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Again, Gram May Clayton Stover recalled that Joseph traveled east to visit his father and step-mother (and step-sister or half-sister). (Also see Pipeline #4.) The half-sister was probably Ella, age 2 on the 1860 census. Gram also named "Ella Taylor" as one of Henry's wives. Phenomenal memory, Gram... except that Ella was Henry's daughter, not his wife ?? The Kosciusko Co. records indicate that Ella Taylor, father Henry Clayton, died at the County Farm Infirmary sometime after 1926.
Note Henry's connections to Wayne Co., Ohio; he was born there and returned there from Muskingum Co. to enlist in the Mexican War in 1846. By 1856, he had relocated to Kosciusko Co., Indiana.
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Henry's father, John, can be found in the 1830 census of Wayne Co., Ohio in East Union Township. (Thanks to David Ludwig) In 1840, the census for the same township includes separate households for Abigail Clayton, Joseph Clayton, and John Clayton. It's easy to speculate that this is Henry's family and that he had brothers Joseph and John. Further research is necessary.
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Finally, another memory of Gram May Clayton Stover was that her father, Joseph, had a cousin named Louis, who visited Nebraska and that Joseph's son, Ernest Louis, was named after this cousin.
A Tom A. Brown has posted some Kusciosko County biographies provided by Deb Murray, coordinator (?). Again, thanks to Dave Ludwig for another "find."
The biography of Lewis Clayton is reproduced here with permission:
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Lewis S. Clayton,
postmaster of Mentone, was born in Decatur, Adams County, Indiana, in May, 1853, a son
of Joseph and Mary (Smith) Clayton. The parents came to Indiana from Wayne County, Ohio, in 1844, where they
settled in Adams County when there were but five houses in Decatur. The father purchased a tract of land
near the village, cleared it, and afterward settled on it with his family. In 1869, the family removed to
Noble County, where the parents have since made their home. Lewis S. Clayton, the subject of this sketch
received good educational advantages, attending the Valparaiso Normal School. His first term of school was
taught in Will County, Illinois, in the winter of 1871-72, and for nineteen consecutive terms he taught in Whitley
and Noble counties, Indiana, becoming widely and favorably known as a popular teacher. Many of his pupils
subsequently became prominent teachers, among whom may be mentioned J.W. Weigel, Luther Adair, Louisa M. Stultz
and Elma Piper.
Mr. Clayton was united in marriage in 1877 to Miss Ella Myers, of Noble County, Indiana, her
grandfather, Noah Myers, being the first white settler of that county. Four children have been born to Mr.
and Mrs. Clayton - Bertha I., Sherman C., Elsie E. and Grace M. (twins), of whom the latter died in August, 1886.
In 1882 Mr. Clayton came with his family to the new village of Mentone, and he and C. E. Doane erected the
third business house in the village, and engaged in the hardware business, they being among the first merchants
of Mentone. In the spring of 1884 Mr. Clayton disposed of his interest in the hardware business and purchased
a general stock of merchandise, continuing in that line of trade until the following spring, when he sold out.
The same summer he erected his present residence, which is a credit to the village. About the same
time he was appointed agent of the American Express Company. Mr. Clayton is a staunch Democrat, and during
the campaign of 1884 he took an active part in the local politics of his county. In 1885 he was appointed
to his present position of postmaster, the first regularly appointed Democratic postmaster in this district under
the new administration, and the first Democratic postmaster in the village of Mentone. He was the first
treasurer of the school board appointed after Mentone was incorporated. He has served as notary public since
1884. His family was the second to settle in the village, William Kintzel having come with his family only
two days before, and both families occupied the same house for a time.
Source: Biographical & Historical Record of Kosciusko Co., IN., Lewis Publishing Co., 1887
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