[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 21, Ed. 1, Tree #1116, Date of Import: May 3, 1999]
Source of the following story: "The Mother of Henry Clay" by Zachary F.
Smith, Filson Club Publication #14, Louisville, KY. 1899.
A day or so after Rev. John Clay was buried, his pregnant widow,
Elizabeth, had her house invaded by Tarleton's troops who smashed her
furniture, stole her food and fowl and cut up her feather ticks, shaking
the feathers out the windows. They ran off with her slaves and either
threatened or did, in fact, run a sword into the grave of John. Tarleton,
himself, is supposed to have emptied a sack of coins onto her table to
pay for the theft and damage. After he left, she would not be tainted by
British gold and cast the coins into the burning fireplace. She was 31
years old, at the time, and young Henry Clay was just about 12.
Elizabeth later married her sister, Mary's, brother-in-law, Henry
Watkins. Rev. Clay had purchased the land owned by John and Mary
(Hudson) Watkins, but died before he finished paying for it, so Henry
Watkins assumed the debt and ownership. The property was described as
being 3 1/2 miles southeast of Hanover Courthouse.