Mary Obedience Clay

1712? - 1770
Henrico County, VA - Chesterfield County, VA

My mother says she doesn't believe in genealogy - and at this point I begin to see what she means. No one is really sure who Mary Obedience Clay was or who her parents were - and the more web-sites you visit, the less sure you become. Many people make her the daughter of Henry Clay and Mary Mitchell - but she was not
mentioned in his will although her husband was. (On the other hand - her supposed sisters were mentioned by name and their husbands were not.) One researcher thinks she was the daughter of Henry Clay's brother, John.
You know what?
I don't care.
At this point I don't believe in genealogy any more. Maybe if I had done the research myself I'd have stronger feelings about it.
This is what I have cobbled together.

Father: Henry Clay or his brother John Clay - probably
Mother: Mary Mitchell (Henry) or Mary Unknown (John)
        Siblings:
              if parents were Henry and Mary Mitchell Clay
              William Mitchell 1710 - 1774 m Martha Anne Lewis 1711 - 1764
               Henry 1711-1764 m Lucy Greene 1717 - 1805
               [Mary Obedience 1712]
               Amey 1713-1774 m (1) William Marston Green 1705-1744 (2) Benjamin Williamson
               Martha 1713 - 1745/46 m William Bass 1707 - 1769
               Charles 1715/16 - 1789 m (1) Ora Stewart (2) Martha Patsy Greene 1719 - 1793
               John 1718 - 1762 m (1) Mary Bass (2)Mary Watkins Ross
               Mary 1722 - 1777 m Thomas Watkins
            if parents were John and Mary Unknown Clay - some disagreement -
              Anne 1696
              John 1698
              Hannah 1700
              Charles 1702
              [Mary Obedience 1704]
              Elizabeth
              Judith 1706
              Thomas

Married: ~1732 Henrico Co, VA - Richard Belcher (1710-1763)
        Children: Anne b 1730 d 1762/7 m. Peter Blankenship sr bef 1762
                        Isham b 1732 d 1823 m Elizabeth Clay June 2, 1759 Chesterfield Co, Va
                                 (Elizabeth b. 17 Apr 1735 Chesterfield) - 14 children
                        Richard b1734 VA d ? m Mary Unknown
                        Phebe 1737 Bedford Co, VA d. 1813 [1810] Franklin Co, Va
                             m. Mitchell Clay 1760 Franklin Co/Pearisburg, Giles Co, Va.
                                   (Mitchell b1739 Henrico, d 1812)
                       Elizabeth Ann 1749 Chesterfield Co d. 1820 Tazewell Co
                             m Richard Bailey 1762 Chesterfield Co
                       Benjamin 1749
                       Thomas 1744
                       Robert 1746
                       William 1748-1796

From the Belcher GenForum site:
I am showing Francis Belcher and Phoebe Cabanis as parents of Elizabeth Ann and Phoebe (Belcher)Clay wife of Mitchel Clay - jimdrapp @aol.com
Jim, it is an ongoing debate as to Francis/Phoebe or Richard/Mary. I don't think anyone has hard irrefutable evidence--if someone does, please fill me in--but among Belcher researchers it is more accepted with the Richard Belcher line. Also,I think most Stewart researchers accept the Ricahrd Belcher line as the one. I don't mind you joining in at all, I always want to know the truth, if it can be known. If anyone has a proof of Phoebe's parentage, I'd love to see it. - Rose