The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-09-22
PENPICTUREs OF THE OLDEN time
BY COL w /. CLAYTON.

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i worked for q number Of years
but the people seem now to be
fully aroused to the Importance
of having a certain day, as they
! have in many other places, or
which to assemble for the pur.
pose Of dressing off this cemetery
and they set apart the first Mon.
day Of September for that pur-
pose. The day was very pleas.
antly spent, and | met several
Of the children Of the old timers,
whom | knew in the long ago,
and it brought to my mind the
memory Of long passed scenes.
My grand father Clayton was
rather a peculiar man. After
the death of his wife, when he
was probably seventy five years
old, he lived round with his
children, and grand children.
He was a very quiet man in his
old age, and gave no one any
trouble whatever, and was always
in good health; but when he ha d
remained at a sons or grand
sons until he'concluded he ought
to move he simply had his horse
to his buggy by the time break
fast was ready, and the first in
timation you had of his intention
to go, was his request for assis-
lance to place his trunk on behind
his old, fashioned buggy; and
you may be sure there was no
use in asking him to stay longer.
He died in the spring of 1861,
just as the desolation of war was
being felt in the southland, and
was buried in this old grave
yard beside his loved wife, who
had walked hand in hand for
over half a century.
Reuben Clayton was never or
dained to the whole work of the
ministry, but was only a licen-
tate. He held many meetings
though which were satisfactory
to the people, and l have no doubt
resulted in much good.
Abner Clayton was a man of
a large family, and about forty
years old when he joined the
church, He felt it his duty to
preach the gospel, and at once
joined the presbytery, and of
fered himself as a candidate for
the ministry. He had no educa-
ton, and was a poor man, but
he had a very fine mind. He
went to school with his own chill
dren, made fine progress, and in
due time became an efficient Eng
lish scholar, and was ordained
to the whole work of the minis
try. He came from Jefferson
county, Ala, in the fall Of 1849,
as my memory now serves me.
He was a man Of power in the
pulpit. have heard him preach
for over an hour, and yet his au-
dience was spell bound all the
while, and seemed sorry when
he closed.
On the first day Of September
of this present month. when the
working of the old grave yard
took place; the people generally
attended, both men, women and
children, and the good women
had an abundance of dinner for
twice as many people as were
there, and after having listened
gladly and intently to a speech
made by the writer, they spread
their viands beneath the over.
hanging trees, and each consid-
cred himself invited to partake
of all, and when all were served,
many baskets were still in good
shape. A scheme was also set on
foot, and a committee appointed
| to raise funds to enclose the old
cemetery with a woven wire
fence. And, Mr.. Editor, if you
or any Of your readers are ap-
preached by that committee, re
member that if we give then
some assistance we will not be
the worse off for it a hundred
years from now.
! / am glad Of one thing; al
though we do not konw the rest