WILLIAM CLAYTON , the Elder (possible bapt. 1589 - 1644)
In the parish register of Boxgrove the burial of Elizabeth "wife of William Clayton the Elder on 16 Oct 1638, and the burial of William Clayton "the Elder on 8 Apr 1644. Although the terms "elder' and "younger, or "senr' and "junr, in parish registers can refer to male relatives who are cousins, or uncle and nephew, as well as father and son, it does seem likely that this William Clayton is the father of William who married Joan Smith in Boxgrove, and died in 1658. Known or likely children are (1) William "the Younger," born ca. 1610-11; (2) Joan, born ca. 1612-13, md. Edward Frost 26 July 1631, Boxgrove; and Thomas, bapt. 21 Apr 1616. No baptism for a William, son of William Clayton, in the period 1605-1611 has been found in Boxgrove, or the area around it within reasonable distance that has been covered by the IGI. There are several reasons for these omissions, discussed in articles elsewhere; nor has a will been located for William the Elder. However, the circumstantial evidence is strong. Bellarts and Jones were of the conviction that this William the Elder was the William named as a son in the will of Thomas Clayton of Rudgwick and state that William was born about 1588 in Rudgwick. However, there are difficulties with this, as follows.
The Rudgwick registers give the baptisms of Susan, daughter of William Clayton, on 5 Apr 1618, and of Mary, daughter of William Clayton, on 21 Sep 1625. There are only two possible Williams to consider, from the Rudgwick Clayton families reconstructed from the registers and from wills The first is a William, son of John Clayton Junr., baptised 17 Mar 1604. While he might be the father of Mary, he could not be the father of Susan, as he would have been only 14 years old when Susan was born in 1618. This leaves only Thomas Clayton's son William, whom Bellarts and Jones believe was born about 1588-90, with, however, no reason given for this birth date (The Quaker Yeomen, vol. 11, no. 4, Jan 1985; Plain Language, vol. 3, no. 1, 1990). This William would have been 28-30 years old in 1618, quite reasonable. But, considered against this, we have to assume that our William Clayton the Elder of Boxgrove, is the father of the Thomas Clayton baptised there in Boxgrove 21 April 1616 as the son of William Clayton. It is highly unlikely that we have William Clayton the Elder going back and forth between Boxgrove and Rudgwick 26 miles apart, in those days. Susan's baptism is strong circumstantial evidence that the William, son of the Rudgwick Thomas Clayton, remained in Rudgwick, and is not the same man as William the Elder of Boxgrove. There is another candidate, from a Clayton family in the parish of Walberton, only three miles away from Boxgrove, who it appears has been overlooked by other researchers.

• Married: EST 1604 in , Sussex, England

1. William Clayton b: 1605 in Chichester, Sussex, England
2. Walter Clayton b: EST 1607 in Chichester, Sussex, England
3. Mary Clayton b: EST 1609 in Chichester, Sussex, England
4. Joan Clayton b: EST 1611 in Chichester, Sussex, England
5. Thomas Clayton c: 21 Apr 1616 in , Sussex, England