2. William² CLEAVES II (William¹) (#6416) was born in Essex Co., MA 1650. William died 27 JAN 1714 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA, at age 63. also have seen death as 17 JAN 1715

He married twice. He married Martha EDWARDS 1675 in Essex Co., MA. (Martha EDWARDS is #6417.) Martha was born 1656 in Salem, Essex Co., MA. Martha was the daughter of Rice Whitfeld EDWARDS and Eleanor Joanna DODGE. Martha died 19 SEP 1682 in MA, at age 26. I have seen her date of death posted as 1692 but that is not possible it is 1682

He married Margaret COREY 18 MAY 1683 in Marblehead, Essex Co., MA. (Margaret COREY is #6422.) Margaret was born 1655. Margaret was the daughter of Giles COREY and Margaret (?) COREY. also listed as Martha Corey

When William was age 26 and Martha EDWARDS was age 20 they became the parents of John CLEAVES 11 OCT 1676 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. When William was age 28 and Martha EDWARDS was age 22 they became the parents of Elinor CLEAVES 1678 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. When William was age 31 and Martha EDWARDS was age 25 they became the parents of Martha CLEAVES 24 JUL 1681 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. When William was age 36 and Margaret COREY was age 31 they became the parents of William CLEAVES III 23 JUL 1686 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. When William was age 37 and Margaret COREY was age 32 they became the parents of Hannah CLEAVES 31 MAR 1688 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. When William was age 39 and Margaret COREY was age 34 they became the parents of Robert CLEAVES 21 JUL 1689 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. When William was age 41 and Margaret COREY was age 36 they became the parents of Ebenezer CLEAVES 13 OCT 1691. When William was age 43 and Margaret COREY was age 38 they became the parents of Benjamin CLEAVES 23 OCT 1693 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. He owned land in Lyman, York Co., Maine

Note: The Cleaves surname is Celtic and originates in Wales. Some think the name's origins go back to a time when the Cleaves family lived near a sloping cliff or the bank of a river. The surname Cleaves seems to be derived from the Old English word Clif (cliff). Topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills , streams, churches, or types of trees and the Cleaves name falls into this category.

Spelling variations include: Cliffe, Cliff, Clive, Cleeve, Cleeves, Cleave, Cleaves and many more.

The surname was first found in Herefordshire, England where the Cleaves family was seated from early times. The first Cleaves records appear on the early census rolls taken by the Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early Cleaves settlers to the United States included: Thomas Cleaves who settled in Virginia in 1653; George Cleeves who settled in Portland, Maine in 1630 with his wife Joan; Daniel and Sarah Cliff arrived in New York in 1823 with six children; and William Cleaves 1635 who settled in Beverly, MA in the 17th Century.

Cleaves family motto (translated): I glory in the cross.

But he owned property in York county, Maine, and it seems impossible that he could have been unrelated to George Cleeves, the first settler. On June 12, 1688, William was one of the grantees of a tract six miles by four, called Cokshall, adjoining Wells and Cape Porpoise, Maine, from Harlaakanden Symonds, of Ipswich. This territory is now the town of Lyman, Maine. We find his son Robert in Arundel (Kennebunkport), where he bought land of James Smith, Nov. 11, 1732. But William Cleaves made his home in Beverly, Mass., where his descendants have lived to the present time (1908). He married (first) Martha Edwards daughter of Rice Edwards, and (second) Margaret Corey. She was daughter of Giles Corey, who met the most cruel death of any of the innocent victims of the Rev. Cotton Mather and his fellow persecutors, during the witchcraft delusion.

Children of William Cleaves, b. at Beverly, by 1st wife: 1. John, Oct. 11, 1676; died Sept. 14, 1753; married (first) June 26, 1699, Marcy Eaton, dau. of Joseph, (second) Aug. 22, 1723, Rebecca Corning; (third) Aug. 21, 1725. 2. Elinor, b. 1678. 3. Martha, b. 1680, bap. with the two older children July 24, 1681. Children of 2d wife: 4. William, born July 23, 1686; married Rebecca Whitridge, dau. of Thomas; sons Joseph and William 5. Hannah, born March 31, 1688. 6. Robert, born July 21, 1689. 7. Ebenezer, born Oct. 13, 1691; married Jan. 15, 1713, Sarah Stone, dau. of John. 8. Benjamin,

William first married Martha Edwards as proven by Donald S Kenney and published in NEHGR Vol. 155, April 2001, pages 225-226.

There are two distinct items of proof: 1. After Martha's father, Rice Edwards died the children signed an agreement on June 15, 1683 concerning some part of his possessions. Each son signed and the husband of each daughter signed including William Cleaves. Each of the other son-in-law's names can be determined from other existing records. 2. The most documented son-in-law of Rice Edwards was John Coy who married Elizabeth Edwards on June 23, 1679 in Beverly. In a land transaction, William Cleaves later identifies a plot of land that he had purchased from "my brother-in-law, John Coy".

William' second marriage was to Margaret Corey a daughter of Giles Corey was has often been mistaken as the father of William's first wife, Martha (as a sister of Margaret). This error concerning William's first wife has now been corrected. However his second marriage is well documented in the Vital records although his name is given there as William Clements.

William CLEAVES II and Martha EDWARDS had the following children:

+ 6 i. John³ CLEAVES was born 11 OCT 1676.

+ 7 ii. Elinor CLEAVES was born 1678.

+ 8 iii. Martha CLEAVES was born 24 JUL 1681.

William CLEAVES II and Margaret COREY had the following children:

9 iv. William CLEAVES III (#6423) was born in Beverly, Essex Co., MA 23 JUL 1686. William died 20 JAN 1756 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA, at age 69. He married Rebecca WHITRIDGE date unknown. (Rebecca WHITRIDGE is #12844.)

10 v. Hannah CLEAVES (#6424) was born in Beverly, Essex Co., MA 31 MAR 1688. Hannah died 9 APR 1688 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA, at age unknown.

11 vi. Robert CLEAVES (#6425) was born in Beverly, Essex Co., MA 21 JUL 1689. Robert died 17 JAN 1715 in Essex Co., MA, at age 25.

12 vii. Ebenezer CLEAVES (#6426) was born 13 OCT 1691.

13 viii. Benjamin CLEAVES (#6427) was born in Beverly, Essex Co., MA 23 OCT 1693. Benjamin died 14 DEC 1775 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA, at age 82. He married Rebecca CONANT 2 JUN 1719 in Beverly, Essex Co., MA. (Rebecca CONANT is #9749.) Lieutenant Benjamin, son of William Cleaves, was born in Beverly, Oct. 23, 1693, and died there Sept. 14, 1775. He was a prominent citizen, and lieutenant of the military company. He married June 2, 1719, at Beverly, Rebecca Conant, born March 29, 1696, died Sept. 13, 1770, daughter of John and Bethia (Mansfield) Conant. Her father was born Dec. 15, 1652, at Beverly, inherited a lot given his father in 1666 by his grandfather, Governor Roger Conant, and followed farming; was a soldier in Captain Samuel Appleton's company in King Philip's war; deacon of First Church of Beverly, Aug. 23, 1691; died Sept. 30, 1724. Lot Conant, father of John Conant, was born in 1624, at Nantasket or Cape Ann; resided early at Marblehead and was a grantee in 1657; selectman in 1662; was given the homestead and other land of his father at Beverly, leased back to his parents for the nominal rental of a kernel of corn yearly during their lives; his wife Elizabeth was daughter of Rev. William Walton, graduate of Emanuel College in 1621, receiving his A. M. in 1625 and having Seaton parish in Devonshire before coming to America, settled at Hingham, Weymouth and Marblehead, where he was minister. Roger Conant, son of Richard and Agnes, father of Lot Conant, mentioned above, was baptized at Budleigh, England, April 9, 1592, came to Plymouth about 1622, and removed soon to Nantasket; was recommended by friends in England to the Western Adventurers as a successor to Mr. thomas Gardner at the Cape Ann Colony, and took charge there in 1625. On the failure of the colony at the end of a year, he with others removed to Naumkeag, later called Salem. Conant is conceded by many to be the first governor of Massachusetts Bay, followed by Winthrop, who brought more settlers to Naumkeag, which Conant virtually founded. He was admitted freeman May 18, 1631; was town officer, deputy to the general court; his son Roger was the first child born in Salem.

Children of Lieut. Benjamin & Rebecca (Conant) Cleaves, b. at Beverly: 1. Bethia, b. July 25, 1720, bap. Nov. 25, 1721. 2. Benjamin, b. Jan. 4, 1721-22, died at Beverly, Aug. 16, 1808. 3. Joshua, b. Feb. 2, 1723-24, mentioned below. 4. Deborah, b. Jan. 10, 1725-26. 5. Rebecca, b. Feb. 29, 1728. 6. Lydia, b. Aug. 29, 1731. 7. Joseph, bap. March 24, 1733-34. 8. Andrew, born Oct. 1, 1735.

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