The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-02-14
Death Of James w. Clayton, Esq.

out the State and nation rs an active poll
tician and leading Republican, died, ut his
residence, No. 100 Maryland .Avenue Balti-
more, on Sunday morning last. Mr.. Clay
/ ton had been III bad health for many mont Is
past, and, few weeks ago was taken with
u severe illness, resulting from :. compl-
cation of diseases. which eventually termi-
mated his life.
The deceased was Il great grandson of
Joshua Clayton, who was L nited States
Senator from Delaware, and also Colonel
in the War of the Revolution. In the latter
part of the last century, he settled on that
part nf BOHEMIA Manor which is in St.
Georges Hundred, New Castle county
where the subject of this sketch was born
on the Sth of December 1884, Oh the home
stead of his grandfather, DR.. James L.
Clayton, who was Il first cousin of the Hon.
John NJ. Clayton, for many years United
Stares Senator from Delaware. A few
years subsequent to his birth, his parents
removed to Cecil county and resided for
many years 1T the Pivot Bridge, where he
spent his boyhood and youth. When six
teen years of age, he graduated at Wesleyan
University, Mddletown, Connecticut
After returning from school he spent n year
with the Civil Engineer Corps employed on
the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, and
subsequently entcrd the law efiice of
Nathaniel Il, Smithers, in Dover Del, as
student of law, and completed his study of
that profession in the office of the Hon.
Alexander Evans and was admitted to the
Elkton Bar on the 18th of April, 1859. Be
fore his admission to the bar he had become
somewhat noted as Il successful and astute
politician and took an active part in the cam
paign of 1855. which resulted in placing
the know Nothing party in power in this
State. He was appointed one of the Com
mittee Clerks to the House OF Delegates ut
the ensuing session of the Legislature. AT
the next session of the Legislature, he was
elected Reading Clerk 10 the House of Dele
gates. but upon the resignation of the Rev.
Vaughan Smith, now of the Elkton NJ. +.
Church, was promoted to the position of
Chief Clerk. made vacant by the reSe-
nation of Mr.. Smith, which position he
filled with much acceptability, and laid the
foundation for his subsequent success in the
National Legislature. AT this session he
was appointed Clerk of the Committee on
the Code which sat during the recess and re-
ported at the session of 1860 Durin. the lat
ter Years of buchanan administration.
Mr.. Clayton was Assistant Sergeant-at-A rms
to the House of Representatives,, under
Henry w. Hoffman, and afterwards, for
short time, held Il subordinate position
under him in the Baltimore Custom House
At the extra session of Congress, in 1861,
Mr.. Clayton was appointed Journal Clerk
to the House of Representatives, the Hon
Emerson Etherislge, OF Tennessee, being at
that time Chief Clerk. He held this res
ponsible position for many years until the
Democrats came into power, in 1874. He
subsequently occupied the position of
Deputy Collector of the Port of Baltimore
under the late Col. Edward Wilkins, and
for short time was engaged upon the eli
torial department of this Baltimore Morning
Herald, but removed to Washington in 1872,
having been appointed journal Clerk of
the L. 5. Senate, which position he held till
the Democrats assumed control of that
body, when he retired and formed a law
partnership with S. j. Wales, in Washing
ton under the firm name Of ). j. WALES
& Co., and of which he was mem Der at the
time of his death. Few persons have filled
as many prominent positions, as the subject
of this sketch, and Still fewer have done so
with as much acceptabiity and popularity,
for, during his Ion. public career, Mr.. Clay
ton made many friends and very few, if
any, enemies. Though occupying a high
position in the councils of the Republican
party and possessing many of the requisites
OF Il forcible and polished orator, he rarely,
if ever, spoke at public meetings, but con-
tented himself with managing important
political campaigns by organizing the party
to which he belonged, and suggesting and
supplying the means best calculated TO ill.,
sure success.
In the Fall of 1861, Mr.. Clayton married
Miss Mary Evans, the sister of the Hon.
Alexander Evans, who survives him, and
by whom he had one son, now a lad of about
Il years OF age. Mr.. Clayton had four
brothers, who survive him: namely, Theo-
dore, who was Captain Of Company g., Pur-
nell Cavalry, during the War Of the Rebel
lion, and is now engaged in farming in
Hartford county; Henry, formerly an officer
of the L. ). Army, sonin-laW Of Hon.
jeremiah G. Black, and 4 resident of York,
Pa; John, assistant cashier Of the Balti-
/
/ mercantile business IN Baltimore. His
! father, the late John l.. Clayton, whom
many u our readers will recolleGt as a
! successful merchant and farmer, was for
many years Il prominent member and
trustee of the Bethel NJ. F.. Church, died,
some years ago, respected and beloved by
! all who knew him. His mother still sur
wives.
The funeral services were held at his late
residence, in Baltimore, on Monday after
noon, by the Rev. Charles X. Weld, OF the
First Independent Christ's Church, who
read the funeral services of that deuomina
ton, and made short address, abiding to
the political and personal life of the de
ceased and eulogistic of his many virtue,
rs Il lGyia:; husband ard father. His lie
mains. accompanied by his relatives an,
friends from Baltimore, were brought Il
Elkton ON the early morning train, where
they were met by many of his relatives ant
acquaintance in Elkton and vicinity, wht
escorted them to their last resting place
beside his ancestors, in Bethel cemetery
The pail bearers, except Mr. Hopper wer,
relatives of the deceased, three Of then
being his brotEiers. They were }s foil lows
Joshua clayton Charles clayton, JOIN
Clayton Julius Clayton. Theo,I4re Clayton
lid ThnE,as !. linpl.z.. Many OF the lie
iatiNeS and friends Of the deceased We're us
sembled at Bethel to pay the last sad tribute
Of respect to his memory aud when tn
funeral cortegc arrived there his remains
We're taken into the church. where the con
Guiding religious services Mere conducted b.
the Rev. Mr. Layti-id
Srrph77Hs' SolFF
The Orphans Court was in session ol
Wednesday day only-owing TO tn
unavoidable absence, on Tuesday, of Judge
McCLuley and Davis. Presentation. Jas
McCauley, Chief Judge, and Hon. Hichar'
l.. Thomas, Associate .Irt-f