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An American Family History

John Clare

Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.

John Clare was born about 1640 and may have been the son of Brittain Clare and was brother to Elizabeth Clare Everett.

His wife was named Mary Welling. She was the widow of Thomas Welling (1637-1689). Thomas and Mary had a daughter, Susannah Welling Skidmore (1668, married Samuel Skidmore who was the son of John Skidmore and Susanna Davis).

John made his will on May 27, 1720 in Jamaica, New York. He left £6 to his nephew, Nicholas Everett. He left his nephew, Richard Everett, his land on the south side of the highway. His wife was allowed to live in the house and to use the barn, orchard, and the land adjoining, on the north side of the highway if she did not remarry.

After she died, his personal estate was to be divided between various relatives. He remembered his sister, Elizabeth's, children, Richard, Hannah, George and Nicholas.

Other heirs included Elizabeth Clare Humphrey (Mrs. Thomas), Mary Roberts, Sarah Croxson, John Wells and John Clare's step-daughter, Susanah Skidmore.

Some researchers believe that Elizabeth Humphrey was his daughter, but if she were, she would have been mentioned before his sister's children in the will.

Queens County, New York is on Long Island. Jamaica was called Rustdorp by the Dutch. It was originally settled by English settlers from neighboring Hempstead. Hempstead was founded in 1644 by emigrants led by Reverend Richard Denton. Jamaica and Hempstead are now in Nassau County.

 

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©Roberta Tuller 2025
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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