Claflin Genealogy

Currently, the Claflin family has one published genealogy.  Click here to download a free copy of the Genealogy of the Claflin Family 1661-1898 by Charles Henry Wight.

Claflin Genealogy

The Claflin Family traces its roots to Robert Mackclothlan, aka Robert Mackclaflin of the Clan Maclachlan of Scotland.

Robert Mackclothlan was accepted as townsman of Wenham, Massachusetts on November 4, 1661. Robert married Joanna Warner on October 14, 1664. Robert and Joanna had eight children.

Children of Robert Mackclaflin and Joanna Warner are:

2

i.

Robert2 Claflin, born Abt. 1667 in Brookfield, Middlesex co., Massachusetts; died 1691 in French and Indian War, Quebec.
+ 3

ii.

Joanna Claflin, born 12 August 1669 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts; died 11 June 1742 in Suffield, Hartford co., Connecticut.
+ 4

iii.

Elizabeth Claflin, born 18 May 1670 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts.
+ 5

iv.

Priscilla Claflin, born 22 August 1672 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts; died 1693.
+ 6

v.

Daniel Claflin, born 25 January 1673/74 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts; died 1775 in Framingham, Middlesex co., Massachusetts.
+ 7

vi.

Abigail Claflin, born 19 March 1675/76 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts; died 1740.
+ 8

vii.

Mary Claflin, born 22 February 1677/78 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts; died 24 May 1764.
+ 9

viii.

Antipas Claflin, born 1680 in Wenham, Essex co., Massachusetts; died 21 January 1756 in Attleborough, Bristol co., Massachusetts.

Robert died before September 19, 1690, and was preceded in death by wife Joanna.  A record of her death has not been found but she is not mentioned in the will of Robert. The exact date of Robert’s arrival is unknown but based upon research it is most likely that Robert was a Scottish prisoner of war, captured by Cromwell.

NOTES ON THE WARNER FAMILY: Robert married Joanna Warner on Oct. 14, 1664. The Warner family was at that time one of the leading families of Essex County. Joanna was probably daughter of John

*John Warner (father of Joanna Warner Mackclaflin) was born in England about 1616. He came to New England with his father, William, brother Daniel and sister Abigail in 1637, and settled in Ipswich, Mass. He married Priscilla Symonds, daughter of Mark and Joanna Symonds. In 1665 he moved to Brookfield, being one of its earliest settlers. After the destruction of the town by the Indians in 1675, he took refuge in Hadley, where his son Mark had settled, and where he died on May 17, 1697. The records do not name Joanna as a child of John Warner, but she bore the name of John’s mother-in-law (Joanna Symonds), and Robert and Joanna named their daughters Priscilla and Abigail, the names of John’s wife and sister. These facts make it probable that Joanna, the wife of Robert Mackclothlan, was the daughter of John Warner.

Robert also spelled his name as Mackclaflin and Mackclafflin.  Other variations include Claffland, Clafflind, Claflen, Cafflin, Clafflin, are other derivative names used by descendants of Robert Mackclaflin but generally Claflin is the main name that was used and is still used by the family today.

 

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