Richard Clayton Bond, Sr | Major

THE RICHARD BOND FAMILY IN AMERICA, by Rev. Thomas A. Bond, Abbey of the Genesee, 1981, p. 16-29

Source: Maryland State Archives

Samuel named his oldest son after his friend Richard Clayton. Samuel and Richard came from England to America together. Richard was engaged to Samuel's sister, but in his absense she died, Richard settled near his friend, remained a bachelor and make his namesake, Richard Clayton Bond, his heir.

Source: The Sharpless Family, by Cope. p. 145

Richard Clayton was an active man both in his family life and that of his country. He was active in the Revolutionary War and was joined by Archibald Job, his son-in-law's father in manufacturing arms for the Revolutionary troops.

Source: The Sharples-Sharpless Family, by Bart Anderson, p. 39

"On May 28, 1766, Richard Clayton Sr., purchased from Samuel Farris, 40 acres of property, and on Dec. 18, 1766, leased from a neighbor, Nathan Oldham, 21 more acres next to Samuel's holding."

Source: The Richard Bond Family in America

Richard is classified as "Esquire", a term designating, in British usage, a member of the gentry just below the rank of "Knight".

Source: A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature, 1635-1789

"Richard Bond lived for many years at what was know as the head of Elk (River), Elkton, on or near Chesapeake Bay, and was the possessor of large estates. He was a man of affairs and represented Cecil County in the Assembly for sixteen years."

Source: History of Harrison County, West Virginia

"Richard was fifty-six when his last child, Mary Ann, was born."

Source: The Richard Bond Family in America

Census: 1790 East Notingham, Cecil County, Maryland

Event: Contract 17 Apr 1777 Cecil County, Maryland

Event: Moved 1799 Lost Creek, Harrison County, Virginia

Religion: Anglican

Occupation: Farmer 1774

Event: Political 1777 Cecil County, Maryland State Legislature

Event: Local Office between 1777 and 1782 Cecil County, Maryland, Justice

Census: 1810 Harrison County, Virginia

Census: 1820 Harrison County, Virginia

Event: Political between 1786 and 1794 Cecil County, Maryland State Legislature

Event: Local Office between 1786 and 1795 Cecil County, Maryland, Justice

Event: Local Office between 1782 and 1785 Cecil County, Maryland, Sheriff

Event: Local Office 1784 Cecil County, Maryland, Collector of Tax

Source: Jimandshiela@mindspring.com

"Richard Clayton Bond, Sr. lived for many years at the Head of Elk (now Elkton), Cecil County, Maryland. He was a man of affairs, posessed of large estates and represented that county in the Maryland Assembly, both when it was a colony of England and after it became a part of the Republic. During the Revolutionary War, he converted his plantation barn into a gun barrel factory and entered into an agreement with the Governor and Council of Maryland. He served as a Justice of the Court. He had a large family and desiring to secure lands for them, he and his son, Richard Jr. bought lands in Harrison County a early as 1798, the most of his purchases being on Lost Creek. About 1800, he moved his family to Virginia, leaving some of his older children, who had married and had homes of their own in Maryland. He lived a quiet retired life in his new home, was a devout member of the Seventh Day Baptist Church, and held the respect and esteem of all who knew him."

Source: Maryland Archives, Vol. XXI, p. 412

In the early summer of 1775, most of the responsible and sensible people of the province of Maryland were still eager to seek some type of a peaceful agreement with the "Mother County" - England. They were not, however, content to just sit idly on their hands and wait for whatever deal fate might hand them. As war clouds seemed to be coming ever closer, groups of men were forming committees, first in the counties, then on a province-wide basis so that they could be better prepared if the worst should come. There were committees of safety, and committees of observation; and by this time, the Convention of Maryland had formed a committee to consider the possibility of a public manufactory of weapons.......This committee submitted to the convention a report of their opinion on Aug, 2, 1775. They believed that building a public arms factory would be too expensive and possibly take too long to get into production. This committee suggested instead that all gunsmiths and others concerned in carrying on this business should immediately be engaged to produce the needed weapons........ Henry Hollingsworth entered into an agreement with RICHARD BOND, also of Cecil County, to assist in the manufacture of these muskets. On Oct 30, 1776, RICHARD BOND wrote to Daniel St. Thomas Jennifer stating, "I am setting up a gun factory and asking assistance in obtaining money and contracts. "......Prior to April 1777, RICHARD BOND stated he would undertake to furnish Maryland with sixty gun barrells per month if the State would advance him two hundred pounds. Then on April 17, 1777, BOND agreed "to manufacture one thousand gun barrels, three quarters bore, three and a half feet long." On May 11, 1777, he shipped one hundred eighteen gun barrels by Captain Murrow. As the factory got into full swing, on May 28, 1777, RICHARD BOND contacted Governor Thomas Johnson of Maryland advising himm that he had seventy to eighty barrels completed and awaiting ammunition to test them and orders where to sent them "as other men of Head of Elk (Elkton, Maryland) are engaged in the public way for themselves."

From the following communications, we can see the many pitfalls encountered in supplying the Army and the inflation that the colonies were facing. A letter dated Oct. 17, 1777 from RICHARD BOND to Governor Johnson states' his gun factory has produced very little due to the following; first, his welders, who lived in Pennsylvania, were called into the Army, next, the enemy came to our door, also the large musket barrels, which had been finished, were ground down to fit the stocks which had been received from Johnson. Sixty of these were put into service and the remaining eighteen were still on hand. Colonel Hollinsworth requested they be used to arm the next class. The price of everything is now three times as great as it was six months ago." Into the following year, BOND was still facing difficulties in obtaining payment for the work delivered. So from all of this, we see that many difficulties were encountered in trying to arm our infant nation, from being harrassed by British troops, spied upon by the Loyalist Tories, to lack of funds for payment of our government. But the indomitable spirt of men like Colonel Henry Hollingsworth and RICHARD BOND did much to bring us our liberty."

Source: Cecil County in the Revolutionary War, by the Cecil County Bicentenial Committee, article by Jack DeWitt p. 78-79

BOND employed members of the Job family to make many of these gun barrels.

The Honorable RICHARD BOND was a member of the House of Delegates of Maryland, from Cecil Co., 1776 - 1799. What is known of his landed possessions has been mentioned in the history of his parents. He removed to Va. in 1799, and took up the fine bottom land lying on Lost Cree Station, Harrison Co., Va.

Source: The Sharple-Sharpless Family by Bart Anderson, p. 39

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Richard Bond, only son of Samuel and Ann Sharpless Bond, came to Shilo to marry his wife, who was Mary Jarman, daughter of John Jarman, and Esther Ayars, his wife.

Source: History of the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Shilo, New Jersey, : Prepared for the 200th anniversay celebration of the Consouting (?) of the Church, August 23, 1937: Part I, by John H. Bonham Privately published by the Shilo Seventy Day Baptist Church, Shilo, New Jersey, 1937

Richard married first to Mary Jarmen.

Source: The Bond Family Descendants of Richard Bond 1692 - 1997 by Betty L. Bond Pennington, page 5

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1. Event: Migration 1800 Lost Creek, Harrison Co., WV
2. Occupation: Gun Manufacturer
3. Occupation: Justice of the Peace
4. Event: Political 1777 House of Delegates from Cecil Co., MD
5. Burial: Lost Creek, Harrison Co., WV

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Richard Clayton Bond, Sr BIRTH 4 Oct 1728 Cecil County, Maryland, USA DEATH 14 Jan 1819 (aged 90) Lost Creek, Harrison County, West Virginia, USA BURIAL Cremated, Other, Specifically: Unknown Cemetery

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175667583/richard-clayton-bond