POC-2015-03 – POC, 2015 Qtr 3, Vol. XII Issue 3

Key genealogical findings from the Clay Family Society newsletter include several notable discoveries and research advancements:

1. DNA Connections and International Links
The Society has actively promoted DNA testing, leading to new family connections. Notably, President Doug Cline discovered a Danish cousin, Ingeborg, through DNA, revealing a previously unknown branch descended from Kristian Rasmussen Wester, who remained in Denmark when other family members emigrated to the U.S.

Collaboration with David Clay in England has strengthened ties to the Clay lineage there, including visits to historical Clay sites and connections to ancestors such as John Clay, brother of Hercules Clay, Mayor of Newark in 1644.

2. Cluster (FAN) Genealogy Successes
The Society employs the “FAN Club” (Family, Associates, Neighbors) approach to break through genealogical brick walls. Recent research linked members Eleanor (Clem) VanHorn, Pat Dunford, and Mary (Bobbitt) Richardson as distant cousins through shared Bobbitt and Clay ancestry, demonstrating the effectiveness of cluster research.

Ongoing research is exploring connections between Elizabeth Clay (married James Turner, 1833, Kentucky) and John Clay (married Alcy Farley), potentially linking more members to common ancestors.

3. Notable Clay Family Lines and Members
New members have traced their lineage to prominent Clay ancestors, including Henry Clay (the statesman), Rev. Charles Clay (friend of Thomas Jefferson), and the William Mitchell and Martha Lewis line.

The Society continues to document and preserve Clay cemeteries and historical sites, such as the Clay Cemetery in Kirkwood, Atlanta, and memorials in West Virginia.