Helena Mercer

Female 1634 - 1688  (54 years)


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  • Name Helena Mercer 
    Born 1634  Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 19 Aug 1688  Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried Friends Arch Street Meeting House Burial Ground, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I7532  adkinshorton
    Last Modified 30 Oct 2017 

    Father Archibald Mercer,   b. 1600, Perth and Kinross, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. May 1650, Bremen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 50 years) 
    Mother Elizabeth Kennedy,   b. 1610, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Feb 1660, Bremen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 50 years) 
    Family ID F232  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family James Claypoole, I,   b. 6 Oct 1634, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 6 Aug 1687, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 52 years) 
    Notes 
    • Arrived from England on the Concord, October 1683.
    • CRITICAL #1: The records cited by myself and others do not prove that the Elizabeth Claypoole who married William Pettyjohn was from these Claypoole roots. Closer examination reveals the following:

      James Claypoole, son of Sir John Claypoole & Mary Angell, was one of three emigrant brothers, who came to America in the 17th century. His 14 children are known, and he did not have a daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1687. In actual fact, James died in December 1686, with his will proved in Aug 1687. It would be almost impossible for him to have had a daughter born after his death (referring to the oft-quoted birth date for Elizabeth of 16 May 1687).

      Further, some report that Elizabeth was born in London, England area; however, according to that date she was born after the arrival in America.

      James did have a daughter named Elizabeth, his 14th child, born 25 May 1678, who died 31 May 1678.

      James' emigrant brother, Norton, had a daughter named Elizabeth, born 16 May 1687, the likely source for this date. However, this Elizabeth also died in infancy.

      The above is taken from "The Claypool(e) Family in America", by Evelyn Claypool Bracken, published in 1971. Certain of the above information in her book was taken from "The Compendium of American Genealogy, First Families in America, Vol. 7".

    • CRITICAL #2:The book "Something of the Pettijohn (Pettijohn) Family, et. al. gives the following re person 5, William Pettyjohn:

      "WILLIAM PETTYJOHN 3-2, born probably about 1691, either in Virginia, or in Sussex county, Del., and died at the latter place between Jan. 15, 1749, the date of his will, and Feb. 2, following, when it was probated. Tradition has it that he married Elizabeth Claypoole, born May 16, 1687. Their children: William 4-5-6; Esther 4-5-75; Agatha 4-5-76; Mary 4-5-77; Sarah 4-5; Levinah 4-5-78.""Something of the Pettijohn (Pettijohn) Family: with particular reference to the descendants of James Pettyjohn of Hungar's Parish, Northhampton County, Virginia" compiled by Era Jane Pettijohn Chamberlain of Buhl, Idaho, and Clive Abraham Pettijohn of Davenport, Washington, published in 1948.

      Although this seems to correctly set the birth date of Elizabeth Claypoole at 16 May 1687, the following considerations are necessary:

      The information given by Era Jane and Clive Abraham Pettijohn rely on earlier research, cited in their work: One such work, "Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines" (vol.2: Gates and Allied Families) by Rufus C. Dawes, published in 1931, mentions William Pettyjohn as marrying Elizabeth "possibly" Claypoole. No birth date or exact information is given for William's wife.

      William is reported in "Something of the Pettijohn" as born either in Virginia or in Sussex County, Delaware in "probably 1691" and his marriage as "tradition has it" Elizabeth Claypoole. Regardless of whether William's wife's name was Elizabeth Claypoole, and regardless of whether that Elizabeth had a birth date of 16 May 1687 as reported here, it is pretty clear that this Elizabeth was not a daughter of James Claypoole, son of Sir John Claypoole & Mary Angell from England and living in Pennsylvania. When works cite information as "tradition", it means they are relying on former research or "often inaccurate" family records of their generation-by-generation gathered recollections which alone did not give clear information.
    Children 
     1. John Claypoole,   b. 15 Sep 1658, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Sep 1700, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 41 years)
     2. Mary Claypoole,   b. 24 Oct 1660, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. May 1726, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 65 years)
     3. Helen Claypoole,   b. 16 Nov 1662, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Jul 1691, Jamaica Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 28 years)
    +4. James Claypoole, II,   b. 12 Jun 1664, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Jul 1706, Lewes, Sussex Co, DE Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 42 years)
     5. Prissilla Claypoole,   b. 5 May 1666, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Dec 1698, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 32 years)
     6. Nathaniel Claypoole,   b. 3 Oct 1668, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Nov 1668, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
     7. Josiah Claypoole,   b. 19 Nov 1669, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 May 1670, Cambridgeshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
     8. Samuel Claypoole,   b. 29 Mar 1671, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Mar 1681, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 9 years)
     9. Nathaniel Claypoole,   b. 4 Oct 1672, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 26 Aug 1714, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 41 years)
     10. Claypoole,   b. 1673, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1673, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
     11. George Claypoole,   b. 24 Jan 1675, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 3 Jan 1731, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 55 years)
     12. Joseph Claypoole,   b. 8 Apr 1676, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 9 Sep 1676  (Age 0 years)
     13. Joseph Claypoole,   b. 14 Jul 1677, London, Greater London, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 23 Feb 1741, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 63 years)
     14. Elizabeth Claypoole,   b. 16 May 1687, Lewes, Sussex Co, DE Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Jan 1749, Sussex Co, DE Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years)
    Histories
    John Cleypoole descendants lineage to John Wesley Strickland
    John Cleypoole descendants lineage to John Wesley Strickland
    (husband to Nada Atkins)
    << Click Chart Image for Lineage

    Source (excerpts): The Claypoole Family in America
         View or Download Complete Source: Vols. I & II (combined) – Vol. III
    Last Modified 30 Oct 2017 
    Family ID F231  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart


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