The Clayton
Family History
Biography of Olin D. Clayton - Montgomery County, Illinois
This is a biography, that starts with the paternal great, great grandfather of Olin D. Clayton.
Biography of Henry and Abigail (Chapman) Clayton Henry Clayton was born in 1852 in England. Sometime before 1870 he arrived in Oberlin, Ohio and married Abigail Chapman, daughter of David Chapman, as stated on her death certificate, on November 22, 1875. Henry Clayton died on September 12, 1878 in Oberlin, Ohio, from typhoid fever. Henry and Abigail's marriage license, along with Henry's death certificate are on file in Lorain County, Ohio. Henry and Abigail Clayton had one son named Charles Henry Clayton, who was almost exactly 2 years of age, just prior to Henry's death. After Henry Clayton's death, Abigail met and married a Civil War Veteran named William H. Geddy, son of William R. Geddy, on July 9, 1884 in Erie, Pennsylvania. William Geddy served with Company D 178th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After the Civil War Mr. Geddy was a shoe cobbler, but later became a Dr. Dr. Geddy had an office in Oberlin, Ohio, next to an Attorney at Law named Fred Webster. Dr. Geddy and Abigail(Chapman) Clayton's marriage documentation and business history can be found in his Civil War records on file at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Dr. and Mrs. Geddy had a daughter named Ada, who was born April 8, 1886 in Nokomis, Il. Ada married William McNeil of Nokomis, Il on February 14, 1906. Ada McNeil died February 11, 1960. Both William and Ada McNeil are buried in Nokomis Cemetery. Dr. Geddy practiced medicine in the Ohlman/Nokomis area several years before his death, on March 13, 1912. Dr. Geddy was born May 25, 1824 in Pennsylvania. Abigail Geddy died February 1, 1934 in Alton, Il. Both William and Abigail Geddy are buried in Nokomis Cemetery. Charles Henry Clayton, the son of Henry and Abigail (Chapman) Clayton was born September 29, 1876 in Navarre, Ohio. Charles H. Clayton married Martha Elizabeth Bass, the daughter of John and Mary Josephine (Morgan) Bass, on June 29, 1898 in Christian County, Il. Charles and Martha Clayton were parents of two children, Charles Leo Clayton and Ethel Lillian Clayton. Charles and Martha Clayton spent most of their lives in Montgomery and Christian County, Il. Charles H. Clayton died October 7, 1963 at Hillsboro Hospital. Martha (Bass) Clayton was born August 19, 1875 in Kinmundy, Marion County, Il and died December 14, 1951 in Pana Hospital. Both Charles and Martha (Bass) Clayton are buried in Nokomis Cemetery. Charles Clayton married a Virginia (Grimes) Spencer, daughter of Francis Grimes, after the death of his first wife. Virginia died in March of 1963 and is buried in Bunker Hill Cemetery in Bunker Hill, Il with her first spouse. Charles Leo Clayton, the son of Charles and Martha (Bass) Clayton was born April 5, 1900 in Nokomis, Il and his birth certificate is on file at the Historic Montgomery County Courthouse. Charles Leo Clayton married Suavilla Isadora Hulbert, daughter of Warren Franklin and Lulu Luetta (Gage) Hulbert on June 8, 1921. Charles and Suavilla were married at the Hulbert farm in Nokomis, Il. Suavilla was born June 6, 1900 in Nokomis, Il. Charles Leo and Suavilla (Hulbert)Clayton were parents of Paul Clayton, who was born and died on March 13, 1923, Dale Everett Clayton, born August 1, 1924, Charles Warren Clayton, born January 10, 1927, and Carl Marvin Clayton, born on March 21, 1933. All were born in Montgomery County, Il. All 3 served in WW II, with the Army and U.S. Navy. Charles Leo Clayton died August 23, 1987 in Hillsboro Hospital and Suavilla (Hulbert) Clayton died May 1, 1970 in Shelby County, Il following a massive heart attack. Suavilla had went out to their car in Oconee, Il after a neighbor had called about a particular Raleigh Product that Leo sold and she never returned to the phone. Grandpa Clayton used to talk about courting Suavilla in a yellow surrey when they were young. The buggy was purchased by Leo's father during the Merchant's Picnic in Nokomis, Il sometime between 1916-1921. The horse that pulled the buggy was struck dead by lightning. In 1985, the Olin Clayton family, replicated that buggy and Leo's great grandchildren, Belinda and Andrew Clayton rode in it, in the Hillsboro Old Settlers Parade and the Annual Nokomis Parade, winning 1st place at the Old Settler's Parade and 2nd place in the Nokomis Parade. Leo was present at both parades and cried as the family passed by him in the parade, he would die in August of 1987. Both Charles Leo and Suavilla (Hulbert) Clayton are buried in Nokomis Cemetery. Dale Clayton, the son of Charles Leo and Suavilla (Hulbert) Clayton, was born August 1, 1924 in Nokomis, Il. Dale Clayton graduated from Hillsboro High School and then attended the U of I. At 18 years of age he was drafted in March of 1943. Dale states that the draft notices were mailed from the draft office in Hillsboro, Il, which was located above the old Sears store on Main Street. Dale attended basic training in Farragut, Idaho at the Naval Training Base, Bootcamp Class 607. Dale served as a Radarman 2nd Class, 6th Fleet aboard the carrier "Nehenta Bay CVE-74." In February of 1945 Dale's ship was in the China Sea and sustained heavy damage from a typhoon, forcing them to dock in San Francisco, California for repairs. While on leave, Dale returned to Witt, Il to marry his sweetheart Lavonne Armentrout, daughter of John and Myrtle (Eddington)Armentrout. Dale and Lavonne were married on March 1, 1945 on the Armentrout farm in rural Witt, that was settled by Lavonne's paternal great, great grandfather Christopher Armentrout in 1840. Lavonne was born April 22, 1925 in Witt, Il. Dale and Lavonne Clayton have hand crafted wood items since 1985 and they are given to their children and grandchildren every Christmas, making this a family tradition. This past Christmas in 1997, Dale and Lavonne made solid cedar chests. Dale and Lavonne Clayton celebrated their 50th Anniversary on Feb 26, 1995 at the Century House in Irving, Il. Dale and Lavonne Clayton are parents of nine children: Kenneth Clayton, born January 9, 1948, Merle Clayton, born April 28, 1949, Olin D. Clayton, born March 20, 1951, Anita Wahlsmith, born November 26, 1952, Yvonne Hicks, born July 21, 1956, James Clayton, born February 3, 1959, Lester Clayton, born July 13, 1960, Gail Kessler, born March 21, 1962 and Janice Volentine, born October 29, 1963. Olin D. Clayton, son of Dale and Lavonne (Armentrout) Clayton was born March 20, 1951 in Hillsboro, Il. Olin grew up on a rural dairy, grain and livestock farm. Approximately December 1964, a red barn on the rural Witt farm, which housed cows and was used for hay storage, caught fire in the very early morning hours. A 1945 John Deere combine was also stored in the barn. Three days before the fire, a large amount of livestock had been sold, that had been raised as 4-H projects, by Dale and Lavonne's children, to Olin Snyder of Witt, who was Olin D. Clayton's namesake. That night the fire engulfed the barn so, that Kenneth and Olin pulled boards off by hand, not knowing to this day how they were strong enough to do it. Kenneth was so alarmed that he ran outside without his pants on. It wasn't until the cold winter weather bit his legs, that he even noticed, but his mother Lavonne quickly ran out with a pair of jeans. The livestock were guided out where the boards had been removed, as the manager was already ablaze, and all through it's roof. Dale Clayton hurriedly started the John Deere combine which turned over the first time, luckily so, because just as he backed out the combine, the entire roof collapsed. Neighbors helped rebuild the barn one week after the fire. Olin D. Clayton attended Witt Schools, along with all eight of his sisters and brothers. Olin graduated from Witt High School in 1969 and left for Chicago, staying at the YMCA. Olin began employment with Continental Bank of Chicago in 1969, heading the Remittance Banking Division in the Florscheim Building in downtown Chicago. Olin married Hazel Hedburg on December 21, 1972 in Chicago, Il and they were divorced in 1974, with no children born to that union. Olin met Barbara Hays on August 3, 1976, while visiting his parents in Witt and they were married August 6, 1976. Barbara was born June 23, 1958 in Springfield, Il, the daughter of the late Dewey and Florence (Altevogt) Hays. After Olin and Barbara Clayton returned from their honeymoon in Niagra Falls, Canada, they made their home in Chicago, Il on 5151 Winchester Ave. In the fall of 1976, Olin and Barbara decided to return to their home county and moved into the Compton Farm in rural Witt. There would be a bad blizzard that winter, with wind chills at 60 below zero. That winter Kenneth Clayton was headed to Cat in Decatur and his car ran into a snow bank due to the blinding conditions. Approximately 0400 a loud knock was heard at our door and it was Kenneth half froze to death. It would be a few days before our road would be plowed, as the storm paralyzed everything in the county. In July 1977, Olin and Barb Clayton purchased the old Ellis place in Irving, which was remodeled with the loving help of Olin's grandfather John Armentrout. Olin worked for Mohawk's Furniture Store in Nokomis from the fall of 1976 until July of 1977, when Olin would become employed with Hillsboro Glass. Olin and Barbara would have two children, Belinda Suzanne Clayton, born June 27, 1979 and Andrew Olin Dale Clayton born August 8, 1980. In 1990, Olin's wife Barbara graduated from St. John's School of Nursing and Springfield College in Illinois, with a Diploma in Nursing and an Associates in Liberal Arts. The Clayton's purchased a new home in the Cloyd subdivision in Raymond and left Irving. Belinda Suzanne Clayton graduated from Raymond Lincolnwood High School on May 30, 1997 and she is presently employed at Mizera's in Raymond. Belinda received the Arion Award in 1997 and her loves are music, computers and foreign language. Andrew Clayton in 1998 is a Junior at Raymond Lincolnwood High School. Andrew raised over $600 for his Youth & Government Club at the Raymond High School during the 1997-1998 school year. Belinda and Andrew were both instrumental in raising over $2,000 over the past 3 years, through the assistance of the United Steelworkers of America, due to Belinda and Andrew's fond interest in grass root politics. For the first time in Raymond Lincolnwood High School history, the Youth & Government Organization's bill group received top priority during Pre-Leg II in Springfield, Il in December of 1997. Andrew Clayton was elected Head Page in Springfield, Il at their Annual Y & G Convention in 1996-1997. In August of 1997, Olin Clayton lost his job at Hillsboro Glass in Hillsboro, after the plant was closed by John Ghaznavi, an Iranian born businessman. Olin is presently employed with Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Plant in Decatur, Il in 1998 and still remains active with USWA Local 713, COPE District 20, Macoupin/Montgomery County Trades and Labor Council, Springfield Trades and Labor Council and Zanesville Township Democratic Precinct Committeeman. Olin was USWA Local 4369 President at Hillsboro Glass from 1986 to 1997. Barbara has been employed with Dr's Hospital in Springfield since 1991 and is also employed with Interim Healthcare Agency in Springfield, Il and Litchfield Terrace in Litchfield, Il.
Clayton Family Photos
Abigail (Chapman) Clayton, daughter of David and Achsa (Abbott) Chapman
Left to right, Geraldine (Wittnam) Holloway, Lavonne (Armentrout) Clayton, Dale Everett Clayton and Kenneth Wilson
Charles Henry and Martha Elizabeth (Bass) Clayton
Left to right, Andrew Olin Dale Clayton and his great grandfather Charles Leo Clayton
Green Valley School house located in Montgomery County, Il. Dale Everett Clayton, son of Charles Leo and Suavilla Isadora (Hulbert) Clayton, attended this one room school house from 1930-1936. As of November 1999, this old school still stands!
Left to right, Charles Warren Clayton and his older brother Dale Everett Clayton
Henry Clayton born in England in 1852 and died September 12, 1878 in Oberlin, Ohio. Buried in Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin, Ohio
Left to right, Charles Leo Clayton, Suavilla Isadora (Hulbert) Clayton and the minister on their wedding day!
Pictured is Derek Clayton, son of Lester and Kathy (Altevogt)Clayton at the Bond County Fair in Greenville, Il.
Links to other sites on the Web
World War II Family History Page
Hays Family Reunion Page
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