POC-2024-02 – POC, 2024 Qtr 2, Spring

The Ancient Clays Haplotree: This integration project maps Clay genealogy with Y-DNA data from “Y-Adam” to the present. It traces distinct DNA haplogroups and generational links originating from African Adam Clay (c. 232,000 BCE) through migration lines in Kazakhstan, Austria, Germany, France, England, and New England.

10 Million Names Project: CFS is collaborating with the New England Historic Genealogical Society to recover and connect the names of enslaved people of African descent. This effort utilizes shared family histories, specifically connecting descendants of Clay enslavers with descendants of the enslaved.

Grave Site Recoveries and Preservation:
* The grave of William “Wallace” Clay—born into slavery in Kentucky in 1859 and a male descendant of Christopher F. Clay—was successfully located at Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit. His records had previously been misidentified by cemetery staff. This discovery provides vital data for the CFS Clay Y-DNA Project.
* The historic Chesterfield County cemetery containing the remains of Rev. Eleazar Clay, Elizabeth Clay, and Matthew B. Clay has been identified as overgrown and in need of cleanup and documentation.

Newspaper Digitization Discoveries: Newly digitized historical records from early 19th-century Kentucky newspapers (such as the *Independent Gazateer* in Lexington) have uncovered early references to “Clay’s Mill,” “Porter Clay,” and “M Clay”.

Documentary Verification: The documentary *Clay 1613* explores the verified family history of both Black and white descendants of John Clay, an ancient planter who arrived in Jamestown in 1613.