SECTION I

Stuckburys in Delaware
1600's - 1700's

Clayton Family in Delaware

In 1685 William Clark was a witness at the marriage of John Tuxbury to Elenor Richards. In 1697 John Stuckbury lived in Lewes, Sussex Co., Delaware and was assiged a property there named "Robert's Choice". He served on petit and grand juries for several years, and appeared in Sussex Co. court records re litigation. He also appeared as witness in a marriage at the home of William Clark, first husband of Honour (nee Vines), who later married Thomas Bedwell. Bedwill became William Clark's executor. In 1679, William Clarke (c1640-c1704) was one of the Justices of the Court at Whorekill. He was married to Honnour Vines about 1679 in Sussex Co., Delaware. They lived in Baltimore Hundred, Sussex Co., Delaware.

There was also a Clark association with John Stuckbury in Lewes. When James Clayton, moved from Kent Co., Delaware to Hyde Co., North Carolina, he sold property there to John Stuckbury.

Other Delaware Records

Weddings: John Tuxbury & Ellenor Richards widow March 5 1685

Source: Sussex County Delaware Marriages, from "Some Records of Sussex County" compiled by C. H. B. Turner, 1909.


Sussex County Tax List July, 1693: Value lbs./shellings/penny

William Clark...........700.........02:18:4
John Tuxbury............100.........00:08:04


John Prettyman, b ca 1653 Northampton Co., VA, d bet 24 Mar 1723/4 and 31 Mar 1723/4 m1st Unknown m2nd bet 17 March 1690/91 and 20 Sep 1693 Mary Marriner b ca 1649 apparently the widow of Richard Marriner. Richard & Mary Marriner deeded their interest in land of Henry Sudbury in 1678.

On 2 March 1696/7 John Prettyman purchased 250 acres of land from John Stuckbury called "Hooknorton" on North side of Indian River in Sussex County, Delaware. On 2 September 1701 as John Prittiman Sr., Yeoman, he deeded for 50 pounds 250 acres of "Hook Norton" to John Prittiman Jr., Planter. The deed describes the land in Sussex County as back in the woods on north side of Indian River and land beginning on a branch of Back Creek and near the tract of land called "Shotton Hill".
Source: Prettyman Family web site.
mailto:dmj@dmitchelljones.org

The Clayton Family Moves South

Although no extant records have been found demonstrating the emigration of the Delaware Clayton family to North Carolina, the circumstantial evidence is convincing. In the first half of the 18th century there were two James Claytons, father and son, in Kent Co., Delaware. Both were thought to have left Delaware. The junior of the two was a blacksmith. Soon after the respective departures of these two men, two corresponding James Claytons, father and son, appeared in Hyde County, N.C. The junior of the two was a blacksmith. Attempts to locate additional evidence of these moves is on-going. Indirect evidence appears in the coincidence of names of some of the Hyde County people with those of Delaware. The most notable of these is the name Stuckberry.


In 1747 James Clayton made his first application for a grant on Lake Mattamuskeet and over the next 15 years he received patents of land along the lake totaling some 3000 acres. By the time he died, c1761, he had sold a good part of the land he had acquired.

Land Dealings of James Clayton of Hyde Co NC

1756, Sept 29 - Grant of 400 on lake beginning at Sam Sulbury's corner tree.

1762, April 23 - Grant of 100 acres issued NW side of the lake beginning on lake side of a tract called the Sycamore Tract running north to John Tuchbury's (Stuchbury's) land, then with his line to the lake and along the lake to beginning.

1769, May 6 - Grant of 300 acres N side adjacent Clayton... the lake and Tuckberry's old field.

Sales of land by James Clayton: (Starting with Grantor index of conveyances in Hyde):

Bk. A, p. 528 - 1756, Feb. 14 - To John Stokesbery - 100acres.

Bk. A, p. 554 - 1756, Aug 23 - To Daniel Griffith - 20 lbs of Va. money for 150 acres N side of lake between John Morris and John Stuckberry and Henry Gibbs. Wit: Samuel Weston, Thomas Radwell, Stephen (X) Harris.

Bk. A, p. 592 - 1756, June 2 - To John Stuckbury for 15 lb., 100 acres N side of Arrowmuskeet Lake adjacent where Stuckberry now lives and running with the lake...

The sale of James Clayton's Estate occurred June 26, 1762. The administrator, James Clayton, Jr., also appears to have received small sums from Ezekiel Cartright, Wm Porter, and John 'Touchberry' (Stuckbury). Page 241 of the Orphan's Book has an account of the disbursements of the estate.


Note: The below information was supplied by Larry Clayton from his Clayton Family web site. I have not been able to carry out the research on these Stuckburys in Delaware that I would like to have done. Anyone with ANY info on these early Delaware Stuckburys please contact me.


Note: In his newsletter published Aug. 1, 1990, Vol. I, No.# 1, p. 6, William A. Stokesbury, IV, printed the following: "A John Stutcesbury, is recorded as departing Bristol, England, December 24, 1670, for Tappahanock [Rappahannock[, Essex Co., Virginia aboard the ship "John Friggott". [Could he possibly have been the John Tuxbury (Stuckbury) who married Elenor Richards, widow, in Delaware in 1685?]

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