Harriet Middleton Clayton

Other Events:

• Interesting: story
• Name: Harriet Middleton Douglas
• Name: Harriet Middleton Peterson
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-69635
• Residence: 1834, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

On Feb. 12th, 1831, Mr. Peterson married at Dover, Delaware, Mrs. Harriett Middleton Clayton Douglas. She was the widow of Walter Douglas, and was born May 6th, 1798 at Dagsboro, Sussex County, Delaware. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. James Clayton, leading residents of that community. Her father was descended from one of the most noted families of colonial days. His great grandfather was Joshua Clayton who was said to have come to Pennsylvania with William Penn and his sons and located in Kent County, Delaware as early as 1895. Mrs. Douglas was a woman of rare ability, and made Mr. Peterson a devoted wife. By her first husband she had three children one, Harriett, dying in youth. The others were Margaret Ann and James Clayton Douglas. Margaret married Joseph P. Comegys, a son of C. P. Comegya, Governor of Delaware. He became one of the leading jurists of America, and Chief Justice of his State. One child of this union who survived until 1928 was Harriett Comegys of Dover, Delaware. In her declining years she was cared for by Margaret Peterson, of Guelph, Ontario, her niece, the grand-daughter of Henry William Peterson.

Mrs. Peterson was a sister of John M. Clayton, one of the most beloved men of America, one of its great orators and statesmen. He was for many years a United States Senator, serving with Webster, Clay, Calhoun and Benton with whom he ranked as an equal. He was Secretary of State of the United States under President Taylor, and was joint author of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, between the United States and Great Britain. His life was greatly saddened by the early death of his wife, and both his sons died as promising young men, leaving the father alone. Thus he took a kindly interest in relatives, and was ever a close friend and adviser of his brother-in-law, Henry William Peterson. and his son, Henry William, Jr.

After the marriage of Henry William Peterson to Mrs. Douglas, they came to Canada, going to his father's home in Markham township, York County. It was there that Henry William, their son was born, Dec. 13th, 1831.

Harriet married Walter Douglas 16 Dec 1814, , Delaware, USA. Walter was born 1779; died 20 Apr 1826, , Kent Co., Delaware. [Group Sheet]

1. Margaret Ann Douglas
2. James Clayton Douglas was born Bef 1831, , Delaware, USA; died Yes, date unknown.

Harriet married Rev. Heinrich Wilhelm "Henry William" Peterson 12 Feb 1831, Dover, Kent, Delaware, United States. Heinrich (son of Johann Dieter Diedrich Peterson) was born 27 May 1793, Quakenbrück, , Niedersachsen, Germany; died 12 Jun 1859, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

1. Henry William Peterson was born 13 Dec 1831, Markham Twp., York Co., Ontario; died Yes, date unknown.
2. Harriet Clayton Peterson was born 28 Apr 1834, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was christened 11 May 1834, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 1 Oct 1834, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada.