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WILLIAM BONHAM
CLAYTON, of Buckingham, is a representative of one of the
oldest families in Bucks county, being a lineal descendant of
James CLAYTON, of Bolton, Lancashire, England, who with
his wife and six children took passage with many other residents
of Bolton, who later became prominent residents of Bucks county,
in the ship “Submission,” sailing from Liverpool 7 mo. 5, 1682,
and arriving at Choptank, Maryland 9 mo, 2, 1682, “being brought
thither through the dishonesty of the Master James
SETTLE. The party, which included Phineas PEMBERTON,
the first clerk of the courts of Bucks county, his wife, father
and father-in-law, James HARRISON, made their way
overland to Bucks county, stopping for a time at Appoquinimink,
Delaware, where another son, Joseph, was born to James and Jane
CLAYTON in 1683. The children who accompanied them from
Lancashire were James, Sarah, John, Mary, Joshua, and Lydia.
James CLAYTON settled in Northampton township, where some
of his descendants still reside, though many others are widely
scattered over the United States.
Amos K. CLAYTON, the
father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Montgomery
county, January 20, 1816. His parents dying when he was quite
young, he was reared by his uncle, Clayton KNIGHT. He
learned the carpenter trade, which he followed several years,
but later engaged in farming. He was of a somewhat roving
disposition, living for a time in Newtown, Wrightstown and
Solebury townships. About the close of the war he removed to
Nodaway county, Missouri, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres
on which he resided about six years. He then sold his farm to
his son Jacob, who still resides there, and returned to Bucks
county. He died in Ewing, New Jersey, in 1881, aged sixty-five
years. Amos K. Clayton was twice married, his first wife being
Deborah CADWALLADER, by whom he had seven children, three
of whom survive: Jacob C., of Missouri; Joseph C.; and P. Ella,
a single woman residing at Trenton, New Jersey. He married
(second) Elizabeth BRIGGS, by whom he had five children,
three of whom survive; William B., the subject of this sketch;
Elwood L., a carpenter of Trenton, New Jersey; L. Harper, a
carpenter of the same place. The family were members of the
Society of Friends. Amos K. CLAYTON died February 23,
1881, aged sixty-five years, one month and three days.
William Bonham CLAYTON,
the subject of this sketch, was the oldest son of Amos K., and
Elizabeth Briggs CLAYTON, and was born in Wrightstown,
June 30, 1863. He acquired his education at the public schools
and at Trenton Business College. At the death of his father he
entered the store of George W. METLAR, at Doylestown, as
clerk, and a year later accepted a position in the store of
Henry BEIDLER at Lansdale. An indoor life proving
detrimental to his health, he was advised by his physician to
seek an outdoor occupation, and, returning to Bucks county, he
worked on the farm of his uncle, Simon BROOKS, at
Rushland, for one year. On December 25, 1886, he married Carrie
K. ATKINSON, daughter of Abraham and Hannah (KEPLER)
ATKINSON, of Buckingham, and the following spring located on
his father-in-law’s lot near the Roller Flour mill then operated
by E. B. COX, and drove the mill team for five years, since
which time he has followed farming. In 1893 he purchased the J.
Comly Kirk farm in lower Buckingham, and still resides there,
his wife’s father, Abraham ATKINSON, residing with him,
Mrs. ATKINSON being deceased. Mr. CLAYTON was
reared in the Friends’ Faith, and attends their meeting. In
politics he is a Republican. Mr. and Mrs. CLAYTON are
the parents of four children: Edward, born May 7, 1888; Frank
W., born March 12, 1891; Harry P., born July 25, 1897; and
Roland N., born November 20, 1899.
Text taken from page 556 to 557 of:
Davis, William W. H., A.M., History of Bucks County,
Pennsylvania [New York-Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company,
1905] Volume III
Transcribed September 2006 by Joan Lollis as part
of the Bucks Co., Pa., Early Family Project,
www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/bucksindex.html
Published September 2006 on the Bucks County, Pa., USGenWeb
pages at www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks/
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