Yesterday's article about Clay and Glynne Emigrants to the USA from Susan Johnson drew a flurry of responses.
Val Glass emailed me about John Clay, a Scottish farmer, an online biography of John Clay that mentions daughter, Sarah Clay, later Glynne.
That biography says "John Clay was bom at Dykegatehead, a farm in the parish of Whitsome, in the county of Berwick, on November 5, 1824" and that his portrait used to hang in his daughter, Sarah's house in Castle Terrace, Berwick-on-Tweed.
Val also said "I went to a talk about 10 years ago on the Clay family by, I think, Trevor Swan of Coldstream. All about their lives in USA. It is probably the same family who emigrated." and Tom Esk commented "I seem to remember that Trevor Swan gave a talk about a Clay family, possibly around March 2005 and it might have been in the Borders Family History Society magazine."
They're both right, and a search of the Borders Family History Society Article Index for 'Clay' shows a long article in issue 58 (which I think is June 2005) titlled 'The Purves, Clays, and the Crimean War' by Will Murray and Trevor Swan; the article is the text of the authors' talk to the Society titled 'James Charles Purves: a Coldstream Lad at the Charge' on 20th March 2005 about one of the participants in the charge of the Light Brigade, the battle, and some of James' family.
Trevor rang me this morning and confirmed that it is the same family that he has been researching, so I've sent an email from him to Susan and I hope that she'll be in touch.
If you know know more about this family or related families, please add a comment.
Does anyone have any pictures ?
Celebrating 900 years of Berwick's history and cultural heritage.
Showing posts with label Susan Johnson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Susan Johnson. Show all posts
Saturday, 5 September 2015
Friday, 4 September 2015
Clay and Glynne Emigrants to the USA
From Susan Johnson, USA:
My great-great grandparents emigrated from Berwick in the 19th century. My great-great grandmother was Sarah Clay, daughter of the farmer, John Clay. John managed several farms within his lifetime. Their family farmed in the area for generations. Their last farm, is still in existence, as a horse farm.
Sarah marred John Glynne and emigrated to New York City. John Glynne was a farm hand we think. We don't know where exactly he came from. My cousin found that Glynne was younger than Sarah, and they may have eloped. This could be around 1875 or so. I have dates somewhere.
Their oldest son was Darling John Glynne, my great grandfather.
He might have been born in Berwick, or New York City.
There may be some painted portraits of Sarah and the Clays somewhere in Berwick.The younger John Clay wrote a book about his father in Berwick, "John Clay: A Scottish Farmer", which he published in 1906.
I have several interesting stories about the Clays. John Clay's son, John, also emigrated to USA, and wrote several books about his father as well as his own new life in Wyoming. John Clay the younger was a cattle rancher and a significant figure in the development of the western frontier in Wyoming.
The younger son of Sarah and John Glynne, Michael Glynne, grew up to be a vaudeville impresario in New York. One of his theatres in Long Island, has been restored.
2 years ago, I met a long-lost cousin of my grandmother. He is younger than me ! It turns out the youngest child of Sarah and John Glynne was a girl who married an Italian in New York. She was disowned (although it seems Sarah kept in contact). She had ten children, the youngest of which became the father at a late age, hence my long-lost cousin ! In any case, meeting him is particularly important because my grandmother died in 1969, and had lost both her parents and her sister to the flu within a week in 1929.
My mother, Margaret Glynne Korth Johnson, and her sister, Joan, both had red hair. My grandmother had dark violet eyes, and so it was a family joke as to where the red hair came from. Of course, it was Berwick-upon -Tweed. We don't know Sarah's colouring, but chances are there are plenty of red genes. My brother and sister both have auburn hair, while I am dark gold.
My great-great grandparents emigrated from Berwick in the 19th century. My great-great grandmother was Sarah Clay, daughter of the farmer, John Clay. John managed several farms within his lifetime. Their family farmed in the area for generations. Their last farm, is still in existence, as a horse farm.
Sarah marred John Glynne and emigrated to New York City. John Glynne was a farm hand we think. We don't know where exactly he came from. My cousin found that Glynne was younger than Sarah, and they may have eloped. This could be around 1875 or so. I have dates somewhere.
Their oldest son was Darling John Glynne, my great grandfather.
He might have been born in Berwick, or New York City.
There may be some painted portraits of Sarah and the Clays somewhere in Berwick.The younger John Clay wrote a book about his father in Berwick, "John Clay: A Scottish Farmer", which he published in 1906.
I have several interesting stories about the Clays. John Clay's son, John, also emigrated to USA, and wrote several books about his father as well as his own new life in Wyoming. John Clay the younger was a cattle rancher and a significant figure in the development of the western frontier in Wyoming.
The younger son of Sarah and John Glynne, Michael Glynne, grew up to be a vaudeville impresario in New York. One of his theatres in Long Island, has been restored.
2 years ago, I met a long-lost cousin of my grandmother. He is younger than me ! It turns out the youngest child of Sarah and John Glynne was a girl who married an Italian in New York. She was disowned (although it seems Sarah kept in contact). She had ten children, the youngest of which became the father at a late age, hence my long-lost cousin ! In any case, meeting him is particularly important because my grandmother died in 1969, and had lost both her parents and her sister to the flu within a week in 1929.
My mother, Margaret Glynne Korth Johnson, and her sister, Joan, both had red hair. My grandmother had dark violet eyes, and so it was a family joke as to where the red hair came from. Of course, it was Berwick-upon -Tweed. We don't know Sarah's colouring, but chances are there are plenty of red genes. My brother and sister both have auburn hair, while I am dark gold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)