Clark Clayton Made His Will Twenty Days Before His Death

Clark Clayton of Freehold, who died January 1st at the Long Branch hospital as the result of an accident three months previous, made his will the 12th day of last December. The will was probated last week. Mr. Clayton instructed his executors to sell all his real estate and personal property as soon after his death as they could without unnecessary sacrifice. He ordered a headstone put up in his cemetery plot in memory of his wife and himself, and he also ordered that a headstone be erected at the grave of Helena Pittenger, his wife's mother, similar in design to that at the grave of his wife's father. The sum of $300 was given in trust to Maplewood cemetery company, for the care of his burial plot. He left no children and all the rest of his estate was ordered divided equally among his two sisters and four brothers. These sisters and brothers are Mrs. Rebecca A. Irons of Freehold, Mrs. John Davison of Manalapan, Horatio Clayton of Millhurst, Gordon Clayton of Adelphia, Perrine Clayton of Elton and Simpson Clayton of Asbury Park. Mrs. Rebecca Irons and Charles M. Clayton were made executors of the will. The witnesses were D. McLean Forman and Joseph McDermott of Freehold.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, Feb 5, 1902

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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