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From: <>
Subject: Rev. War Clays
Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 13:41:10 EDT

Recently perused the list of participants in the Revolutionary War's 1st
skirmish -- the Battle of Point Pleasant. Found 3 of the Clay surname
mentioned in Livia Nye Simpson-Poffenbarger's book "Battle of Point Pleasant
October 10, 1774 'First Battle of the Revolution'." The 3 Clays are:

Mitchell Clay
Zekel Clay
David Clay

Records also show a Private Clay listed, without benefit of a first name,
among those that died during the battle. A "Descendants of John Clay" chart
submitted to FamilyTreeMaker.com by an Eric Workman, indicates who the
deceased might have been:

Notes for WILLIAM MITCHELL CLAY:
Married and settled in Bedford Co., VA. now Franklin Co., VA.
He is listed by David Johnston in his history of Middle New River Settlement,
page 396.
Tradition says he was killed in 1774 at "The Battle of Point Pleasent"
(Governor Dunsmore's last fight against the Indians).

William Mitchell Clay, who Eric Workman claims died at the Battle of Point
Pleasant, would have been 64 at the time. His son, Mitchell Clay, Sr. could
also have been the "Mitchell" Clay mentioned as a participant in the battle.
He would have been about 40. But we know that Mitchell Clay, Sr. did not die
during the battle. According to my records, he died 20 March 1811 in
Pearisburg, Giles County, VA.

The David Clay, who fought the Indians at Point Pleasant, is more than likely
the son of William Mitchell & brother to Mitchell Clay, Sr. He would have
been about 34. I have his birth as circa 1740 but have no record of death for
this David Clay.

But who is this Ezekiel "Zekel" Clay? The only Ezekiel Clay I find, among my
Clay information, is the s/o Mitchell & Phoebe & one of their children who
perished in 1783 after he & some siblings were ambushed by Indians. I think
we can rule him out. This Ezekiel would have only been about 7 at the time of
the Battle of Point Pleasant.

According to the book entitled "Virginia's Colonial Soldiers," a letter
written by a Capt. James Robertson on 15 September 1774 lists the length of
service for the three Clays:

"Michael (Mitchell?) Clay, 51 days; Zekiel Clay, 51 days; David Clay, 51
days."

This is proof that the 3 Clays were in the same company & enlisted at the
same time.

Is anyone privy to any information re: the 3 Clays who participated in the
1st battle of the American Revolutionary War? Who were they? How were they
related? Which one perished?

Thank you in advance for any information or guidance. I look forward to
reading your E-mails.

Sincerely,

Mike Peters

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