While living in New
Jersey I would read my sons stories of Blackbeard and the Jersey Devil. We would take Sunday drives, in our golden
van, in the Pine Barrens with the children hoping for a glimpse of treasure or
the creature. During the Bicentennial we
stood on the shore watching the tall ships sail up the Delaware River wondering
if pirates were on board. With an “arrr matey” we would then be off for a doughnut
or pepperoni roll. While the boys were in school, I would spend time at the
Philadelphia Historical Society or the New Jersey State Archives hunting
references of our Clayton ancestors who had also resided in New Jersey.
Zebulon Clayton[i], [John, Edmund, Henry] was
born 27 November 1663 at Hall Bank-Rampside, Lancashire England. Zebulon
married Mary Hartshorne. In October 1698 he filed his ear mark in the
first town book of Middletown, New Jersey. He stated it was the same mark used
by his father John Clayton. His father, a
Quaker[ii], had his mark recorded in
1681, described as a “slitt in ye right eare and a crop in ye left eare and his
brand marke…the right thigh is J C.[iii]”
About 1700 Zebulon and
Mary had a second son, Thomas (our ancestor) who later became a joiner. Thomas was just a toddler. in 1701, when Monmouth
County, already embroiled in political conflict, was stirred by the accusation
of piracy.
Captain William Kidd had
a privateering license granted by the King of England. The license granted him permission to capture
French and pirate ships, while supposedly splitting the profits with England
and backers, including crew. In 1796 he
sailed from England. During one
adventure his crew tried to mutiny. He
forgot his loyalties, captured an Indian ship the Quedah Merchant renaming
her the Adventure Galley and sailed for the Caribbean.
Once learning that
Britain denounced him as a pirate, he, along with a smaller crew took a sloop
back to America with intentions of clearing his name. Before sailing to Boston, he anchored off the
coast of Monmouth county, New Jersey hoping to buy safety and a pardon. He is
said to have hidden the remainder of his treasure while there. Ten thousand pound would later be recovered
and sent to England, along with Captain Kidd who had been arrested after
leaving Monmouth County while sailing into Boston.
Kidd was charged with
piracy and the murder of a sailor and was jailed back in England when the Court
of Sessions of Monmouth County met in Middletowne on the 25th of March 1701.
Moses Butterworth
confessed that he had sailed with Captain Kidd on his last voyage from the East
Indies, to Boston. According to the
record, upon examination a company of men in arms, along with a drummer (loudly
drumming) came upstairs and made such noise that the court could not examine
the prisoner.[iv].
While in court Benjamin and Richard
Borden attempted to rescue the prisoner, the King’s attorney-general and the
justices drew swords. One of the
Borden’s managed to tear the examination in shreds. Charges were brought
against not only the Borden’s but Zebulon Clayton and 31 others stating they did
traitorously seize the governor, the justices and the king’s attorney and kept
them under guard[v].
They were kept under guard from the 25th of March until the 29th
of the same month and then released, for their actions.
In a statement to the
King’s court the justices called those arrested libertines and rioters. Their rebellion had begun nearly a year
prior, over a defective commission of Andrew Hamilton and Scotch
leadership. Over the course of time
many residents were fined and even put in the stocks. In fact, according to Early Dutch Settlers
of Monmouth County, New Jersey, Butterworth was a diversion to try and gain
favor with England. Early political
strife will forever put Zebulon Clayton in the same courtroom with a pirate.
In 1705 Zebulon, free of
court conflict, who already held other lands, purchased 1230 acres from the
estate of Thomas Hart. The property was on Assunpink Creek that runs along the
northern boundary of Upper Freehold. At this writing the property is part of
New Jersey’s Green Acres Program where Assunpink Lake now exists. The area is full of trails and plantings
cared for by Wildlife Management. The name is derived from the tribe of Indians
named Assunpink which were part of the Lenape Nation.
[i] Seventh
great grandfather of compiler.
[ii] American
ancestors to Princess Diana, Prince William and Harry through their daughter
Rachel who married Michael Newbold, Jr.
Their daughter Sarah married Thomas Boude. They are also the ancestors
of Past President Richard Milhous Nixon through son Zebulon.
[iii] John E. Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical
Miscellany ...related to the Settlers of New York and New Jersey: Vol II
(New York: n.p., 1906), page 192
