William was the second child of Henry Claydon & Ann Manks. His birth was registered in the Solihull registration district in the first quarter of 1852 [FreeBMD Birth Index: “William Claydon, 1st quarter 1852, Solihull, Vol. 6D pg. 415”].

1861 British Census, Sheldon, Warwickshire: William, age 9, is with his family in Sheldon [Class: RG9; Piece: 2188; Folio: 103; Page: 3; GSU roll: 542932].

1871 British Census, Solihull, Warwickshire: William, age 19, is with his family in Solihull [Class: RG10; Piece: 3189; Folio: 81; Page: 14; GSU roll: 839252].

Based on the 1910 census, William married for the first time.

Then, about 1880, he emigrated to USA and settled in Rensselaer County, New York. Since his first known child was born about 1884, he probably married Maria Gribble some time before.

1900 US Census, Lansingburgh, Rensselaer Co., NY: [Year: 1900; Census Place: Lansingburgh, Rensselaer, New York; Roll: T623 1150; Page: 18B; Enumeration District: 41].

1910 US Census, Troy, Rensselaer Co., NY: in household headed by William Clayton, male, white, age 53, married 2nd, 26 years, born in England, parents born in England, immigration year 1880, naturalized, teamster at farm, worker, 0 months unemployed, rents home; Marie, wife, female, white, age 50, married once for 26 years, mother of five children five still living, born in England, parents born in England; William, son, male, white, age 25, single, born in NY, parents born in England, ___________; [Year: 1910; Census Place: Troy Ward 13, Rensselaer, New York; Roll: T624_1071; Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 70; Image: 292].

1920 US Census: [Year: 1920;Census Place: Greenfield, Saratoga, New York; Roll: T625_1261; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 109; Image: 325].

1930 US Census: [Year: 1930; Census Place: Greenfield, Saratoga, New York; Roll: 1643; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 15; Image: 334.0].

Although there is a “Maria Gribble, age 27, emigrated to New York City from Bristol, England, arriving on September 3, 1878 on the ship Somerset (operated by Great Western Line) [Microfilm Roll: M237_414, List: 932; Line: 22; Port of Arrival: New York]” the arrival date is wrong.

Or Maria Gribble, age 22, Liverpool to New York, RMS Batavia, June 3, 1872 [manifest image, ancestry.com]. In the 1880 US Census, Troy, Rensselaer Co., NY, Maria Gribble, white, female, age 25, servant in the home of James A. Eddy, a manufacturer of paints and colors [Year: 1880; Census Place: Troy, Rensselaer, New York; Roll: T9_921; Family History Film: 1254921; Page: 589.1000; Enumeration District: 148; Image: 0300]. Her eldest child, William Eddy Claydon was born about 1884.