James Cleland

JAMES CLELAND

A date and place of birth has not been identified for James Cleland, here treated.

Death

James Cleland. here treated, is reported to have died on 25 April 1791 aged 85 years. His tombstone give his date of death as 11 April 1791. Our Northern Roots, which cites an obituary in the Hartford Courant

Research Notes

• Not the same as James Cleveland (died young)
• James’s parents are still currently being investigated.
  • Seen as James Cleland, Dean of Guild of Edinburgh & Helen Selkirk
  • Seen as James Cleland, Dean of Guild of Edinburgh & Miss. Cleland

    ---

Family

From the Edmund Rice Association:

http://www.edmund-rice.org/era5gens/e6a38.htm

Thankful WILDER [QQ1921] (Sarah4 WHITE, Mary3 RICE, Thomas2, Edmund1) , born 15 Apr 1715 at Lancaster, MA53 {p49},2 {12, 45}, daughter of John WILDER and Sarah WHITE.

She married James CLELAND 22 Feb 1738/39, (literally 1738) at Lancaster, listed as James of Lyme, CT53 {22, 27},2 {12, 45}.

He was born about 1713 at Lynn, MA, (not found in the published records)2 {p45}. They declared their intention to marry 4 Feb 1738/39 at Lancaster, MA53 {p28}.

Children of Thankful WILDER and James CLELAND:

• i Helen CLELAND [QQ15709], born 25 Dec 1739 at Lancaster53 {p68}.
• ii Thomas CLELAND [QQ15710], born 11 Nov 1741 at Lancaster, (at Bolton per Rice Gen'l Register)53 {p68},2 {45, 134}. He was in the military as a corporal on 3 April 1777, promoted to Sgt., served 44 months 28 days during the Revolutionary War (military annals of Lancaster)2 {p134},385. He married Anna RUGG 28 Feb 1765 at Lancaster, performed by Revd John Mellen53 {p101},2 {45, 134}. She was born 18 May 1744 at Lancaster53 {p69},2 {p134}, daughter of Reuben RUGG and Lydia ROSS.
• iii Hannah CLELAND [QQ15711], born 17 Feb 1742/43 at Lyme, CT53 {p22},2 {p45}.
• iv Samuel CLELAND [QQ15712], born 27 May 1744 at Lyme53 {p22},2 {p45}.
• v James CLELAND [QQ15713], born 12 Oct 1745 at Lyme53 {p22},2 {p45}.
• vi Jonas CLELAND [QQ15714], born 1 Aug 1748 at Lyme53 {p22},2 {p45}.
• vii John CLELAND [QQ15715], born in 1750 at Lyme53 {p22},2 {p45}. He died young2 {p45}.
• viii Mary CLELAND [QQ15716], born 7 Sep 1751 at Lyme53 {p22},2 {p45}.
• ix Thankful CLELAND [QQ15717], born 5 Dec 1754 at Lancaster, MA53 {p80},2 {p45}.
• x John CLELAND [QQ15718], born 22 Jan 1758 at Lancaster53 {p82},2 {p45}.

Biography

Cleland Family history (from James Cleland of KS)

Posted Dec 6, 2013 by OneGiantTree

The following is courtesy of James Cleland of KS. (cleland @ruraltel.net)

I am a descendant of James and Thankful’s first son Thomas. I was born 8/23/36 and am a pharmacist in WaKeeney, Ks. located 1/2 way between KC & Denver on the 100th meridian. I have been actively researching and collecting family information for the last 30 years. Carrying on work that was passed on to me from my great grandfather. Over the past 10 years I have been, with the assistance of other family members, attempting to tie all the Clelands together in a single data base. To date I have some 5,000 tied in with probably 1/2 that many more yet to put into the base. I am still working full time in my pharmacy and unfortunately there is not enough hours in the day to devote as much time to the project as I would like. However bit by bit progress is being made. I am delighted to receive the information you forwarded on James Cleland Pease and if you have expanded information on this branch I would like to have that as well to add to the data base. I have the children and spouses of Thankful and Cummings but that is as far as I go on that branch until now.

James Cleland was the fifth child and third son of James Cleland and Helen Selkirk of Edinburgh. His father was Dean of Guild of Edinburgh. Being Dean of Guild was a very important position in Edinburgh at that time. As Dean of all the Guilds he was very influential in controlling the commerce and industry of the Royal Burgh. Many family members were merchants in Edinburgh and several were “Writers to the Signet” (lawyers). The family had been supporters and investors in the “Darien Adventure”. A close branch of the family in the late 1600′s went to Charlestown, S.C. and established themselves as merchant’s, rum traders, and plantation owners. Our James had a first cousin, (William, born in 1706) that went to the isle of Martinique.

So it was that on October of 1733, James Cleland, age 27, unmarried, schooled in Scottish Law, boarded the vessel “Hunter”, commanded by Andrew Davis, Captain, at Bristol, England and set sail for the colonies. The “Hunter” finally arrived at Windsor, Conn. in January of 1734. We don’t know yet what other if any ports of call they made, but believe the course like many voyages at that time were to the Islands first, then Charlestown then up to New England. At Windsor he set up shop and was referred to as a “shopkeeper” and also a “cooper”. He had a business partner in Windsor, Alexander Allyn, Jr. and they were referred to as “merchants joint in company”. In 1737 or perhaps the early part of 1738, James moved to Lyme, Conn. The collection of accounts receivable has always been a problem for merchants, for James filed a large number of suits for the partnership after his move to Lyme.

On February 22, 1738/9 the 33 year old James married the 24 year old Thankful. “Mr. James Cleland and Thankful Wilder” were married at Lancaster, Massachusetts. The intentions were recorded at Lancaster as “James Cleland of Lime [Conn.] and Thankfull Wilder of Bolton [Mass.]” on 4 Feb 1738/9. Thankful, was the daughter of John and Sarah (White) Wilder, Thankful was born in Lancaster 15 April 1715 [christened 22 May 1715 at the First Church, Lancaster, by John Prentice. Thankful died "7 October 1792, aged 77" at Vernon, Conn.

After his move to Lyme, James dealt in real-estate, practised law, and evidently was a merchant as well. James was bound over to the court in June of 1745 with a bond of 20 Pounds, "that he should not sell or vend strong drink by retail without license and be of good behaviour".

On 8 August 1739 his name appears as a purchaser of "57 acres and a half and twenty seven rods of land" in the North Society of Lyme. An additional seven purchases are recorded in the land records of the town over the period of 1739 to 1748, all of which had apparently been sold by 1762. James and Thankful remained in Lyme, except for a period of a year or so, 1741-2, when they lived in New London, back to Lyme then moved to Colchester, Conn. in 1759 or 1760. On 25 Nov 1760 (and again 18 Jan 1762) "James Cleland of Colchester in the Co. of Hartford" appears as a land seller in the Lyme books.
James is referred to in the diary of Joshua Hempstead of New London. Hempstead mentioned "a child of Mr. Cleland Bap. Thos." by Rev. Eliphalet Adams of the New London Church on Sunday, 15 Nov 1741. Hempstead paid James on 17 Jan. 1756 for serving a writ on "Dodge and Hamilton [John Dodge of Colchester, Conn.]. Hempstead also refers on 19 July 1758 to an “Execution James Cleland had in favour of Ja Thomson a North Britton…….” James Cleland appears as plaintiff in a large number of lawsuits in the New London Co. court records.

James and Thankful had ten children, only one the seventh child John, b. 1749/50, died young. The births of the “Children of James Clealand & Thankfull Cleland of Lyme in Connecticook” are recorded in the records of Lancaster, Mass. All of the children were evidently born in Lyme, except perhaps Thomas in New London.

James himself never held membership in a church in the colonies. He is mentioned in the church records of the New London church as having entered into the covenant somewhere else. That somewhere else, no doubt was in Scotland. The branch of the family that James (the immigrant) comes from \par had strong covenanting ties in Scotland. James’ father had an uncle James Cleland of Pitdinnes. This James Cleland was married to Janet Henderson. This Janet Henderson evidently was a daughter or some other very close tie to Alexander Henderson. For James Cleland and Janet Henderson, most of their children and many of their grandchildren are buried in the Alexander Henderson tomb in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh.
Alexander Henderson was the minister of Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh and was the co-author of the National Covenant that was signed in the Greyfriars Kirkyard in 1638. It was the signing of this covenant that lead to the rebellion, the “killing times” civil war and the eventual fall of the Stuart monarchy and the establishment of William .of Orange. So with this background and connections it is understandable why our James once he had signed a covenant with the Church in Scotland could never join a church over here.

After James reaches the age of about 60 no further mention of him has been found in the public record until his death, a death notice is recorded in the Hartford [Conn.] Courant of 25 April 1791 “James Cleland of North Bolton aged 85″. His tombstone record notes 11 April 1791. Hannah Cleland, the second daughter and third child, of James and Thankful, married John Sparks of Hartford, Conn. 20 Aug. 1767. They lived in that part of Bolton, Conn., which is now the town of Vernon. Most likely, James and Thankful were living with Hannah and John in their old age.

[Note. The double date refers to the calendar used in early colonial records. The English calendar of that time began the year on March 25. Dates between January 1 and March 25 with the double date should be read with the second year given to correspond to our present calendar. Thus James birth date of 10 Feb 1705/6 would correspond to 10 Feb 1706 by our present calendar)

• Reference: Ancestry.com. History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people [database on-line] Slide #1397-of-1537.Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data: History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people; Vol. III; page 572. Boston|||New York: American Historical Society, 1921]

…But we have some conflicting data

❌❌❌

Conflicting Ancestry Claims

                   1

According to Our Northern Roots. James Cleland, here treated, is the son of Alexander Cleland and his wife Eupham Gib. He is said to have been born on 9 November 1688, Our Northern Roots but this is the date upon which his baptism was registered at Edinburgh in Midlothian, Scotland. He was actually born on 24 October 1688. NRS: OPR.685/1/11]

                   2❌

According James Cleland of KS (cleland@ruraltel.net), "James Cleland was the fifth child and third son of James Cleland and Helen Selkirk of Edinburgh. His father was Dean of Guild of Edinburgh. Our Northern Roots: James Cleland born 1715

• Dean of**.. “His father was Dean of Guild of Edinburgh. Being Dean of Guild was a very important position in Edinburgh at that time. As Dean of all the Guilds he was very influential in controlling the commerce and industry of the Royal Burgh.”

..Not** his given name.
Given name = James.
Surname = Cleland.
Title &/or “Position” = Dean of Guild of Edinburgh.

                   3

According to at least one pedigree published by FamilySearch. it was James Cleaveland who married Thankful Wilder - When James Cleveland was born on 31 October 1706, in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, his father, Enoch Cleveland Sr., was 35 and his mother, Elizabeth Counts, was 37. He married Thankful Wilder in 1738, in Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America. He married again in 1741, Katy De Long. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. He died on 16 October 1764, in Vernon, Tolland, Connecticut, United States, at the age of 57.
FamilySearch: James Cleveland

• FamilySearch: James Cleland (LK9N-FMH).

                   4

According to at least one pedigree published by WikiTree - James Cleaveland Born 31 Oct 1706 in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Enoch Cleaveland and Elizabeth (Counts) Cleaveland. Brother of Sarah Cleveland, Enoch Cleaveland Jr. and Jonathan Cleaveland. Husband of Thankful (Wilder) Cleaveland — married 1 Jan 1738 in Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts. Father of Helen Cleaveland, Thomas Cleaveland, Hannah (Cleaveland) Sparks, Samuel Cleaveland, James Cleaveland, Jonas Cleaveland, Mary (Cleaveland) Nivens, Thankful (Cleaveland) Pease and John B. (Cleland) Cleaveland. Died 16 Oct 1764 at age 57 in Vernon, Tolland, Connecticut. WikiTree: Jame Cleaveland

• WikiTree contributors, "James Cleaveland (1706-1764)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cleaveland-212 : accessed 05 February 2024).”James Cleaveland “Husband of Thankful (Wilder) Cleaveland — married 1 Jan 1738 in Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay.”

Vs.

• WikiTree contributors, "James Cleland (1705-1791)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cleland-625 : accessed 05 February 2024).

                   5

James Cleaveland. 31st Oct 1706 Born in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.1738 Married Thankful WILDER in Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts. rootsweb

References

1. History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005. Original data:History of Chautauqua County, New York, and its people. Boston|||New York: American Historical Society, 1921. Page 572-573 < AncestrySharing > ; (document attached) (I) James (2) Cleland, the founder of his family in America, was the son of James (1) Cleland, a man of wealth and education, who married Miss Bruce, and at the time of the birth of his son, James (2), was living in Edinburgh, Scotland. James (2) Cleland left his native land in 1750 and came to New England, settling in Boston, where he later married Thankful Wilder. They were the parents of seven children …
2. Descendants of Deacon Edmund RICE . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Aug 2023 Compiler: John F. Chandler, Historian, Edmund Rice (1638) Association < link >
3. Reference: 🧬 DNA matches, ancestors and mutual/common ancestors carrying the surname, “Cleland”.
4. WikiTree contributors, "James Cleland (1705-1791)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cleland-625 : accessed 05 February 2024).
5. "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPH5-PKT4 : Wed Oct 25 20:35:57 UTC 2023), Entry for James Cleland and Thankful Wilder, 1738. [https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPH5-PKT4?cid=fs_copy]
6. Genealogy of the Descendants of John White of Wenham and Lancaster, Massachusetts, page 64. Source Information: Ancestry.com. North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.
7. Bolton Marriages. p.119. Ancestry.com. Bolton, Massachusetts, U.S., Vital Records, 1849 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: Vital records of Bolton, Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849. Worcester, Mass.: Franklin P. Rice, 1979.
8. Births, Marriages and Deaths - Ancestry.com . Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
9. Regiment: 20th Regiment of Militia, 1779-1781 (Folder 184) - Johnson’s Regiment of Militia, 1778 (Folder 216) - Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Original data:Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls; NAID: 602384; War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; The National Archives in Washington, D.C.
10. Connecticut Newspaper Notices Vol 26 - Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data:The Charles R. Hale Collection. Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Inscriptions. Hartford, Connecticut: Connecticut State Library. Source Description: Charles R. Hale’s WPA workers transcribed details from headstones in more than 2,000 Connecticut cemeteries—and some of them they had to discover first.
11. https://tankerhoosen.info/history/cemeteries.htm “Old Burial Ground Of North Bolton.” Also known as the East Cemetery or just the Vernon Cemetery, this is the pioneer cemetery in the area. CAPTAIN MOSES THRALL was the first to settle and farm this tract of land in 1703. [No Clelands tombstones noted.]
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolton,_Connecticut Bolton is a small suburban town in the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, United States. .. Bolton was removed from Hartford County when Tolland County was originally formed on 13 October 1785. The northern half of Bolton was set aside in 1808 to form the town of Vernon.
13. “Origins of the town of Bolton” < link > In May 1718 and October 1719, the General Assembly passed acts "for regulating and settling a plantation on the mountain east of Hartford," which was "a tract of land westward of Coventry and Tolland." In October 1720 it was given town privileges and named Bolton.
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon,_Connecticut Vernon is the most populous town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. … Vernon was incorporated in October 1808, from Bolton.[2]
    1. 2. The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, Volume 8. “Nomenclature of Connecticut Towns.” Page 335. < GoogleBooks >
15. “Colonial Carvers in Bolton's Cemeteries” < link >
16. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LCCW-WPR Conflates James Cleaveland with James Cleland and also with James Cleveland
17. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cleaveland-212 Conflates James Cleaveland with James Cleland