I represent Elizabeth Claybrook. I am presumed to be the “Mrs. Claybrook” who was among the women enumerated in the Return of Women & Children of the 31st Regiment, Capt. Maturin’s Company, in Sept 1768. It was the practice of the British Army to allow their soldiers to bring wives and children to overseas assignments, usually because we had no other way to support ourselves than to accompany them. My husband was William, a soldier in His Majesty’s 31st Regiment of Foot. The Return indicates I had two children, neither of which was named on the return. I had one other child, Mary, after the time of this return whose baptism on January 23, 1770 was noted in the records of Rev. Nathaniel Cotton.
Sources: 1, 19