Robert Harold Clinton, Sr. Ancestry, Matthew, Ch. 1, Pt. I

A continuation/start to the post that I started back in January. I'll post links and such later when not at work and I have more time to do anything other than cut & paste what I typed last night. You should get the idea.

A lineal ascent to my grandfather, Robert Harold Clinton, Sr.

I think ascent works there. I’ll first follow the male then the female lines of each as I have knowledge of them, with a couple lines about each with full ‘details’ to follow later. I’ll provide dates so you know where this runs.

Robert H. Clinton (May 12, 1920 Los Angeles, CA-March 25, 1990 Athens, GA; Bob, Baja, Clint, Pa, Doc), later adding Sr. to his name, was the son of Charles Everett Clinton, Sr. (nee. David West/Roland Wolfe) and Rebecca Belle Crenshaw (preferred Belle). Robert was an architect and cabinet maker by trade. As mentioned in Wayfarers and something I’ll repost eventually Charles/David changed his name sometime around 1904, as evidenced by the naming of their first three children with the last name of Wolfe and that the son who was born that year they named Charles E. Clinton, Jr.

Charles/David (1860 Lewes, DE-1942 Los Angeles, CA) was the son of Reece Becket Wolfe, II/Jr. (there’s some debate in the family as to whether he ever used the II or Jr. at all, but it’s easier to delineate using that) and Mary Hazzard West. Reece and Charles/David were both butchers by trade. At this point, this line, very much like the rest of my ancestors with the state of Georgia, stays very fixed geographically around and in Lewes, DE almost to the founding of the colony, including as an ancestor Rev. William Becket, from whom Reece gets his middle name. As you will see, there are also many Reece/Rice/Riss names (but not Reese) in this line as well.

Reece B. (Nov. 30,1828 Lewes, DE-June 18,1901 Philadelphia, PA) was the son of Reece Becket Wolfe I/Sr. and Nancy Waples. We have no further information regarding the Waples family.

Reece B., I/Sr. (1791 Lewes, DE-1854 Lewes, DE) was the son of William Wolfe and Mary Becket Futcher. Through Mary B. Futcher, we are descended from Rev. William Becket, who was one of the earliest Anglican missionaries in the Delaware area as a member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, arriving in Lewes Sept. 1, 1721. The Beckett family is originally from Over Peover, Cheshire , England .

William Wolfe (July 15, 1766 Lewes, DE-July 7, 1818 Lewes, DE) was the son of Reece Wolfe/Woolf, Jr. (both spellings are in the records) and Mary White. We have no further information on the ancestry of Mary White. William was a lawyer by profession.

Reece/Rice Wolfe/Woolf (July 15 1733 Lewes , DE -bef May 10, 1797 Lewes DE , date indicated is the date of will probate) was the son of Francis Wolfe and Sarah Brooksby. We have no further information on the ancestry of Sarah Brooksby. Reece/Rice was a yeoman farmer.

Francis Wolfe/Woolf (bef. 1715 Lewes, DE-c1755 Lewes , DE ) was the son of Rice/Riss Woolf and Mary Cornwell. Francis was a carpenter by trade. Francis acquired 1500 acres on what would become known as Wolfe’s Creek, a branch of Lewes Creek.

Rice/Riss Woolf (bet 1670-75 Lewes, DE-1715/16 Lewes, DE, will was made Feb. 18, 1715/16) was the son of William Woolf, who is the first known ancestor to live in the American colonies though we do not know the country of origin. Rice/Riss was a yeoman farmer by trade.Tradition states that the Wolfe/Woolf line comes from Germany , but it is possible that the line originated in England or Sweden or the Netherlands , given that those were the original colonial powers in the Delaware area.

William Woolf/Wolfe is the first known ancestor in this line to live in the American colonies. There are land deed records referencing transactions between William Woolf and other parties beginning as early as Sept. 1693 and going as late as March 1694.

AFN
DCC
Athens, GA, 7 May 2009