Samuel Kindle Clayton
Fifth Generation
In the not so distant past I remember family stories of grandmother churning her own butter, preserving fruit, quilting; of grandfather driving a mule team (Old Blue and Betsy), share cropping, his first tractor. At the kitchen table there were tales of the headless horseman, a large white ghostly dog that foretold death, and the year that the farmhouse burned down. There were home remedies, grandfather's salves, and tobacco juice for bee stings. This project is dedicated to our ancestors, in the belief that some portion of their individuality still remains with us long after they are gone. From soldier, to preacher, to homesteader, these kinfolk are the roots of our tree. This is an opportunity to remember the past, and in some small way relive it. This section is the heart of our family tree.
Samuel Kindle Clayton
1. SAMUEL KINDLE1 CLAYTON*,1 son of THOMAS CLAYTON Sr.* and SUSANNAH BUMPASS*, was born in TN September 15, 1821/1822. SAMUEL* died December 9, 1893 in Holly Springs, Marshall County, Mississippi, at 71 years of age.
He* married NANCY SHORT* about 1841. NANCY* was born in Kentucky. Her parents are unknown.
1860 Tippah Co. Ms. July 23, p. 98 #673-667 P.O. Orizaba Samuel K. Clayton 39 farmer Real estate $3577.00. Personal property $7075.00.
Nancy 41, KY, Albert 18 Ms. Mary J. 16 Ms, Calvin 14, Ms, Angelina 12, Ms. Sarah J. 9, Ms, Emily 7 Ms, Robert 5 Ms, Josephics 2 Ms
1830 Hardenman County, TN census
page 360 Gabriel Bumpass - father of Benjamin and Moses Benjamin K. Bumpass - married to Lucinda Short
Moses Bumpass - Guardian of Samuel K. Clayton (age 9)
Marcum Short - ?
William W. Short - ?
page 370 Thomas Short page 377 Josiah Short page 378 Lennard Short
-------------------------------------------
1810 Caswell County, NC census
page 461 Jacob Shorte
BIOGRAPHICAL TEXT:
BIRTH: Information from censuses & obit. and Robin Clayton of Walnut, MS.
DEATH: Tippah Co., MS Death Notices 1837-1919. Obit in "Sentinel" Newspaper 21 Dec 1893: "Died at Holly Springs, MS Dec 9, age 72; at home of brother Thomas Clayton."
CENSUS LOCATIONS: Hardeman Co.,TN 1830 p. 356
Thomas Claton Tippah Co., MS 1845
Samuel K. Clayton Tippah Co., MS 1850 p. 450 Dist. 2 10 Oct
Samuel MS 1860 p. 98 So. Subd. 23 Jul
Samuel K. Clayton Tippah Co., MS 1866 p. 1396 S.K. Clayton 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 - 0 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 NOTE: 1866 census ages are in 10 year increments (0-10, 10-20 etc. 1870 p. 158 P.O. Ripley 26 Aug S. K. Clayton Tippah Co., MS
1880 p. 430
DEEDS: Tippah Co., MS many deeds for land & a Bankruptcy aft Civil War.
MEDICAL: Copy of medical license owned by Rosemary Hollis. Article in "Sentinel" newspaper, 25 May 1882: "age 59, born in Tenn.; did not attend medical school; studied under Dr. Laban Laird, dec.; 20 years in medical practice in Ripley.
-----------------------------
Sentinel December 21, 1893
Dr. Samuel Kindle Clayton (Physician's License, May 25, 1882) age 59, born in TN, did not attend medical school, studied under Dr. Laban E. Laird, dec./20 years in medical practice, currently practices at Ripley.
-----------------------------
1850 Tippah County, MS Census - page 450 - household 792.
Samuel K Clayton age 28 from TN married to Nancy age 30 from Kentucky. Children listed: Albert, Mary, Calvin, Angeline and Sarah J.
1860 Tippah Co. Ms. July 23, p. 98 #673-667 P.O. Orizaba Samuel K. Clayton 39 farmer Real estate $3577.00. Personal property $7075.00.
Nancy 41 Ky. Albert 18 Ms. Mary J. 16 Ms. Calvin 14 Ms. Angelina 12 Ms. Sarah J. 9 Ms. Emily 7 Ms. Robert 5 Ms. Josephics 2 Ms.
-----------------------------
BIOGRAPHICAL TEXT: Research by: Anthony Wayne Clayton. Colorado Springs, Co. 1998.
SAMUEL KINDLE CLAYTON* and NANCY SHORT* had the following family:
+ 2 i. ALBERT NEWTON2 CLAYTON was born March 2, 1842 and died April 3, 1922.
3 ii. MARY (MOLLIE) J. CLAYTON3 was born Tippah County, Mississippi January 6, 1844. MARY died 1910 in Memphis, Shelby, TN, at 66 years of age. Mary (Mollie) J. /Clayton/ 6 JAN 1844 Tippah, MS 1910 Memphis, Shelby, TN
BIOGRAPHY Information from personal research and: Byron Fuller of Ft. Worth, TX Rose Clayton Cochran of New Albany and Arlington, VA Shan Clayton of Ripley, MS Robin Clayton of Walnut, MS Billie Clayton of Potts Camp. MS
NOTE: Mollie never married. She ran a farm at New Hope and took care of her sister Emily, who was blind.
+ 4 iii. CALVIN "CAP" CLAYTON* was born February 25, 1846 and died February 17, 1905.
+ 5 iv. ANGLELINA CLAYTON was born May 13, 1848.
6 v. SARAH JANE CLAYTON4 was born Tippah County, Mississippi August 30, 1850.
BIOGRAPHICAL TEXT: Research by: Anthony Wayne Clayton. Colorado Springs, Co. 1998.
1860 Tippah Co. Ms. July 23, p. 98 #673-667 P.O. Orizaba Samuel K. Clayton 39 farmer Real estate $3577.00. Personal property $7075.00.
Nancy 41 Ky. Albert 18 Ms. Mary J. 16 Ms. Calvin 14 Ms. Angelina 12 Ms. Sarah J. 9 Ms. Emily 7 Ms. Robert 5 Ms. Josephics 2 Ms.
7 vi. EMILY CLAYTON5 was born Tippah County, Mississippi December 5, 1853. EMILY died September 23, 1910 Tippah County, Mississippi, at 56 years of age. Her body was interred. Emily /Clayton/ New Hope Cem., Tippah, MS 5 DEC 1853 Tippah, MS 23 SEP 1910 Tippah, MS
DEATH: Tippah Co., MS Death Notices 1837-1919. Obit in "Sentinel" Newspaper Sept 29, 1910. "died at Memphis, Tenn. recently; sister of A.N. & F.J. Clayton of Ripley; buriel at New Hope Cem."
Tippah Co., MS Censuses Emily listed as blind. Information from personal research and: Byron Fuller of Ft. Worth, TX Rose Clayton Cochran of New Albany and Arlington, VA Shan Clayton of Ripley, MS Robin Clayton of Walnut, MS Billie Clayton of Potts Camp. MS
8 vii. ROBERT JAMES CLAYTON6 was born Tippah County, Mississippi August 17, 1855.
+ 9 viii. FLAVAROUS JOSEPHAS "JOE" CLAYTON was born August 30, 1857 and died October 9, 1919.
Sixth Generation
2. ALBERT NEWTON2 CLAYTON (SAMUEL KINDLE1 CLAYTON*)7 was born Tippah County, Mississippi March 2, 1842. ALBERT died April 3, 1922 in MS, at 80 years of age.
He married SARAH AVARILLA "AVIE" STEWART Tippah County, Mississippi, 1869. SARAH was born 1847. SARAH died 1925 at 78 years of age. Albert Newton /Clayton/ New Hope Cem., Tippah, MS 2 MAR 1842 Tippah, MS 1869 Tippah, MS 3 APR 1922 Ripley, Tippah, MS.
BIOGRAPHY Information from personal research and: Byron Fuller of Ft.
Worth, TX Rose Clayton Cochran of New Albany and Arlington,
VA Shan Clayton of Ripley, MR Robin Clayton of Walnut, MS
Billie Clayton of Potts Camp. MS.
1900 Tippah Co., MS Census Soundex V. 49, Ed. 108, Sheet
5, Line 25 A.N. Clayton Mar 1852 58 MS Sara A.
Sep 1849 51 MS A.N., Jr. Mar 1870 30 MS J./I. L.
Feb 1878 22 MS Lawrence Mar 1880 20 MS Roy
Mar 1882 18 MS Clarence B. Jul 1886 14 MS Lorna
Mar 1884 16 MS Albert S. aug 1890 10 MS
1910 Tippah Co., MS Census Soundex ED. 115, Sheet 25 A.N.
Clayton 68 (No places of birth given) Avarilla 60
(w) Laurence 30 (s) Brooks 24 (s) Frances
20 (s)
ALBERT NEWTON CLAYTON and SARAH AVARILLA "AVIE" STEWART had the following family:
10 i. LEROY3 CLAYTON. LEROY died January 8, 1939. He married twice. He married MINNIE COX. He married an unknown person Tippah County, Mississippi, June 11, 1908.
11 ii. ALBERT NEWTON CLAYTON Jr was born in New Hope, Tippah, MS March 12, 1870. ALBERT died April , 1941 in Jonesboro, Craighead County, AR, at 71 years of age.
12 iii. AUTHOR CLAYTON was born Tippah County, Mississippi January 1872. AUTHOR died October 3, 1924 in Las Angeles, Ca., at 52 years of age. He married MECCA M. YOUNG Tippah County, Mississippi, August 12, 1896.
13 iv. CLAUD "CHARLIE" CLAYTON was born in New Hope, Tippah, MS February 7, 1874. CLAUD died September 15, 1925 in Tupelo, MS, at 51 years of age. He married ANNIS FEEMSTER.
14 v. WALTER BONNER CLAYTON was born in New Hope, Tippah, MS November 29, 1875. WALTER died March 12, 1900 at 24 years of age. His body was interred in MS, New Hope. From simple book - Tippah County Death Notices 1837 - 1914 by Don Martini
Obit. Sentinel March 15, 1900, died Monday, age 23 years - buried at New Hope Cemetery - son of A. N. Clayton.
15 vi. IRA LEANDER CLAYTON was born in New Hope, Tippah, MS February 1878. IRA died June 26, 1949 Tippah County, Mississippi, at 71 years of age. He married NANNIE L. MCCORD Tippah County, Mississippi, December 14, 1905.
16 vii. LAWRENCE CLAYTON was born Tippah County, Mississippi March 1880. LAWRENCE died 1971 Tippah County, Mississippi, at 91 years of age. He married LULA HUGH MCCORD Tippah County, Mississippi, December 2, 1915.
17 viii. LONA CLAYTON was born Tippah County, Mississippi March 24, 1884. LONA died May 3, 1954 Tippah County, Mississippi, at 70 years of age. She married J. WALLACE MORTON Tippah County, Mississippi, October 29, 1902.
18 ix. CLARENCE B. CLAYTON was born Tippah County, Mississippi July 4, 1886. CLARENCE died February 12, 1929 in MS, at 42 years of age. He married BESSIE DUNNLALS.
19 x. ALBERT SHANNON CLAYTON was born Tippah County, Mississippi August 27, 1890. ALBERT died November 18, 1970 in Ripley, Tippah, MS, at 80 years of age. He married HERMIONE E. ROBINSON in New Hope, Tippah, MS, April 21, 1917.
4. CALVIN "CAP"2 CLAYTON* (SAMUEL KINDLE*1) was born in New Hope, Tippah, MS February 25, 1846. CALVIN* died February 17, 1905 in New Hope, Tippah, MS, at 58 years of age. His* body was interred February 20, 1905 Methodist Cemetery New Hope, Mississippi.
He* married MARY ELIZABETH SMITH* in New Hope, Tippah, MS, January 17, 1867. MARY* was born in MS Abt. 1849. Speculation of Mary Smith parents.
1860 census of Randolph has John A. Smith and Josiah Smith on same page #746 as Samuel K. Clayton.
Possible Assignments during Calvin's duty.
Assignments:
Armstrong's Cavalry Brigade.
5th Military District.
Chalmer's Cavalry Brigade.
McCulloch's Brigade - Forrest's Cavalry Corps.
Starke's Brigade - Forrest's Cavalry Corps.
Battles:
Peyton's Mill ( September 19, 1862)
Iuka ( September 19th, 1862) near
Ripley ( November 20, 1862) Operations along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad ( May 19 - July 4 1863 ) Chalmers' Raid in West Tennessee and North Mississippi ( October 4 - 17, 1863 )
Colliersville ( November 3, 1863 )
A.J. Smith's 2nd Mississippi Invasion ( August 1864 )
Tupelo ( July 14, 1864 ) Wilson's Raid ( March-April 1865 )
Information Taken from: "Compendium of the Confederate Armies:
MISSISSIPPI" by Stewart Sifakis. Card Catalog Number : E 568.553 1995
--------------------------------------
7th Cav. Regiment (also called 1st Parisan Rangers) was organized during the early summer of 1862 and in July had 35 officers and 817 men present for duty. It served in the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana and later was assigned to Chalmer's, R. McCulloch's, and Starke's Brigade. The unit took an active part in operations in North Mississippi, Kentucky, and West Tennessee. It contained 310 men in October, 1863 and reported 13 casualties at Collierville and 1 at Oxford. The regiment ended the war in Mississippi and was included in the surrender on May 4, 1865.
-------------------------------------- ..
A large majority of the officers and men of the regiment were residents of Tippah County...
For additional information, The First Mississippi Parisan Rangers, C. S. A. by Andrew Brown.
-------------------------------------
THE CALVIN CLAYTON STORY. AS RELATED BY ROBIN CLAYTON.
OUR STORY BEGINS IN THE NEW HOPE COMMUNITY BELOW RIPLEY, FEBRUARY 25, 1845. THE THIRD CHILD OF SAM AND NANCY CLAYTON IS BORN, AND THEY NAME HIM CALVIN C. CLAYTON. LITTLE IS KNOWN OF HIS CHILDHOOD, BUT BEING THE SON OF SAM CLAYTON, IT ISN'T HARD TO BELIEVE THAT HE HAD PLENTY OF WORK TO DO. VIRGIN STANDS OF TIMBER HAD TO BE CUT DOWN, LOG BURNINGS, TEARING UP PLOWS ON NEW GROUND, KILLING HOGS IN COLD WEATHER, PUTTING IT IN THE SMOKEHOUSE, GOING TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL, GOING TO CHURCH AND STAYING ALL DAY, AND GETTING AN OCCASIONAL RAINY DAY TO FISH OR HUNT. THUS WAS THE EARLY LIFE OF CALVIN CLAYTON, BACKWOODS FARMBOY. BIGGER MUSCLES AND LESS STRESS THAN A MODERN KID. ALL OF THIS CHANGED AS THE CIVIL WAR LOOMED OVERHEAD. EVERY ABLE-BODIED MAN WAS EXPECTED TO FIGHT AND THE SOUTH FIGURED THEY COULD "WHUP THEM YANKEES" IN 6 MONTHS TIME AND STILL GET THEIR COTTON OUT. WAR WAS A THING OF GLORY PERHAPS TO A KID LIKE CALVIN CLAYTON AND THAT MIGHT HAVE LURED HIM OFF TO SHILOH. FAMILY LEGEND SEEMS TO SAY HE WAS PRESENT AT THE HOSTILITIES, BUT THE 16 YEAR OLD CAME OUT WITHOUT A SCRATCH. ANOTHER FAMILY LEGEND STATES THAT CAP WENT OFF TO THE WAR WITH HIS UNCLE THOMAS CLAYTON, BUT WHERE OR WHEN CAN NOT BE PROVEN. ANOTHER LEGEND IS THAT CALVIN WAS WITH THE MISSISSIPPI PARTISAN RANGERS WHEN COLONEL FALKNER COMMANDED THE OUTFIT. DOCUMENTED PROOF SHOWS CALVIN OFFICIALLY JOINED THE 7TH MISSISSIPPI CAVALRY, COMPANY D, AT ORIZABA APRIL 1, 1864. HE WAS ENLISTED BY LIEUTENANT L. G. MCGILL, THE ASSISTANT SURGEON OF THE OUTFIT, FOR A 3 YEAR HITCH. CALVIN WAS A PRIVATE, HAD JUST TURNED 18 TWO MONTHS BEFORE, AND WAS PROBABLY A SURGEON'S ASSISTANT. MASON, CALVINS YOUNGEST SON THOUGHT HE HAD STARTED OUT LEARNING ABOUT DENTISTRY, BUT ENDED UP STUDYING DOCTORING. CALVIN'S FATHER SAM WAS A DOCTOR, AND PROBABLY TAUGHT HIS SON SOME OF THE RUDIMENTS OF MEDICINE. FROM THIS PERIOD, CALVIN WAS NICKNAMED "SAWBONES". BY 1864, THE WAR HAD RAN ROUGHSHOD OVER TIPPAH COUNTY, AND THE COUNTRY IN GENERAL. THE PRESSURE OF BEING SHOT AT, THE LONELINESS OF BEING AWAY FROM HOME, STARING DEATH IN THE FACE DAY AFTER DAY WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE TO MUCH FOR AN 18 YEAR OLD. ONE NIGHT THE OUTFIT WAS CAMPED NEXT TO A RIVER. CALVIN'S FATHER SAM HAD SENT LEP CLAYTON, ONE OF HIS SLAVES ALONG TO MAKE SURE IF CALVIN WAS KILLED THAT HIS BODY WOULD BE RETURNED HOME. CALVIN AND LEP DECIDED IT WAS BETTER BACK HOME AND THEY WERE GOING BACK. THEY GEARED UP THEIR HORSES, AND FOUND WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A LIKELY PLACE TO CROSS THE RIVER. THEY JUMPED IN, HORSE AND ALL, ONLY TO GO IN OVER THEIR HEADS. WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY THEY GOT ACROSS, GOT TUNED AROUND IN THE WOODS, AND WANDERED AROUND ALL NIGHT. WHEN THE SUN ROSE THEY WERE BACK WHERE THEY STARTED, ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THE CAMP. CALVIN CROSSED THE RIVER, RODE BACK INTO THE CAMP, AND AS FAR AS LEGEND GOES, FINISHED THE WAR WITH THE OUTFIT. AFTER THE WAR CALVIN WANDERED AROUND A LITTLE. FAMILY STORIES SAY HE FOUND HIS WIFE MARY ELIZABETH SMITH IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHERE SHE WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 8, 1851. THE WRITER KNOWS NOTHING OF HER FAMILY. CALVIN SUPPOSEDLY WENT THROUGH NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, AND BACK TO MISSISSIPPI. TIPPAH COUNTY RECORDS SHOW THE MARRIAGE JANUARY 17, 1867.THEIR FIRST SON, ROBERT PERCY CLAYTON WAS BORN AT NEW HOPE DECEMBER 2,1869. THEY HAD TWO GIRLS WHO DIED IN INFANCY NAMED LILLIAN AND ORA. DATES UNKNOWN. THE 1870 CENSUS TAKER LISTED CALVIN AND MARY AS PRESENT IN TIPPAH COUNTY, ALONG WITH LITTLE BOB. THEIR SECOND SON, ADOLPHUS NATHANIEL CLAYTON WAS BORN NOVEMBER 28, 1874. THE 1880 CENSUS LISTED ALL OF THESE FOLKS AS RESIDENTS OF TIPPAH COUNTY MISSISSIPPI. BY THIS TIME CALVIN HAD BUILT A DOGTROT HOUSE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE KENT-WILLIAMS ROAD FACING SAM CLAYTON'S HOUSE. IT WAS BUILT OF VIRGIN PINE PLANKS THAT RAN VERTICALLY, AND THE ROOF WAS MADE OF HAND HEWN WOODEN SHINGLES. A LOCAL RESIDENT, MISS MARY THOMAS SAID WHEN THE HOUSE CAUGHT FIRE YEARS LATER, IT BURNED RAPIDLY TO THE GROUND. THE NEXT CHILD BORN WAS BURNIE "BUN" CLAYTON, BORN OCTOBER 24, 1880. HE IS MORE THAN LIKELY THE SON RESPONSIBLE FOR CALVIN'S NICKNAME "CAP". CALVIN WOULD TELL THE OLDER BOYS TO PERFORM A CERTAIN TASK, AND ONE OF THEM WOULD RESPOND BY SAYING "YESSIR CAPTAIN!" BECAUSE OF HIS SERVICE IN THE ARMY. THEY SAID IT SO MUCH IT GOT SLURRED TO "CAP" AND THE NICKNAME STUCK. THE NEXT CHILD BORN WAS MINTER HARDY CLAYTON, KNOWN TO MOST AS "MINT", BORN APRIL 25, 1883. THE NEXT TWO KIDS WERE GIRLS, JESSIE ALLIE CLAYTON WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 1, 1885. CORRIE EDNA CLAYTON WAS BORN DECEMBER 31, 1888. THE LAST CHILD OF CALVIN AND MARY CLAYTON, STILL ALIVE AT THE WRITING OF THIS ARTICLE IS CALVIN MASON CLAYTON, BORN AUGUST 6, 1891. BIG HUGH CLAYTON, THE SON OF CALVIN'S BROTHER JOE RELATED TO THE AUTHOR A STORY HE HEARD ABOUT CALVIN. IT SEEMS ALL THE DOCTORS IN THE STATE WAS REQUIRED TO GET A LICENSE TO PRACTICE MEDICINE. CALVIN HAD BEEN DOCTORING FOR SOMETIME, AND EVEN HAD HIS DOCTORS BAG FULL OF MEDICINE, WHEN STATE OFFICIALS GOT AFTER HIM TO GET HIS DOCTOR'S LICENSE, WHICH HE FULLY DID NOT INTEND TO DO. AFTER SEVERAL WARNINGS STATE OFFICIALS INFORMED CALVIN TO GET A LICENSE IF HE INTENDED TO KEEP ON DOCTORING, OR GO TO JAIL THE NEXT TIME THEY CAUGHT HIM DOING SO. SUPPOSEDLY, CAP QUIT DOCTORING. THIS WAS PROBABLY AROUND 1882; THE YEAR MISSISSIPPI PASSED A LAW REQUIRING DOCTORS LICENSES. THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA FOUND BAD FINANCIAL TIMES IN TIPPAH COUNTY. SAM CLAYTON LOST MOST OF WHAT HE HAD OWNED BEFORE THE WAR, DUE TO MORTGAGE DEBT AND THE LOSS OF HIS LABOR FORCE, HIS SONS AND THE FREEDOM OF THE SLAVES. PEOPLE WENT IN DEBT AFTER THE WAR TO TRY AND REBUILD WHAT HAD BEEN DEVASTATED. PERHAPS CALVIN CLAYTON COULNDN'T PAY HIS DEBTS BY HARD WORK, SO HAD TO USE OTHER MEANS. JANUARY 1891 FINDS CALVIN CLAYTON AND MARY SELLING THEIR FARM TO WEALTHY TIPPAH COUNTY LAND SWAPPER RICHARD J. THURMOND. MASON SAID CALVIN STAYED IN TIPPAH COUNTY UNTIL 1896. ITS POSSIBLE CALVIN SHARECROPPED FOR THURMOND. EVIDENCE IS LACKING. WHAT SEEMED TO BE A GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR CALVIN LOOMED ON THE HORIZON IN SOME RICH LAND OVER IN BENTON COUNTY. A POOR, TIRED, 50 YEAR OLD CALVIN CLAYTON WAS DETERMINED TO SEEK HIS BREAK IN LIFE ACROSS THE TIPPAH RIVER FROM HIS UNCLES WILLIAM, THOMAS AND ARTEMAS IN TIPPAH BOTTOM.1896 FINDS CALVIN IN BENTON COUNTY TRYING TO MAKE A GO OF HIS FARM. MASON, CALVIN'S SON WAS 5 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, AND SAID CALVIN HAD MORTGAGED 300 ACRES OF LAND IN TIPPAH BOTTOM FROM A MRS WINGATE OUT OF MEMPHIS, WHO HAD A LOCAL GO BETWEEN BY THE NAME OF JOHN NOWLIN. ATTEMPTS TO FIND THE LOCATION OF THIS LAND HAVE BEEN FUTILE. AT ANY RATE CALVIN WAS DOOMED IN THIS ENDEAVOUR FROM THE START. 1896 WAS A DISASTER YEAR FOR FARMERS ALL OVER THE STATE, CALVIN CLAYTON WAS NO EXCEPTION. FIRST CAME THE TORRENTS OF RAIN THAT RAN OFF THE HILLSIDES AND MADE FERTILE TIPPAH BOTTOM A SWAMP THAT YEAR, TO THE POINT THAT ONLY ROBERT PERCY CLAYTON, CALVIN'S OLDEST BOY WAS ABLE TO GET ANY COTTON OUT BECAUSE HE LIVED AT THE FOOT OF THE HILLS, THE ONLY PLACE NOT FLOODED. THE WINTER OF 1896 WAS SO COLD FROM 8 TO 10 OF CALVIN'S MULES FROZE TO DEATH. THEN PEOPLE WHO HAD BORROWED MONEY FROM CALVIN WERE UNABLE TO PAY BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE SAME SITUATION. IN THE MIDDLE OF 1896, ROBERT PERCY MARRIED MARY ALICE CLAYTON, ARTEMAS CLAYTON'S DAUGHTER. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR CALVIN. CALVIN'S CLAN HAD BEEN LIVING ON THE BUCK FORD ROAD ON THE EAST SIDE OF TIPPAH BOTTOM, BETWEEN SECTIONS 31 AND 36 TOWNSHIP 4 SOUTH RANGE 1 WEST IN BENTON COUNTY, AT THE BASE OF THE HILL, NEXT TO THE BUCK FORD ROAD. NAT BOUGHT A SAWMILL AFTER THIS, HE AND CALVIN WORKED AT THAT. |
