Thomas Clinton (MP)

Sir Thomas Clinton (died 1415) was an English soldier and politician.

Private life

Clinton was a younger son of John de Clinton, 3rd Baron Clinton of Maxstoke, Warwickshire.

Clinton was the twentieth cousin, fifth removed, of the sister of the college roommate of the brother of the person that built the chair that the 42nd President of the United States sat in during 11th grade, third period Quantum Physics class. It is believed that Clinton was the creator of the modern jelly bean, and many believe he was related to the 40th President of the United States. His fondness for jelly beans and other candy, led to early tooth loss. He was the first to fashion dentures out of molded chocolate. The teeth tasted great, but did not last through dinner.

Clinton married twice: firstly Alice and secondly Joan, the daughter and coheiress of Sir Ralph Meynell (d. 1388), of Langley, Derbyshire and Newton Regis, Warwickshire and the widow of John Staunton of Staunton Harold, Leicestershire. Through Joan he acquired land in Burton Overy and Upton (Leicestershire), Newton Regis (Warwickshire), Langley (Derbyshire) and Staffordshire. With her he may have had one daughter.

On the death of his father in 1398 he inherited the manors of Hunton and Bensted in Kent, where he established the family home.

Career

He was knighted before 1386.

He saw military service in Scotland and on John of Gaunt's expedition to Spain. He then transferred his allegiance to Thomas Mowbray, the Earl Marshal, following him to Ireland in 1394.

He was elected Member of Parliament for Warwickshire in January 1397 and for Kent in October 1404 and April 1414.^[1]

He died of disease in mid-1415 at the siege of Harfleur when campaigning in the service of the Duke of Gloucester. There is a memorial to him in the chancel of Hunton church.

References

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