Individual Details

Marriage

With Norton Claypoole we arrive at the first American colonist in tracing the direct line of descent. Norton was c. on Oct. 16, 1640 in London, England to Sir John Claypoole and Mary Angell. He married Rachel about 1670 and arrived in America on the ship "Bachelor's Delight" via Barbados on Feb. 22, 1678. His wife Rachel joined him coming from London in 1681 on the ship "Elvis & Mary", Elisha Bennett master. Norton had spent three years while in transit with his brother Edward in Barbados. Norton and Rachel had six children: John in London in 1672 who died young; James 1673 in London; Mary 1682 in Lewes; Robert in 1683; Jeremiah in 1685; and Elizabeth in 1687. James Claypoole, older brother of Norton, was a Quaker and close associate of William Penn and arrived in the American colonies about four years after Norton. A number of letters exist between the two brothers in Delaware and London before James's arrival in Philadelphia. The descendants of James Claypoole include Betsy Ross and Alfred Vanderbilt. The Pantagenet ancestry, largely unkown to the descendants of Norton Claypoole, was well known to the descendants of James Claypoole in the 19th century. Norton Claypoole owned 2000 acres in Delaware and was elected to the State Legislature in 1686. Norton died at Lewes on May 15th, 1688. Rachel remarried Nehemiah Fields and died Jan. 24, 1718. As no record of their marriage in 1670 is found, Rachel's maiden name is not known. In researching this area, I have investigated a number of theories as to her origin, but to date I have not found any conclusive proof of Rachel's maiden name. With this generation, we end the American portion of the direct line of descent and continue the remaining generations in England.