William Mitchell Clay

1710 - 1774  (~ 64 years)

• Name	William Mitchell Clay
  Born	ca 1710	Henrico Co. VA
  Gender	Male
  Died	6 Sep 1774	Point Pleasant, Mason Co. WV
  Notes	Biography from Find A Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52867675/william-mitchell-clay William was killed by an Indian while he and another soldier (named Coward) were hunting deer to feed their militia comrades. One Indian was shot by the second militiaman, and the other escaped; the Indians had not seen him. Clay and Coward were in Col. John Field\'s Company of Independent Rangers, part of Gen. Charles Lewis\'s Regiment. These men were among the elite Virginia militia assembled by Lord Dunmore against the numerous attacks by Indians against Virginia settlers. William was the first casualty of his unit, and they would shortly engage in the Battle of Point Pleasant (Oct 10, 1774). This battle is considered the only major battle, as well as the final one, of Lord Dunmore\'s War. This war was waged between the colony of Virginia and several united Native American nations, but many West Virginians have considered it the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Virginia won, and the Indians lost the rights formerly granted by treaty for hunting in the lands bordering the Ohio River, yielding these rights in a new treaty. The frontier in Kentucky and what eventually became West Virginia then opened up for more settlement by the colonists. As friction between the Colonies and Britain grew, the British allied with the defeated Indians against the settlers on the western frontier. Under these considerations, and in the ongoing debate about the status of the battle with these two wars, William\'s death marks a turning point toward the Revolution. The general interpretation currently is that Dunmore\'s War was the final conflict of the Colonies. By any definition of the Dunmore War, the shooting of William Mitchell Clay has historic significance. William\'s death occurred at what is now Point Pleasant, West Virginia, on the Ohio River, where a battle monument marks the day of fighting in October. William\'s name is not included on the list of participants, but the name of Mr. Coward (no first name listed) is there. William\'s son Mitchell also fought at this battle and is on the roster. An account of William\'s service are included in A. S. Withers\'s book, \"Chronicles of Border Warfare.\" Note: William\'s birth year is sometimes listed as 1710. Also, due to changes in county boundaries and town names, the location of birth may be given a different name even though they refer to the same location.
  Person ID	I98	Master File
  Last Modified	5 Feb 2018

  
  

  Father	Henry Clay,   b. 1672, Chesterfield Co. VA ,   d. 03 Aug 1760, Chesterfield Co. VA  (Age 88 years)
  Mother	Mary Mitchell,   b. 16 Jan 1693, Chesterfield Co. VA ,   d. 07 Aug 1777, Chesterfield Co. VA  (Age 84 years)
  Married	1708	Virginia
  	U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Name: Henry Clay Gender: Male Birth Place: VA Birth Year: 1672 Spouse Name: Mary Mitchell Spouse Birth Year: 1693 Marriage Year: 1708
  Family ID	F14574	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Married	Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Name: William Mitchell Clay Gender: Male Birth Place: VA Birth Year: 1710 Spouse Name: Martha Runyan
  Last Modified	5 Feb 2018
  Family ID	F2	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Martha Runyon
  Married	Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Name: William Mitchell Clay Gender: Male Birth Place: VA Birth Year: 1710 Spouse Name: Martha Runyan
  Children	+ 1. Elizabeth Clay,   b. ca 1735, Chesterfield Co. VA ,   d. ca 1793, Wythe Co. VA  (Age ~ 58 years)
  Last Modified	5 Feb 2018
  Family ID	F3	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart