Smyrna times., 1895-09-18
John M. Clayton.


"Mr. Clayton shortly after completing
his fifteenth year, was entered at Yale |
College, whence he was graduated with
the first honor of his class, in Septem-
ber, 1916. He at once registered his
name as a student of law, in the Office
of his cousin, Thomas Clayton, in
Dover, where he pursued his studies
for about eighteen months and was
then sent by his father to the law school
at Ltch6eld, Connecticut, where he
remained about the same length of time,
when he was admitted to the Bar, at
Georgetown, Sussex county. The pres
tige of his brilliant career at Yale and
at Litchfield, which followed him home
to Delaware, together with the mag
nifcent examination he passed in open
Court, the beauty and brilliancy of his
maiden effort, at once placed him in
the front rank at the Delaware Bar,
albeit at that day it was composed of
such men as his cousin, Thomas Clay
ton, Henry NJ. Ridgely, Peter Robin
son, James Rogers, James Wales, Louis
McLane, Richard H. Bayard, James A.
Bayard, and Willard Hall. all of whom
except the Bayards were much his
seniors and had achieved eminence
many years prior to his admission 20
practice.
'I have witnessed some of the best
efforts of Webster, Calhoun, Benton,
Clay, Preston, of South Carolina, Crit
tenden, Seward, Douglas, and indeed
all the most renown orators and states
men of the last three generations, but
1 do not hesitate to venture my opinion
that, taken altogether as a Jurist, an
Advocate, a completely eqipped and
ever-ready debater, and broad dminded
liberal statesman, this country has
never produced his superior if, indeed,
it has produced his equal. Shortly
after his admission to the Bar, Mr..
Clayton's father, by reason of the f.
nancial disasters which followed close
upon the conclusion of the war of 1872,
became embarrassed financially, and be-
fore he could recover from his reverses
of fortune he died, leaving to survive
him a widow and several children, all
younger than John, who of necessity
had to provide for the family, although
he had nothing to depend upon for his
own support except sound mind in a
sound body, strong hands and a willing
heart, stimulated by family pride, filial
affection and an honorable ambition.
No young man was even more rigid
than he in his observance of the Fifth
Commandment. He not only revered
the memory of his father, but he adored
his widowed mother and cherished the
most ardent affection for his only bro
ther (the youngest of the family and
his five sisters. l we'll remember how
his great blue eyes filled with tears
when he told me the story of one of his
earliest victories at the bar, shortly
after his father had been laid in his
grave, for which he received, for those
times and that locality Dover the
very large fee of five hundred dollars
which was paid on the spot in gold
AS soon as the verdict was rendered
about 8 o'clock in the afternoon he
said, being mindful of the distressed
condition of my mother and sisters
down at the old homestead in Milford
weighed down with grief over the loss
of our father and fortune. l belted my
gold around me and started on foot
without waiting for my supper; for
, how did know but that when should
, reach the old homestead, l would fine
, the wolf already at the door, He ar
rived at the old mansion between nine
a and ten O'Clock, just after the family
! had retired leaving the mother alon,
a brooding at the ireside, over her carei
: and sorrows, which she always tried t
4 conceal from her daughters; and walk
ing lightly by the window, he saw he
sitting before the curfewed fire will
n her face between her hands. supporting
q both upon her knees, apparently alb
!. sorbed in her grief aud. sorrow. Steal
II ing gently through the unbolted door
4 he srept softly up behind her chai
q and quietly dumped his golden treas
ure in her lap. Startled by this suddel
!. and unexpected apparition, she looket
n up into his face with a wild bewildere,
stare and exclaimed, "Good Lord
a Johnny Have you come by it hon
4 estly?' Yes mother, and so have you
n it is all yours and henceforth you shal
" never want for anything so long a
God vouchsafes to me life and health
v. Nor did she ever lack again; for ever
n Saturday afternoon he was won
to walk from Dover to Milford
re as long as she continued to resid
r there, to cheer her and his sisters wit
p. his weeks earnings, and comfort theI
with his delightful and cheering col
N versation. His affection for his sma
brother, too, was ardent and oonstan
"He married Miss Sally Ann Fishe
IS as have before stated, when twenty
seven years of age; and no union coul
have been happier than theirs for II
v. first two years; but its happiness W,
as of very brief duration, for in the thin
as year it became too sadly evident thi
e. she had been marked as prey for thi
!" fatal malady, the consumption. A
soon as this fearful revelation was mac
rv he almost deserted his Office and bool
~ to become her most faithful and caref
nurse, rarely leaving the room"
When person begins to grow thin the
is something wrong. The waste is create
than the supply and it is only question
- time when the end must come
w In nine cases out of ten the trouble
with the digestive organs. If you can r
a store them to a healthy condition you WI
stop the waste, put on new flesh and eau
them to feel better in every way. The TO
ed they eat will be digested and appropriat
= to the needs of the system, and norm
al appetite will appear
Consumption usually follows a wasti
, of hOdilv tiesnQ bacauea nearly all On