The Slator Clay Family c1759

The pictures above of the Clay family are remarkable -- that they exist at all. Most of us have family pictures taken with cell phones, and perhaps have formal portraits. But 5 (maybe more) oil portraits? In colonial and federal America, oil "portraiture was the dominant art form. Portraits ... revealed Americans' desire to preserve images of themselves and their families. Portraits were affordable only by those with an excess of income, and earthly success was believed to be dependent upon heavenly approval." Del. Art Museum.

Slator Clay had money. His assessment in the 1776 tax records (after he was dead!) place his wealth in about the top ten percent of taxpayers in New Castle Hundred. Slator's father Robert had been a sea captain, and I believe Slator had been at sea (note the ship in the background of the painting), but came to New Castle, and married Ann Curtis, daughter of Jehu Curtis and Mary Curtis van Bebber. Jehu was a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. He bought 30 The Strand in 1740 and operated an inn there at the "sign of the Indian King" which a traveler rated "a good house of entertainment" [good food and lodging for man and horse].

When Jehu died, he left the house to his daughter. Slator and Ann opened a public house there in 1746. Slator died in 1767. His widow operated the tavern until her death in 1789. It must have been chaotic. The top floor presumably held all the children who had not yet left home ("Mount Racket"), the second floor (probably only two or three rooms) held guests, including the governors of Pennsylvania (& Delaware) and transients like Thomas Jefferson, and maybe Ann Clay!

John Hesselius painted these pictures around 1759. He was one of the earliest portrait painters in America. He worked in Philadelphia, but probably came through New Castle on his way to Maryland where he married in 1760.

Widowed Ann sent a son to Benjamin Franklin in 1771 along with a note asking for a loan of 200 guineas, apparently to support the son's education, and mentioning she was a widow with 11 children. If the son was Robert, he did well eventually becoming Rector of Immanuel Church in New Castle. Life must not have been easy for her running a tavern, especially during the revolutionary war when supplies of food were very poor, residents were away fighting, and gangs roamed the streets.

Slator Jr. studied law, then became an Episcopal minister after an exciting life at sea including shipwreck, mutiny, and capture by a privateer ... This portrait was auctioned in 2015 and sold for $44,000. The Director of the Delaware Art Museum thought the painting 'charming' and that they would love to own it, but didn't have the money.

Slator, infant Jehu Jr. Ann, William and Mary Van Bebber are buried together in the Immanuel cemetery. Mary must be turning over in her grave. Her grave marker had read: "In memory of Mary Van Bebber, who departed this life September 18, 1780, aged 78 years." It was incorrectly recut to read Mary Ann Rebber !