Ira CLAY ^10,11,12,13

  General Notes:

3rd Great Grandfather.
BIOGRAPHY: The first record I've found for Ira Clay is in the 1830 Census for New York State,Madison County in the city of Cazenovia. This shows a migration pattern from the North. At this time, the census shows, Ira and his wife had two sons, one under the age of five years (Morris),and one of the age of five but not yet ten years of age (Henry D.), living in Cazenovia.
Ira was a prominent "Anti-Mason"*. This movement was started in 1826, after William Morgan, a citizen of western New York published a book in which the secrets of freemasonry were supposed to be disclosed. William Morgan was seized on September 11, at Batavia, upon a criminal charge, taken to Canandaigua,tried and acquitted on the criminal charge, but was immediately arrested on a civil process. He was cast into jail and then taken from place to place by members of the masons. News leaked out of this so called kidnapping and a very strong anti-masonic party was soon created, at first only social in it's character, but soon it became political. This feature of the party first appeared at town-meetings in the spring of 1827, where it was resolved that no mason was worthy to receive the votes of freemen. A political party for the exclusion of masons from public offices was soon spread over the State of New York and into several other states, and ran it's course for several years.
Cazenovia became one of the strongholds of the anti-mason movement. During this period the Erie canal was being built through Madison County, not many miles north of Cazenovia. Many people sold their Cazenovia property to move their business and families closer to the canal. This caused the value of the village property to drop, thus causing others to look towards the west for a new home. Ira, Lucy and children Henry & Morris moved from New York to Ohio in 1833.
Shortly after their arrival in May their daughter Nicy E. Clay was born.
The next information on Ira's location is found in a list "1835 Males Over the Age of 21 in Delaware County,Ohio". This list shows Ira living in Bennington township,which was a part of Delaware prior to 1848, then becoming Morrow County in 1848. Another link to Bennington township can be found in a grave listing published in the book "Tombstone Inscriptions and Other Records of Delaware County,Ohio" by Esther Weygant Powell in 1972. On page 313 ,in a cemetery referred to as the Vining cemetery, which is located in Bennington township, on the East side of route 61 about 1 3/4 miles north of the cross road at Fargo the following inscription was copied on May 27,1948. The stone reading... Clay,Friend, son of Ira & Lucy, died Feb.27?,1837?(possibly 1867?). I believe that this was a child who died at birth, or as a small child, due to the location at this cemetery. The name Friend was probably used because most of the population of this community were of the Quaker religion and referred to each other as Friends. Also Friend could have died as an infant before being properly named. I believe 1837 is the proper date due to the area and other documents which place Ira and Lucy in this area at this time . When visiting the cemetery in 1988 the stone was no longer there. It appeared as though they had cleaned up the cemetery and only the readable stones appeared to be reset in concrete. The 1948 description of the cemetery states the condition of the cemetery at that time, had many fallen stones and many unmarked graves.
The next record for Ira was found in Delaware County 's Courthouse in deed book Num.19 page 43. This was a deed to inlot Num.32 of the town of Woodbury, Peru township,Delaware county. Dated August 5,1836 but not recorded until May 20,1839 the Grantor's being Daniel & Elizabeth Wood and Ira Clay being the Grantee. Daniel Wood was one of the early settlers and the minister of the Quaker church of Woodbury. The town,being named for him ,was one of the more active towns in the area. Woodbury from the "The History of Peru Township,Morrow County" compiled by A.S. Benedict in 1897. Starting on page 38.

The next records for Ira and Lucy Clay were in the Delaware Tax records books at The Delaware Historical Society's Library. They show as follows..

1. 1837 Peru twnsp Delaware County,Ohio Ira Clay
2. 1838 thru 1841 same.
3. 1842 " " Lucy Clay
4. 1843-46" " Ira Clay
5. 1847 " "Ira Clay heirs

In the Old Methodist Graveyard in South Woodbury we find among the other Family graves.Clay,Henry D. son of Ira & Lucy : Died April 14 , 1847 :age 22yrs 9months 4days. This grave appears to be of the same type discribed under Friend Clay's grave in Bennington township. Ira must have died also around 1847 but no stone has been found.

A trip to a white house, just north of the Delaware County courthouse, in which old records are being stored, supplied a noteworthy document. Common Pleas Journal Book 13. 1846-1848. page 308.Oct.20, 1847.
On motion it is ordered that George N. Clarke to appointed Adminstrator of Harley W. Clay late of Peru township in this county dec_ on his entering into bond with Marquis Gardner and Timothy Starr his sanctioning in the penalty of one hundred dollar conditioned according to law. Ordered that Joseph Keen, Robert Gardner and David James Apraise the personal in lat of said dec. Whereupon court adjorned to half past 8 o'clock tomorrow morning O.H. Power.
Also later Oct 29, 1847 an administration bond was set in Delaware Co., Ohio
for Harley W. Clay. Signed by George N. Clark, Timothy Starr and Marquis Gardner.
While searching for anything on Harley W. Clay nothing shows up on Census, however a Harley W. Clay enlisted in Alton Illinois in the 1st Reg. Co. I of the foot volunteers and died in Salitto, Mexico March 3rd , 1847 after the battle of Buena Vista. A year earlier Ira's brother in law Ansyl Humiston died in Southern Indiana. Were they in the process of moving west? And what is the relationship between Ira and Harley W.(age 19 in 1847)?
Also later Nicy (Clay) Doty's son Ansyl W. Doty named his son Harley.
I don't know if this has anything to do with Ira or Henry D. Clay who both died in 1847. but the fact that they were the only Clays I know of in the township, and the men mentioned are also mentioned in the history of South Woodbury in A.S. Benidicts book makes me believe it has some connection. Ira's grave has not yet been found. He died around the year 1847 which I have determined by the 1847 tax records which state Ira Clay Heirs . It has been said that there is a "Lost Gardner graveyard" near to the original sight of the Quaker Church which was located on the east side of Alum Creek on what was Rueben Gardners land. In Baskins 1880 History of Morrow county on page 439... speaking of the Peru twnsp. cemeterys, ..."" The burial ground of the Friends was the first, the West Liberty graveyard the next in order, the Morehouse graveyard the third, and the village cemetery the forth; making four in the township at large,all of which, in the words of Gray, it may be said : " Beneath those rugged elms and yew trees shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a moldering heap,
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."

CENSUS: New York: 1830 NY. Madison County, Cazenovia, Page 213/Ira Clay/males/1 under 5/1 of 5 but not 10/1 of 20 but not 30;females/1 of 20 but not 30/ LAND: Madison County Courthouse:Grantee Records 1833 Sep 7---To David Ames-- from Ira Clay&wife- book AE----page 81


Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place: , Delaware, Ohio; Roll: 391; Page: 197.

Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place: Woodberry, Delaware, Ohio; Roll: 197; Page: 391; Image: 938; Family History Library Film: 0020163.

1840 United States Federal Census
about Ira Clay
Name: Ira Clay
Township: Woodberry
County: Delaware
State: Ohio
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1 (Morris)
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1 (Henry)
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1 (Ira)
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1 (Nicy)
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1 (Lucy)
Total - All Persons (Free White, Free Colored, Slaves): 5
Free White Persons - Under 20: 3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 5

1850 OH. Morrow County, Peru twp, Page 59 : Lucy Clay/Lucy Clay F 45 (value of real estate)100 born in Conn./Morris Clay M 20 born in N.Y./Nicy Clay F 16 born in O.

BONDS: Early Delaware County, original located Delaware Historical Society. June 1 , 1834 Estate of Alford Sutters , of Bennington twps. Ira Clay on Book Account paid $1.87

Ira age.
Ira Clay age.
1820 1 between 16 & 18 1802-1804 Thomas Clay Household. probably Ira.
1 between 16 & 25 1795-1804 " probably Elijah
2 between 26 & 44 1776-1794 " probably Thomas & ?
1830 - between 20 & 29 1801- 1810
1840 - between 30 & 39 1801- 1810

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Shoemaker: Cazenovia, Madison Co., New York.

• Residence: 1830 United States Federal Census, 1830, Cazenovia, Madison Co., New York. Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Cazenovia, Madison, New York; Roll: 93; Page: 213.

• Residence: 1840 United States Federal Census, 1 Jun 1840, South Woodbury, Peru, Morrow, Ohio, USA. Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place: , Delaware, Ohio; Roll: 391; Page: 197
.

Ira married Lucy H. HUMISTON, daughter of Jarvis HUMISTON and Nice TODD, in 1823 in 1st Pres. Church, Cazenovia, Madison Co., New York.⁹ (Lucy H. HUMISTON was born on 15 Sep 1806 in Litchfield, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA, died on 13 Aug 1879 in South Woodbury, Peru, Morrow, Ohio, USA and was buried in South Woodbury ME Cem, Peru, Morrow, Ohio.)