Public

POC-2015-01 – POC, 2015 Qtr 1, Vol. XII Issue 1

Document

Record Summary

Evidence Category:

Published Source

Record Type:

Newsletter

Date:

January-March 2015

Individuals Mentioned:

Mary Akers, Dr. Lindsey Apple, Penny Clay Boykin, Eliza Bright (nee Clay), Martin Van Buren, John C. Calhoun, Eli Clay, Francis Clay the Elder, Francis Clay the Younger, Frederick Lord Clay, Harry Boyle Clay, Henry Clay, Henry Clay Jr., James Clay, James Clay Jr., Jerry Clay, Jesse Clay, Katherine [Clay], Lucretia “Teetee” Hart Clay, Maria Young Crawford Clay, Martha [Lewis?] Clay, Mitchell Clay, Phoebe (Belcher) Clay, Robert Young Clay, Shannon Clay, Soyna Clay, Susan (Jacob) Clay, Thomas Hart Clay, William E. Clay, William Harrison Clay, William Mitchell Clay, John Clay(e), S. D. “Doug” Cline, Connie Collins, Janis Comstock-Jones, Nancy Cook, Louise Copenhaver, Richard [Dexheimer], Sue Ann (Evers) Dexheimer, Pat Dunford, Marilyn Ruth (Collins) Evans, Cornelia Clay Fulghum, Patty Hasson, Raymond E. Hasson, Janis Hendrick, Charlie Herrick, Jack Hughes, Mel Humphrey, Ken Hunt, Susan Hunt, Mariruth (Kenneth) Johnson, David Todd Jones, Marshall Jones, Todd Jones, Kenneth Bynum Kenner, Mary Lucretia (Clay) Kenner, Marquis de Lafayette, James Madison, Goodloe McDowell, General John Hunt Morgan, Lynn Watson Norfleet, Elsie (Stein) Offord, Grayson Offord, Lori J. Parker, Linda Pittano, Gavrilo Princip, Geneva (Clay) Pritchard, David [Rethelford], Kathleen (David) Rethelford, Robert Revell, Mary Richardson, Miriam [Royall?], Henry Clay Simpson, Lucinda H. Erwin Simpson, Elsie L. (Offord) Hasson Von Steen, George Washington, Isabella Whiteford, Shirley Wilcox

Repository:

Clay Family Society Digital Archives

Archive Reference:

Folder: 01_Pieces_of_Clay/2007-2025

Summary

Focused on Linking Our Puzzling Family History, Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810-1903)
American Abolitionist and Ambassador, An Ancient Dwelling of the Family of “Clay House” (Wingfield, Derbyshire, England), – Doug Cline President

Clay Line: Board

Asset

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Source Citation

Pieces of Clay, Clay Family Society, (Winter 2015): 4 pages; CFS Archive ID POC-2015-01.

Historical Context

Key genealogical findings from the Clay Family Society newsletter highlight several significant discoveries and historical insights:

1. DNA Testing Breakthroughs
Modern DNA testing enabled a major breakthrough for a researcher who, after decades of traditional research, confirmed a close genetic link between his Cline family and the Pennsylvania Kline family. This connection, previously dismissed due to lack of documentary evidence, was established with high probability through DNA matches, allowing for more focused and efficient research.

DNA testing is strongly recommended as a tool to rapidly expand family trees and resolve longstanding genealogical puzzles.

2. Historical Clay Family Properties
The ancestral Clay home known as “The Hill” in North Wingfield Parish, Derbyshire, England, was restored and its history traced back to the early 1200s through carbon dating of timber beams. The Clay family, originally tenants in the 1500s, became owners by the mid-1600s, maintaining the property for over 200 years.

The property’s lineage is well-documented through parish records and wills, illustrating the family’s rise from tenants to prosperous landowners.

3. Notable Clay Family Members
Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810–1903), a prominent abolitionist and diplomat, is profiled for his influential role in anti-slavery movements, economic arguments against slavery, and contributions to women’s rights through his family.

The newsletter also notes the passing of Elsie L. Von Steen, a descendant of the Mitchell and Phoebe (Belcher) Clay line, reflecting ongoing documentation of family branches.

These findings underscore the value of combining traditional research, DNA technology, and historical documentation to advance genealogical understanding.