Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.
Harriet Middleton Clayton

Harriet Middleton Clayton

Female 1798 - Yes, date unknown

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  • Name Harriet Middleton Clayton 
    Born 6 May 1798  Dagsboro, Sussex, Delaware, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Interesting story 
    Name Harriet Middleton Douglas 
    Name Harriet Middleton Peterson 
    Residence 1834  Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-69635 
    Died Yes, date unknown 
    Person ID I69635  Generations
    Last Modified 30 Sep 2024 

    Family 1 Walter Douglas,   b. 1779,   d. 20 Apr 1826, , Kent Co., Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 47 years) 
    Married 16 Dec 1814  , Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Children 
     1. Margaret Ann Douglas
     2. James Clayton Douglas,   b. Bef 1831, , Delaware, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 1 Oct 2024 
    Family ID F48111  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Rev. Heinrich Wilhelm "Henry William" Peterson,   b. 27 May 1793, Quakenbrück, , Niedersachsen, Germany Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 12 Jun 1859, Guelph City, Wellington Co., Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years) 
    Married 12 Feb 1831  Dover, Kent, Delaware, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Henry William Peterson,   b. 13 Dec 1831, Markham Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Harriet Clayton Peterson,   b. 28 Apr 1834, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1 Oct 1834, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 0 years)
    Last Modified 1 Oct 2024 
    Family ID F8000  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Harriet Middleton
    Harriet Middleton
    image from Waterloo Historical Society Annual Volume 1943

  • 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.

  • Sources 
    1. [S2140] News - Delaware - American Watchman, 22 Dec 1814.
      On Sunday the 16th instant by the Rev. Soloman Sharp, Mr. Walter Douglass of Mordington Mills, Kent Co., DEL to the truly amiable Miss Harriett M. Clayton daughter of Mr James Clayton of Milford, DEL.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 6 May 1798 - Dagsboro, Sussex, Delaware, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 16 Dec 1814 - , Delaware, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 12 Feb 1831 - Dover, Kent, Delaware, United States Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1834 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth