Thomas Claydon was the youngest of eleven known children of Laurence & Mary Claydon.

Groom's Name: Thomas Claydon
Bride's Name: Elizabeth Bennet
Marriage Date: 21 Dec 1831
Marriage Place: Twyford,Buckingham,England
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M14860-2
System Origin: England-ODM
Source Film Number: 1042443
Reference Number: 
Collection: England Marriages, 1538–1973

IGI: Marriage.
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Name: Henry Claydon
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date: 23 Sep 1832
Baptism/Christening Place: FRINGFORD,OXFORD,ENGLAND
Father's Name: Thomas Claydon
Father's Birthplace: 
Mother's Name: Elizabeth
Mother's Birthplace: 
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C03839-1
System Origin: England-ODM
Source Film Number: 95248
Reference Number: 
Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

CERTIFICATES:

BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF ELIZABETH CLAYDON [04/27/1840] 1840. REGISTRATION DISTRICT: BICESTER UNION. BIRTH in the Sub-district of Bicester in the Counties of Oxford and Buckingham CERTIFICATE No. When and where born Name, if any Sex Name and surname of father Name, surname and maiden name of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered Signature of registrar 129 Twenty Seventh April 1840, Fringford Elizabeth Female Thomas Claydon Elizabeth Claydon formerly Bennett Labourer T. Claydon, Father, Fringford Twenty Fourth April 1840 Joeph Reynolds, Registrar Source: FreeBMD Birth Index: "Elizabeth Claydon, 2Q-1840, Bicester, Vol. xx pg. xx." Note: the date of birth and the registration date appear to have been switched.

The death certificates of three Elizabeth Claydons were registered in the 2nd or 3rd quarters of 1840 in the Bicester District. One was the 1st wife of Thomas Claydon in Fringford, another was the infant daughter of Thomas & Elizabeth in Fringford, and the third was possibly a Claydon relative living in Bicester.

ELIZABETH CLAYDON, 1st WIFE OF THOMAS:

DEATH CERTIFICATE OF ELIZABETH CLAYDON [04/07/1840] 1840. REGISTRATION DISTRICT: Bicester DEATH in the Counties of Oxford and Buckingham CERTIFICATE No. When and where died Name and Surname Sex Age Occupation Cause of death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered Signature of registrar 443 Seventh April 1840, Fringford Elizabeth Claydon female 36 years Wife of Thomas Claydon, Labourer Influenza T. Claydon Present during illness, Fringford Twenty-fourth April 1840 Joseph Reynolds, Registrar Source: FreeBMD Death Index: "Elizabeth Claydon, 2Q-1840, Bicester, Vol. 16, pg. __." The date of death is three weeks prior to date of birth of daughter Elizabeth

DEATH CERTIFICATE OF ELIZABETH CLAYDON [09/21/1840] 1840. REGISTRATION DISTRICT: Bicester DEATH in the Counties of Oxford and Buckingham CERTIFICATE No. When and where died Name and Surname Sex Age Occupation Cause of death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered Signature of registrar 13 Twenty first September 1840, Fringford Elizabeth Claydon female 1/2 year Daughter of Thomas Claydon, Labourer Consumption Mary Claydon Present during illness, Fringford Twenty-eighth September 1840 Joseph Reynolds, Registrar Source: FreeBMD Death Index: "Elizabeth Claydon, 3Q-1840, Bicester, Vol. 16, pg. 22." Informant Mary Claydon is probably Mary (Turner) Claydon, wife of Laurence and mother of Thomas.

ELIZABETH CLAYDON, WIFE OF THOMAS: [possible relative-aunt?]

DEATH CERTIFICATE OF ELIZABETH CLAYDON [05/29/1840] 1840. REGISTRATION DISTRICT: Bicester DEATH in the Counties of Oxford and Buckingham CERTIFICATE No. When and where died Name and Surname Sex Age Occupation Cause of death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered Signature of registrar 460 Twenty-ninth May 1840, Bicester Market End Elizabeth Claydon female 75 years Wife of Thomas Claydon, Labourer Old Age and Debility X The mark of Mary Williams Present at Death, Bicester Market End Twenty-ninth May 1840 Joseph Reynolds, Registrar Source: FreeBMD Death Index: "Elizabeth Claydon, 2Q-1840, Bicester, Vol. 16, pg. __."

MARRIAGE OF THOMAS CLAYDON & MARGARET LYNES [08/30/1841] 1841. Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of Hendon in the County of Middlesex CERTIFICATE No. When Married Name and Surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at Time of Marriage Father's Name and Surname Rank or Profession of Father 28 August 30th 1841 Thomas Claydon of full age Bachelor Labourer Hendon Laurence Claydon Labourer Margaret Lynes minor Spinster   Brent Street C. Lynes Labourer Married in the Parish Church of Hendon according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Banns by me, This Marriage was solemnized between us, { Thomas Claydon x his mark } in the Presence of us, { John Short x his mark John Lawson, MA Margaret Lynes x her mark Johannah Calligan x her mark .

SOURCE: FreeBMD Marriage Index: "Thomas Claydon / Margaret Lynes, 3Q-1841 Hendon, Vol. 3 pg. 144."

DEATH CERTIFICATE OF THOMAS CLAYDON [04/26/1876] 1876. REGISTRATION DISTRICT: Solihull DEATH in the Sub-district of Donhead in the Counties of Warwick and Worcester CERTIFICATE No. When and where died Name and Surname Sex Age Occupation Cause of death Signature, description and residence of informant When registered Signature of registrar 766 Twenty Sixth April 1876 Thomas Claydon male 64 years Farm Labourer malignant disease of the abdomen, certified by Edw. Page, ___ The mark of Ann Clayton, widow of deceased, present at death, Solihull Twenty Ninth April 1876 George Stafford, registrar Source: FreeBMD Death Index: "Thomas Clayton, born abt. 1812, 2nd quarter 1876, Solihull, Volume 6D, page 304."

He was born about 1813 according to his age (38) in the 1851 British census. The Fringford parish transcript lists him as baptized on 9/20/1812. He married first to Elizabeth ? about 1831. This marriage is not in the transcript and happened before marriages were registered with the government. On 9/23/1832, son Henry was baptized. On 5/18/1835, son James was baptized. According to FamilySearch.org [IGI], son John was baptized on 5/13/1838 (not in the parish transcripts). On 2/13/1839, daughter Ann was baptized. The FreeBMD Birth Index has "Ann Claydon, 1st quarter 1839, Bicester, Vol. 16 pg. 30". The FreeBMD Death Index has "Ann Claydon, 1st quarter 1839, Bicester, Vol. 16 pg. 19". Since Ann does not appear in the 1851 census and onwards, she probably died as an infant. On 4/12/1840, daughter Elizabeth was baptized. The next day, an Elizabeth Claydon was buried. It is unknown if this was the mother or the daughter, however the mother's death certificate had the date of 4/7/1840, so it is probably her.

On 7/19/1842, son Thomas (Jr.) was baptized in Fringford. Parents were Thomas and Margaret (Lynes) Claydon. First wife Elizabeth died on 4/7/1840 from influenza. Thomas then remarried to Margaret. In the Free Birth-Marriage-Death Marriage Index (FreeBMD), there are records for "Thomas Claydon/Margaret Lynes, 3rd quarter 1841, Hendon, Middlesex, Vol. 3 pg. 144". Hendon is the town where the elder Thomas' first cousin Philip Claydon lived as well as his brother James Claydon. In the BMD-Death Index, there are three Elizabeth Claydons that died in the Bicester district in 1840. Two were registered in the second quarter of the year and indexed in Volume 16, pages 21 and 23. A third Elizabeth Claydon was registered in the third quarter and indexed in Volume 16, page 22. Until the three death certificates can be inspected, it is not known which two of the three are the right ones. The third Elizabeth is probably a relative, currently unidentified.

In 1841, sons Henry (age 8) and James (age 6) were at their grandparents Laurence and Mary Claydon’s house [Class: HO107; Civil Parish: Fringford; County: Oxfordshire; Enumeration District: 7; Page: 20; Line: 9; GSU Roll: 474574]. Near the Golders Green area of Hendon, Middlesex, there is a "Thomas Clayton" age 25, ag laborer, at the dairy farm of James & Mary Clayton, not born in Middlesex [Class: HO107; Piece 657; Book: 5; Civil Parish: Hendon; County: Middlesex; Enumeration District: 2; Folio: 36; Page: 27; Line: 19; GSU roll: 438774]. Thomas' marriage to Margaret was recorded in the FreeBMD Marriage Index: "Thomas Claydon/Margaret Lynes, 3rd Quarter 1841, Hendon, Middlesex, Vol. 3 Pg. 144". In the 1841 Census, there is a Margaret Lynes.

On 10/8/1843, son Philip was baptized. On 7/19/1846, daughter Hannah was baptized. And on 2/11/1849, daughter Sarah was baptized. In the 1851 British Census, Thomas, age 38, ag laborer, born in Fringford; and Margaret, age 32, born in Ireland; were in Fringford with children James, Phillip, Hannah, and Sarah [1851 British Census, Fringford, Oxfordshire: Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1729; Folio: 492; Page: 34; GSU Roll: 193638]. Son John (age 13) was with his grandparents Laurence & Mary Claydon.

In a letter dated October 17, 1859, Philip Claydon writes to his uncle James Claydon about Thomas: "The last time I was there your Brother Thomas and me stood by the Death bed of my Aunt Mary. I dare not complain at what the Lord has done. He knows what is best and he will take you and me when he sees fit, so I dare not say what doesn’t though, do you ask how did Mary die, well you know how she lived. About the last words she said to me, where Jesus that had been with her in life would not leave her in death, and there my Dear Uncle Thomas and me knelt together and prayed, for let me tell you, your Brother Thomas is a new man born again and a preacher of the gospel. The people say at Fringford a second James Claydon is come again, but he now is gone with his family into Warwickshire to live." Aunt Mary is Mary Claydon Gibbard, who died in 1853.

In 1861, Thomas and Margaret had moved to Solihull in Warwickshire. Children James, Ellen, William and Thomas Lynes were present [Class: RG9; Piece: 877; Folio: 115; Page: 10; GSU Roll: 542715]. Daughter Sarah was at work, serving as a nurse girl at a farm house in Shalstone, Buckinghamshire (about 6 miles northeast of Fringford) [Class: RG9; Piece: 877; Folio: 115; Page: 10; GSU Roll: 542715].

Google map: Shalstone, Buckinghamshire (about 6 miles northeast of Fringford).

CENSUS:

Wife Margaret is noted as being born in Ireland.

Wife Margaret is noted as being born in Fringford instead of Ireland as noted in 1851.

Daughter Sarah is not present. She is in Shalstone, Buckinghamshire, at Tredwell farm, as a servant, nurse girl, age 14, born in Hethe, Oxfordshire [Source: RG9 / Piece 877; Folio: 115; Page 10; GSU Roll: 542715]. Compared to the 1851 census, Sarah should be 12 years old instead of 14, but census ages are not exact, so the difference is reasonable. Also, she was noted as born in Hethe, a nearby village to Fringford. With her at the farm is dairy maid Sarah Knibbs, also born in Hethe, age 18. Perhaps they knew each other.

Hannah and Phillip are not present, perhaps working away from home.

Since the 1861 census, wife Margaret has recently died. In a letter dated 1874, Thomas says he lost his wife 4 years previously and has now remarried, living in Solihull. Children James, Ellen, William, and Thomas L. are not present. Sarah, age 23, however, is back, unmarried, with a 4-year old daughter. In the BMD-Birth Index, there is a Ruth A. Claydon, Birth: Dec 1866 - Solihull, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire.

Sarah is probably Ruth's mother and may have remarried and Ruth adopted by stepfather by 1881.

In the 1881 Census, Thomas Claydon not found. In BMD-Death Index, there is a Thomas Clayton, born about 1812, death registered 1876 Apr-May-Jun Solihull Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire.

In 1870, the FreeBMD Death Index lists "Margaret Claydon, b. 1820, d. 2Q 1870 Solihull, Warwickshire Vol. 6D Pg. 267". In the 1871 British Census, Thomas was in Solihull with daughter Sarah and granddaughter Ruth A., age 4. Ruth may be Sarah’s daughter [Class: RG10; Piece: 3189; Folio: 65; Page: 9; GSU Roll: 839252].

In a letter dated December 14, 1871, from Philip Claydon to his uncle James Claydon, Philip writes that he wrote to Uncle Thomas about visiting Philip about two years previously, but Thomas never came, but he lives in Warwickshire (Solihull).

In a letter dated April 17, 1873, from brother John Claydon to brother James Claydon, John writes:

In a letter from Thomas to his brother James Claydon, dated October 8, 1873, Thomas writes that he has married again and his children are grown, most with families of their own. In another letter to his brother James, dated May 17, 1874, Thomas writes that his wife Margaret died four years previously and he has remarried. Thomas’ daughter Ellen wrote an introductory letter on September 18, 1874, to James Claydon.

Thomas Claydon was listed as an heir of his brother James in Greenfield, NY [Will of Claydon, James - Greenfield, Saratoga Co., NY - Book 24 Page 383]: "Second: I give and devise to my brother, Thomas Claydon, of Solihull, Warwickshire, England, such sum as shall be equal to two hundred pounds English money: to be by him divided as follows – one eighth thereof to the heirs of my brother William Claydon, late of Oxfordshire England, who are now living in England – one eight thereof to the heirs of my sister Anna Dagley, late of Godenton, Buckinghamshire, England: one eighth thereof to the heirs of my sister Mary Ann Gibbord, late of Buckinghamshire, England: one eights thereof to the heirs of my sister Elizabeth Foscott, late of Buckinghamshire, England, and the balance of said sum of two hundred pounds to belong to my brother Thomas Claydon above named; the receipt of the said Thomas Claydon for said sum shall be a full and sufficient discharge of my executor, for all liability for such legacy."

In 1876, in the FreeBMD Death Index, there is an item for "Thomas Clayton, born about 1812, death certificate registered 2nd quarter 1876, Solihull, Volume 6D, page 304."

Ann Claydon was in the 1881 census, listed as a widow, age 55, born in Solihull, working as a charwoman, with sons Charles, John, and James Nason [Class: RG11; Piece: 3082; Folio: 24; Page: 42; Line: ; GSU roll: 1341735].

In the 1891 census, Ann Claydon was listed as a widow, age 65, born in Elmdon, Warwickshire, staying at #127 Warwick Road, and working as a charwoman (house cleaner) [Class: RG12; Piece: 2461; Folio 13; Page 20; GSU roll: 6097571].

In 1894, the FreeBMD Death Index lists "Ann Claydon, born about 1826, death registered 3rd quarter 1894, Solihull, Volume 6D, page 272".