CLAYTON FAMILY MOVES SOUTH 4

 III. The Georgia Claytons

As stated above the only Claytons remaining in N.C. long after the beginning of the 19th century were the descendants of John Clayton in Hyde County and of William Clayton by his third son, William, in Craven County. James III is presumed to have been lost in the Revolution. The younger son, Thomas moved to Hancock County, Ga about 1804. Some years later he was followed by his two nephews, James and Dempsey, who were both apparently local preachers in the Methodist Church. We also have records of several Delamars and Carruthers families moving to Georgia, very likely related to the Claytons and also Eunice Cannon, daughter of James Clayton, the blacksmith of Craven County.

Thomas Clayton, grandson of the original James, settled first in Hancock County Ga. By 1812 the tax list there showed the following: Thomas Clayton, Sr. Thomas Clayton, Jr. James Clayton (This James was probably the son of Thomas, Sr.) Eunice Cannon (Thomas Clayton's sister) By 1820 there were three James Claytons in Hancock County. In addition to Thomas's son, it appears that his nephew James, son of William, had moved to the area.

In 1816 Thomas Clayton and most of his family moved south to Pulaski Co. In 1820 he died there. His two older sons, James and Thomas, had remained in Hancock County. From the Bible of his son, James, still preserved by the family of Margaret Russell Clayton of Eufaula, Alabama, we have the birthdates of his children: Miriam Barcliff b 1787; died 1805 in Hancock Co. James b. 1788, moved to Monroe Co 1827 Thomas b 1790, died 1834 in Hancock County, Ga. Nelson b. 1796, lived in Pulaski Co, then Alabama William b. 1799 Delamar b. 1802 Sarah b. 1804 Easter b. 1807.

Margaret Clayton Russell has written a family history that gives details about the lives of all of these people. In this article mention is made of Nelson Clayton and his descendants. Nelson Clayton, son of Thomas, son of James, son of James, married Sarah Leith Carruthers in 1819 in Pulaski County. In 1835 he moved to south Alabama, where his brother, James had already settled.

Nelson Clayton's youngest son, Henry Delamar Clayton, born 1827, became a major general in the Confederate army and later was president of the University of Alabama. He was the great grandfather of Margaret Clayton Russell, from whom much of this family history came. The general's son, Henry D. Clayton, Jr. became a Congressman from Alabama. Meanwhile Thomas' nephews, James and Dempsey, the sons of William, moved westward from Hancock County with the advancing frontier.