Profile Text
Matthews III and Hines Ward – 2011 CMT Music Awards – Press Room – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN, USA – Photo Credit: Andrew Evans / PR Photos
Birth Name: William Clay Matthews III
Place of Birth: Northridge, Los Angeles, California
Date of Birth: May 14, 1986
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, German, Irish, Norwegian, Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant Dutch
Clay Matthews III is an American professional football player. A linebacker, he played with the Green Bay Packers, as well as the Los Angeles Rams, of the National Football League (NFL).
Clay is the son of Leslie and William Clay Matthews, Jr., a professional football player. His brother is linebacker Casey Matthews. His uncle is Bruce Matthews and his cousins are Kevin Matthews, Jake Matthews, and Mike Matthews, all of whom are professional football players.
Clay is married to Casey Noble-Matthews, with whom he has three children.
Clay’s paternal grandfather was Clay Matthews, Sr., a professional football player (born William Clay Matthews, the son of Howard Lynn “Matty” Matthews and Elsa Wilhelmina Bargmann). Clay’s grandfather Clay was born in Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina. Howard was born in Jeffersonville, Fayette County, Ohio, the son of George Washington Matthews and Maxie Jean Rankin. Clay’s great-grandmother Elsa was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to German parents, William John/Claus Bargmann, who had at least partial roots in Dedesdorf, Cuxhaven, Niedersachsen; and Catherine/Cathrine Elsa Tiedemann.
Clay’s paternal grandmother was Daisy Ezelle Crowson (the daughter of Thomas Walter Crowson and Daisy Ezelle Lilly). Daisy was born in Fayetteville, Cumberland, North Carolina. Thomas was born in Wadesboro Township, Anson, North Carolina, the son of Thomas Seigic Crowson, Jr. and Nannie Rebecca Gulledge. Clay’s great-grandmother Daisy was born in Pittsboro, Chatham, North Carolina, the daughter of Frederick “Fred” Lilly and Roxanna/Roxana “Roxie” Goodwin.
Clay’s maternal grandfather was Robert Newman Lytle (the son of Jeremiah Lytle and Zilla Newman). Robert was born in West Virginia. Jeremiah was born in Pennsylvania. Zilla was born in Moundsville, Marshall, West Virginia, the daughter of Lewis Steenrod Newman and Clementine E. Pickett.
Clay’s maternal grandmother was Betty Dorothy Evans (the daughter of Oren Waters Evans and Connie/Consuelo/Consuello Henley). Dorothy was born in Los Angeles, California. Oren was born in Illinois, and was coast director of the Broadcasting and Film Commission of the National Council of Churches of Christ. He was the son of Dr. William Evans, who was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, England; and of Laura Christine Torgerson, who was Norwegian. Clay’s great-grandmother Consuelo was born in California, the daughter of William Penn Henley and Edith Margaret Dietrick.
Sources: Genealogy of Clay Matthews (misidentifies his maternal grandparents) – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Clay Matthews III (focusing on his father’s side) – https://gw.geneanet.org
Genealogy of Clay’s father – https://www.findagrave.com
Obituary of Matthew’s paternal grandfather, William Clay Matthews, Sr. – http://hosting-16052.tributes.com
Death record of Clay’s maternal grandfather, Robert Newman Lytle – https://www.familysearch.org
Birth record of Clay’s maternal grandmother, Betty Dorothy Evans – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Clay’s maternal grandmother, Betty Dorothy (Evans) Lytle Zdenek – https://www.legacy.com
Obituary of Clay’s maternal great-grandfather, Oren Waters Evans – https://www.findagrave.com