1758 in Virginia.2,1 The GEDCOM from
Robert B. Clanton gives Edward Clanton's date of birth as ca 1754. He died on
Dec 24 1824 in Yadkin River, Wilkes County, North Carolina.1 Edward
Clanton drowned in the Yadkin River, Wilkes County, North Carolina on December
24, 1824.
iii. Mary Clanton was born in 1759 in Yadkin County, North Carolina. She
died on Jun 4 1844 in Surrey County, North Carolina.
iv. Frances Clanton was born on Jan 5 1767 in Surrey County, North Carolina.
She died on Dec 29 1849 in Yadkin County, North Carolina.5 Frances Clanton
Wiles location of death may be Henry Co., Indiana
v. Unknown Clanton.
vi. Mary "Patsy" Clanton1 was born in Virginia.1
FOURTH GENERATION
8. Edward Clanton was born in 1690 in James City, Va.. He died in 1741 in
Sussex County, Virginia. He was married to Sarah Evans.
9. Sarah Evans was born in 1690 in Virginia. She died on Jul 28 1748 in Va..
Edward Clanton and Sarah Evans had the following children:
i. Charles Clanton was born in 1720. He died in 1783.
ii. Edward Clanton died in 1763.
iii. William Clanton died on Mar 3 1773 in Warren County, North Carolina.
iv. Benjamin Clanton was born in North Carolina.
v. Bernard Clanton.
4 vi. Thomas Clanton.
vii. Sarah Clanton.
viii. Ann Clanton.
ix. Mary Clanton.
FIFTH GENERATION
16. Edward Clanton was born in 1659 in Sussex County, Virginia.
17. Unknown. Edward Clanton and Unknown had the following children:
i. William Clanton was born in 1683 in Surry County, Virginia. He died
about Sep 1726 in Sussex County, Virginia.6 William Clantons will was written
September 15, 1725. Witnessed by John Gillam, and Edward Clanton. Will was
proved at a court held at Southwark, Surrey Co. Va., September 21, 1726. He
was a Planter.7
ii. Richard Clanton was born in Virginia.
8 iii. Edward Clanton.
iv. Charles Clanton.
v. Benjamin Clanton.
SIXTH GENERATION
32. Marmaduke Clanton8,2 was born in 1637 in James City, Va..9
Information obtained by Lee Roy Clanton from LDS Library. He was an
indentured servant to John Tingy (Tinsy) in 1657 in Virginia.10
Marmaduke Clanton came as an indentured servant to Charles City County,
Virginia in July 1657. An indentured servant is someone who has his
transportation to America paid by another and he works so many years to pay
off his passage at which time he becomes a free man. John Tingy evidently
paid his transportation along with nine other emigrants.
Although there is no evidence, Marmaduke is thought to be the son of John
Clanton, b. 1609, England. It is possible that John Clanton returned to
England, as some sources believe, and fathered Marmaduke, who came to Virginia
in 1657. It is also possible that Marmaduke returned to England for one
reason or another and then lacked the funds for the return to Virginia and had
to enter into indentured servitude in order to arrange passage. Marmaduke
Clanton had the following children:
i. Thomas Clanton.
16 ii. Edward Clanton.
iii. Samuel Briggs Clanton.
SEVENTH GENERATION
64. John Clanton11,2 was born in 1609 in England. John Clanton, when twenty-
six years of age, came on board the ship "Abraham" in 1635 which left from
London, England, going to Virginia. Some sources say he shortly returned
whence he came. Another source says he was buried in Virginia, and still
another source thinks he died and was buried in Georgia. John Clanton had the
following children:
i. Edward Clanton was born in 1635 in Charles City, Va..
32 ii. Marmaduke Clanton.
iii. William Clanton was born in 1640 in Virginia.
Yvonne,
This is some of the descendant information I have for Edward Clanton b.
1774, Surrey, NC, m. Rachel Moore, b. 1781 (married Nov 15, 1797 Yadkin
County, NC). In a second post I will submit the ancestor info that I have. I
hope this helps. (I didn't proof this, so I hope the program listed everyone
correctly). PS if anyone out there disagrees with this information I would
appreciate any corrections, thanks.
FIRST GENERATION
1. Edward M. Clanton was born in 1774 in Surrey County, North Carolina. He
died in 1834 in Adams Co., IL.1 from illness He was also known as Edward
Charles Clanton.1
He was married to Rachel Moore (daughter of John Moore and Nancy Roberts ) on
Nov 15 1797 in Yadkin County, North Carolina. Rachel Moore was born in 1781
in Surrey County, North Carolina. She died on Sep 4 1859 in Madison County,
Iowa. Edward M. Clanton and Rachel Moore had the following children:
+2 i. Nancy Clanton.
+3 ii. Charles William Clanton.
+4 iii. Isaac Clanton.
+5 iv. Elizabeth "Betsy" Clanton.
+6 v. Joel M. Clanton.
+7 vi. Ruth Ann Clanton.
+8 vii. Nancy Clanton.
SECOND GENERATION
2. Nancy Clanton was born in 1798 in Yadkin County, North Carolina.
3. Charles William Clanton was born in 1810 in Yadkin County, North Carolina.
He died in Oregon.
He was married to Phebe Jane Hurst on Aug 28 1858 in Iowa.1 Phebe Jane Hurst
was born on Apr 23 1828 in Louisiana.1 She died on Apr 3 1890 in Washington.1
Charles William Clanton and Phebe Jane Hurst had the following children:
9 i. Joseph Clanton1 was born on May 11 1863.1 He died on May 23 1864.1
+10 ii. Charles William Clanton Jr..
11 iii. Sarah E. Clanton was born in 1868 in Iowa.
12 iv. George Clanton1 was born on Mar 12 1870 in Umatilla County, Oregon.1
He was married to Mary Allcock about 1849.1 Mary Allcock1 was born about 1827
in Kentucky.1 She died before 1858 in Iowa.1 Charles William Clanton and
Mary Allcock had the following children:
13 i. William Clanton1 was born on Mar 10 1851 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1
14 ii. Sarah Jane Clanton1 was born on Jan 29 1853 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1
15 iii. Lucy Catherine Clanton1 was born on Sep 20 1854 in Missouri.1
16 iv. James H. Clanton1 was born on Dec 17 1856 in Madison County, Iowa.1
He was married to Sarah Jane Stephenson on Jul 7 1836.1 Sarah Jane
Stephenson1 was born on Oct 12 1814.1 She died on Jul 18 1848 in Madison
County, Iowa.1 Charles William Clanton and Sarah Jane Stephenson had the
following children:
17 i. John Clanton1 was born on May 25 1838 in Morgan Co., Illinois.1
18 ii. Lucinda Clanton1 was born on Jan 18 1840 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
19 iii. Sarah M. Clanton1 was born on Oct 15 1842 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
20 iv. Rachel Clanton1 was born on Sep 10 1844 in Buchanan County, Missouri.1
21 v. Elizabeth Clanton1 was born on Oct 15 1845 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
22 vi. Joel M. Clanton1 was born on Oct 16 1847 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1 He died on Nov 6 1932 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon.1
4. Isaac Clanton was born on Dec 20 1811 in Wayne County, Indiana.1 He died
on Sep 22 1858 in St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa.1
He was married to Lorena Smith in 1834. Lorena Smith was born on Jun 13 1813
in Kentucky.1 She died on Jun 6 1880 in St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa.1
Isaac Clanton and Lorena Smith had the following children:
+23 i. Joel E. Clanton.
+24 ii. Nancy C. Clanton.
+25 iii. William M. Clanton.
26 iv. Isaac Wesley Clanton1 was born on Dec 5 1838 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
+27 v. Moses Edward Clanton.
28 vi. Jesse E. Clanton1 was born about 1840 in Buchanan County, Missouri.1
+29 vii. George Clanton.
+30 viii. Thomas Newton Clanton.
31 ix. Rachel Lorana Clanton1 was born on Jul 19 1849 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1 She died on Feb 13 1867 in St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa.1
+32 x. Charles Harding Clanton.
5. Elizabeth "Betsy" Clanton1 was born about 1814 in Wayne County, Indiana.1
She was married to John Baker on Dec 31 1830 in Morgan Co., Illinois.1
6. Joel M. Clanton was born on Jan 22 1816 in Wayne Co., Indiana. He died on
Jan 25 1892 in Madison Co., Iowa. @NI0645@
He was married to Sarah "Sallie" Hudson on Jul 18 1837 in Adams Co., Illinois.
Sarah "Sallie" Hudson was born about Oct 1817 in Indiana.1 She died about Aug
1842 in Buchanan County, Missouri.1 Joel M. Clanton and Sarah "Sallie" Hudson
had the following children:
+33 i. William Washington Clanton Jr..
+34 ii. Margaret Clanton.
+35 iii. Charles Franklin Clanton.
He was married to Sarah Jane White about 1845.1 Sarah Jane White1 was born
about 1821 in Iowa.1 She died on Oct 17 1900 in California.1 Joel M. Clanton
and Sarah Jane White had the following children:
+36 i. Mary Adaline "Polly" Clanton.
37 ii. John W. Clanton1 was born on Feb 7 1847 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1 He died before 1860 in St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa.1
+38 iii. Isaac Monroe Clanton.
+39 iv. Nancy Elizabeth Clanton.
+40 v. Rachel E. Clanton.
41 vi. Joel E. Clanton1 was born on Jun 4 1858 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1 He died on Sep 13 1859 in St. Charles, Madison County, Iowa.1
7. Ruth Ann Clanton was born on Jul 28 1818 in Wayne Co., Indiana. She died
on Jan 10 1901 in Madison County, Iowa.1
She was married to Caleb Clark (son of Phineas Clark and Charlotte Unknown )
on Nov 4 1835 in Quincy, Adams Co., Illinois.1 Caleb Clark1 was born on Feb 6
1808 in Alleghany County, New York.1 He died on Nov 12 1894 in Madison
County, Iowa.1 Ruth Ann Clanton and Caleb Clark had the following children:
42 i. Louisa Jane Clark1 was born on Aug 28 1836 in Adams Co., IL.1 She died
on Aug 29 1874 in Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.1
43 ii. Rachel Charlotte Clark1 was born on Sep 23 1838 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
44 iii. Sarah Ellen Clark1 was born on May 8 1840 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
45 iv. Nancy Elizabeth Clark1 was born on Dec 17 1841 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
46 v. Cynthia Ann Clark1 was born on May 20 1843 in Buchanan County,
Missouri.1
47 vi. Rufus Clark1 was born on Feb 17 1845 in Buchanan County, Missouri.1
He died on Apr 16 1926 in Madison County, Iowa.1
48 vii. Mary Adeline Clark1 was born on Jan 9 1847 in St. Charles, Madison
County, Iowa.1
49 viii. Adam Clark1 was born on Mar 9 1849 in St. Charles, Madison County,
Iowa.1
50 ix. Joshua C. Clark1 was born on May 20 1850 in Madison County, Iowa.1 He
was buried in May 1915 in Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.1 He died on May 23
1915 in Madison County, Iowa.1
51 x. Caleb Franklin Clark1 was born on May 20 1850 in Madison County, Iowa.1
52 xi. Stephen M.D. Clark1 was born on May 8 1852 in Madison County, Iowa.1
53 xii. Martha Orlena Clark1 was born on Aug 3 1854 in Madison County, Iowa.1
54 xiii. Joel Newman Clark1 was born on Nov 11 1857 in Winterset, Madison
County, Iowa.1 He died in 1927 in Winterset, Madison County, Iowa.1
55 xiv. Christina Bell "Tina" Clark1 was born about 1861 in Madison County,
Iowa.1
8. Nancy Clanton1 was born on Sep 9 1819 in Wayne County, Indiana.1
She was married to John Deck.
Chip Clanton
Nuatha(a)aol.com
CC216(a)worldnet.att.net
Hi........I'm new to the list. Anybody out there
have an EDWARD CLANTON, b. late 1700's
m. RACHEL (Moore?). They lived in Surry
Co., N.C. They had a son, CHARLES
CLANTON, b. abt. 1809 Surry Co., N.C.;
died Sept. 11, 1897 Sara, Clarke Co.,
Washington, in the poorhouse.
Thank you very much!
Yvonne
Rackerby, Ca.
totalreqksm(a)webtv.net
Dear Members and Friends of the SC Genealogical Society-
Please forward to your Genealogical Friends:
SCGS 27th Annual Workshop
July 11, 1998
Airport Campus, Midlands Technical College
West Columbia, SC
Speakers & Topics
Dr. Lloyd Johnson- "A Social, Cultural, & Ethnic Profile of the Cheraws
District in the SC Backcountry, 1735-1800"
John L. Andrews, Jr., "Beginning Genealogy"
Alexia Helsley- "African American Genealogy"
Brent H. Holcomb- "Research on Burned Record Areas"
Dr. Charles H. Lesser- " SC Proprietary Records"
Walter T. Leverette- "Computer Genealogy"
Patrick McCawley- "Civil War Records"
John L. Andrews, Jr. "Tracing Female Ancestors"
SC Archives Staff- "Colonial Land Records"
Dr. Lloyd Johnson- "SC Regulators in the Welsh Tract"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
PRE-REGISTRATION FORM FOR 1998 SCGS WORKSHOP
NAME________________________________________________________
ADDRESS_____________________________________________________
SCGS MEMBER # _____ CHAPTER_______________________________
NON-MEMBER ________
Registration Fee- Members $15; Non-members $20; Catered Lunch- $7
Amount Enclosed- _______________
Do you plan to attend the Friday (10 July 1998) evening Speaker's Reception at
the new SC Archives, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia; 6:30-8:30? The Archives
will be open until 9:00 p.m. for tours and research. YES or NO
Please complete registration form and make check payable to: SCGS Workshop,
return with check to: Wilma Kirkland, Registrar, SCGS 1998 Workshop- 145
Rutledge Road, Greenwood, SC 29649.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
DISPLAY TABLES-
Chapters, organizations, or individuals must reserve display table space in
ADVANCE. Chapter members assigned to tables will be required to register and
to pay the Workshop Session fee. To reserve space for your display, contact:
Henrietta Morton, 167 Rutledge Road, Greenwood, SC 29649-
E-mail- hrmorton(a)emeraldis.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Hope to see you at the SCGS Summer Workshop-
Sincerely-
Your Friends at the Old Darlington District Chapter, SCGS
Found this article in some paperwork while researching Mother-in-law's
surname. This article is from the The Sparks Quarterly, June, 1953:VOL. I,
No. 2.
We all know that surnames, or family names, did not exit in Bible times, but
it comes as something of a surprise to most of us when we learn that for a
thousand year after the birth of Christ, surnames were still almost unheard
of. When William the Conqueror established himself in England, even the
nobles did not have surnames; in fact, family names were not common among the
nobility until the thirteenth century, and were not generally adopted by the
lower classes until the sixteenth century.
The first to use surnames in England were the great land-owners, the noblemen,
who took as their surnames the names of their estates. Thus a man named
Richard might own an estate called Cotgrove, and, in order to distinguish him
from a neighbor also named Richard, his friends referred to him as Richard de
Cotgrove ("de" being French for "of"). Calling him this answered the
question, Where is he from? The eldest son usually inherited the estate, and
in a sense he also inherited his father's family name. Eventually the
preposition was dropped, and a true family name developed, which unlike an
estate, could be inherited by all the children. These are called "place
names."
Only a small number of the inhabitants of England, however, owned land, and as
it became desirable, for one reason or another, to have a surname, some
source, other than the name of property, was necessary for the great majority
of Englishmen. For many, a name was supplied by asking, What does he do?
This is the origin of the thousands of so called "occupational names," such as
Smith, Farmer, Cartwright, Arrowsmith, Shoemaker, and Sherman (one who shears
woolen cloth).
Another question which might be asked was, Who is his father? If the answer
were Richard, he would be called Richard's son, which is the origin of the
name Richardson. In other cases, the "son" would not become part of the name,
but the possessive "s" would remain, and the result was Richards.
A fourth source of surnames was the answer to the question, What does he look
like? or What is his most prominent peculiarity? Thus originated such names
as Short, Long, Big(g), and Small. In assigning nicknames to people today, we
often use this same device and produce such names as Shorty, Tiny, Red, and
Gabby. Nicknames are derived, however, from many sources other than physical
characteristics, and writers on the origin of surnames are careful to point
out that in dealing with a surname which has derived from a nickname, we can
never know for sure just why the nickname was applied in the first place.
Description
The CLANTON Mailing List is an e-mail list for genealogical research of the CLANTON surname. We are interested in any time period and all geographic areas pertaining to the CLANTON surname.
Information
The purpose of the CLANTON Mailing List is to band together those who research the CLANTON surname, so that we can share experiences, examine sources, give advice, make suggestions that others may find the information they are seeking.