Person:John Clayton (60)

Quoted from History of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine by Francis Gould Butler, pg 428-9.

John Clayton was born in Manchester, England, Jan. 16, 1758, where enlisting as a soldier in the English army commanded by Lieut.-General John Burgoyne, he followed the fortunes of that ill-fated general to Canada early in 1777. He was in the battle of Ticonderoga, July 6, 1777, at Stillwater, Sept. 19, at Freeman's Farm, Oct. 7, and at the battle so disastrous to the English army at Saratoga, Oct. 17, 1777. He witnessed the surrender of General Burgoyne to the victors under Gates and Arnold, and received his discharge from the English army in the autumn of 1783, as the following copy will show:

"By Lieut.-Colonel Oliver DeLancy, commanding His Majesty's 17th Regiment of Dragoons, whereof Lieut.-General Thomas Gage is Colonel.

"These are to certify that the bearer hereof, John Clayton, has served in the above said Regiment for the space of nine years, .... is for the reason below mentioned, discharged from the said Regiment, he having received his pay, arrears of pay, clothing of all sorts, and all other just demands from the time of his enlisting into the said Regiment to this day of his discharge, and he is discharged at his own request to go to Nova Scotia, and to prevent any ill-use that may be made of this discharge by its falling into the hands of any other person whatsoever, here follows a description of the above said John Clayton: He is about twenty-five years of age, five feet nine inches high without shoes, brown complexion, born in England, by trade a butcher.

"Given under my hand and the Regimental seal at New York, this 24th day of September, 1783.

(Signed) OLIVER DeLANCY, Lieut.-Colonel."

The above discharge bears the following indorsement:

"To all whom it may concern: John Clayton, private Dragoon. I do acknowledge to have received my pay, my arrears of pay, clothing of all sorts, and all other just demands from the time of my enlistment in the within mentioned Regiment to this day of my discharge.

"Witness my hand at New York, this 24th day of September, 1783."

His

(Signed) JOHN X CLAYTON.

mark.

"Witness, Jos. Gardner, Q. M. 17th Regiment Dragoons."

Mr. Clayton first came to that part of Hallowell now Augusta, and married a Miss Cowan, who soon died, together with her infant child. He came to the township, probably, in 1784, took possession of proprietor's lot No. 11, east side, and planted twelve hills of potatoes on the ground occupied by the camp of Foster and Allen, the hunters of the winter of 1779-80. Mr. Clayton came to the township to reside permanently in 1787, where he soon after married Sally, daughter of John Austin (usually pronounced Asten), who became the mother of ten children. Mr. Clayton was peculiar in this: he was proud of his nationality, and no Roman ever felt a greater pride in being called a Roman citizen than did he in being called an Englishman, and no greater indignity could be offered him than to say anything in his presence in disparagement of his model man, John Burgoyne, Mr. Clayton was quite a poet in his way. On one occasion his children, except the two oldest daughters, who had charge of the sick, being ill, he perpetrated the following (the author not being responsible for the measure or sentiment):

"As my two daughters did combine,

To nurse the army of old Burgoyne;

Their nursing was good but not very lasting,

For they were granddaughters of old granny Asten."

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Butler, Francis Gould. A history of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine: from the earliest explorations to the present time, 1776-1885. (Farmington, Maine: Press of Knowlton McLeary & Co., 1885)
   428-9.
2. ↑ Maine, United States. Heads of families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790, Maine. (Washington [District of Columbia]: Government Printing Office, 1908)
   44.