Author Archives: CharlieClaywell

About CharlieClaywell

I have been a writer for years, mainly as a reporter, but I have always enjoyed history, especially non-mainstream stories buried inside old documents. My blog mostly centers around those stories. On occasion, though, I deviate and talk about my dog, vintage toys and what it's like to be middle-aged.

How One Decision My Dad Made Changed My Life

Posted on September 22, 2015 by CharlieClaywell

My earliest memories of my father (who would have been 84 today) are when I was four. We had moved in with his parents after his father, Charlie L. suffered a stroke. Mom went to work at a shirt factory in nearby Clinton County, Kentucky while Dad stayed home to ‘run the house’ for his parents.

In my first memory, I am sitting in the grass while Dad hoed in the small garden at the foot of the hill. All of the sudden, Dad said, “Don’t move.” He then proceeded to kill a copperhead snake slithering in the grass near me. I remember Dad showing off his kill to his sister, Anna, who lived a mile or so away and there was even talk of getting a photograph with the local newspaper. Oddly, enough, I do not remember seeing the snake — so I have no idea if it was photo worthy.

The second memory of my father is not as flattering.

It occurred around the same time and took place inside his mother’s kitchen. In this memory, my father is pouring each of his three children (my youngest sister had not been born yet) a shot of alcohol. Since I was four, my older brother and sister were 8 and 6, respectively.

I remember the incident well because of his mother’s reaction — her anger and irritation as she told her son not to give us the drink.

“Ah, it won’t hurt ’em,” Dad said.

Alcohol was a big part of my father’s life then, but it did not start out that way. In his early 20s, Dad volunteered to serve in the Korean War. When he left home, he was a well-respected, likeable young man who had never drank alcohol. Something he experienced during his war service dramatically changed him and when he returned home a few years later, he — by his own admission — drank too much.

And by the time I took that drink as a four-year-old boy, my father had been arrested for public intoxication, driving under the influence, been questioned about receiving stolen property — and had spent more than one night in the Cumberland County jail. In the years leading up to my birth his drinking escalated to the point that it almost destroyed his marriage.

But within a year of my first drink, my father had quit drinking altogether. It took the death of a co-worker and the near-death of a drinking buddy to change Dad’s life view. Of course, I was too young to understand the implications of his decision, but it changed the direction of my life — being the son of a former heavy drinker is vastly different than being the son of a heavy drinker.

It was the greatest gift he ever gave me.

Categories: Family History | Tags: alcohol, alcoholism, drinking, father, memories, parenting, personal essay, son

Claywell Woman Celebrates 100th Birthday

Posted on September 17, 2015 by CharlieClaywell

“She has lived an unusually long and useful life and has battled against many difficulties, winning over them all.” — words written about Sarah Vincent Claywell at the time of her death.

I’ve decided to write more posts about my lineage — and some of the posts will include distant relatives — like this one about Sarah Vincent Claywell. When Sarah passed away at the age of 100 in Mexico, Missouri on December 15, 1919, she was Audrain County’s oldest resident and had outlived seven of her children (one died as an infant). A few newspapers also stated Sarah was the oldest resident in the state of Missouri.

Near the end of her life, Sarah became something of a minor celebrity in the Mexico, Missouri region. Newspapers would run tidbits about “Grandma Claywell” reporting on both her 99th and 100th birthdays. Some of the reports would be minor events — like how she was “strong and well,” and visiting a grandson. But others were more detailed — like when Mrs. A. H. Barnes, of Winchester, Illinois wrote Sarah a letter after reading about Sarah’s 100th birthday.

Barnes knew her mother was a Claywell, but Mrs. Barnes did not know if she was related to Sarah. When Sarah received the letter, she figured out that Mrs. Barnes’ mother was the daughter of Job Claywell, from Cumberland County, Kentucky. Job was the half-brother of Milton — Sarah’s husband. This meant Mrs. Barnes was Sarah’s great-niece.

From Kentucky to Missouri

Sarah was a widow when she moved from Cumberland County to Missouri in 1888 with her nine of her children. Her husband, Milton H. Claywell, died of fever in 1864 after serving in the Union Army.

According to the December 18, 1919 Mexico Weekly Ledger announcing her death (it was a front page story), Sarah was buried at Thompson Cemetery where a sister, daughter and son were also buried. At the time of her death her oldest surviving child, Elijah, was 80.

Military Tradition

Three of Sarah’s grandsons, as well as Elijah, served in the military during war time. Elijah fought during the Civil War in the same unit as his father. One of Sarah’s grandchildren, Joe Claywell, fought in the Spanish-American War. Two others served in WWI: Lee Roe, of Mexico, MO and Tom McGraw of Centralia. Lee was in the U.S. Army while Tom was a member of the Canadian military — who accepted Tom after his offer to serve in the U.S. Army was denied.

Two-For-One Party

Although hitting the century mark should ensure a person their own party, Sarah actually shared her big day with her grandson Lee. Lee had recently returned from fighting in France. About 45 people attended the party and during the celebration Rev. John S. Jesse gave a “glowing tribute” of Sarah and her life — and photos were taken.

Living Off A Military Pension

As the article closes, it discusses the military widow pension Sarah started receiving in 1863 (when Milton was dismissed from the Army for illness — he died in Feb. 1864). In 1863, her pension was $8 a month, but at the time of her 100th birthday it was $25.

Sarah passed away at her daughter’s home — Mrs. Mary Jane Roe. Mary Jane, 64, was her second youngest child. Sarah’s youngest son, James Claywell, 68, lived nearby.

Elijah, though, had moved back to Kentucky.

Her Will

Despite her somewhat limited income, Sarah left behind more than one hundred dollars to be divvied out among children and grandchildren. The Mexico Ledger reports on the settling of Sarah’s estate:

She wills that after her just debts and funeral expenses are paid $1 be given her sons James and Elijah Claywell, both of whom have heretofore received more from her than her other children.
To her daughter Mrs. Martha Johnson she leaves $50, and to the children of her deceased daughter, Mrs. Belle Curry, she wills the following amounts: Nora Curry, $20, Cora Curry, $25, Sanford Curry $1, and James Curry $1. Provision is made that, should either of these granddaughters be dead the other receive both shares.
Mrs. Claywell wills that $1 be given to each of the following grandchildren, who are children of her deceased son, Joseph Claywell: Joseph II, Clauddus, Columbus and Sallie E. Claywell.
To her daughter, Mrs. Mary Jane Roe, she leaves the remainder of her estate, this daughter having taken tare of her in the last years of her life. After Mrs. Roe’s death the amount willed her shall be divided among her children.

1860 Census

The 1860 Census records the family unit before Milton dies:

Milton H Claywell, 41 years of age
Sarah Claywell, 41
Margret O Claywell, 19
Elijah Claywell, 18
Martha Claywell, 16
Nancy Claywell, 12
Sarah D Claywell. 19 (it says 19, but probably 9)
John J C Claywell, 6
James A Claywell, 4
Jane Claywell, 3
America W Claywell, 2 (their youngest daughter)

The family lived in Cumberland County and everyone was born in Kentucky.

Click on the links above to view the gravesite of each family member.

Military Records

Milton H. Claywell, Co. D – 5th KY Cavalry
Elijah W. Claywell, Co. D – 5th KY Cavalry

Connection to Me

Milton H. Claywell is the son of Shadrach Claywell Jr. and the brother of John Anderson Claywell. John Anderson is my great-great-great-grandfather. If you use the cousin calculator, that would make Milton my 3rd Great Grand Uncle.

Milton’s Lineage	My Lineage
Shadrach Claywell	Shadrach Claywell
Shadrach Claywell Jr.	Shadrach Claywell Jr.
Milton H. Claywell	John Anderson Claywell
	Ed Claywell
	Joe Lee Claywell
	Charlie L. Claywell
	Billy D. Claywell
	Me

Categories: American History, Civil War History, Family History

Did President Bush’s Grandpa Steals Geronomo’s Skull?

Posted on September 10, 2015 by CharlieClaywell

geronimo If you have ever watched any conspiracy or unexplained history shows, you have undoubtedly comes across stories about the secret society at Yale University — Skull and Bones. The society has been linked to numerous political figures, for example in the modern era, George W. Bush and John Kerry.

Although the story of the Skull and Bones society is interesting enough in and of itself, I only relay that as background information about the story of the missing skull of famous Native American Geronimo.

In 2007 ABC News reported on what allegedly took place.

The oft-told tale is that (George W.) Bush’s grandfather, Prescott Bush, and some of his buddies at Yale, dug up the grave of Apache chief Geronimo, removing his skull and femur and placing them in a glass case in the lobby of the Tomb, the headquarters of the university’s notorious Skull and Bones society back in 1917.

In 2009, descendants of Geronimo filed a lawsuit in federal court suing, the society, Yale University and the federal government. The article noted that the discovery of a letter from a club member describing the theft lent credibility of the allegations. But, Federal Judge Richard Roberts dismissed the lawsuit the following year, in 2010. The case was dismissed on some technicalities like — the government had not waived its right to be sued the lawsuit was built around a 2009 law which the judge said did not apply to the situation.

The 2009 law prohibits the desecration of Native American graves and remains. The judge dismissed the suit because before 2009 — it was not illegal to desecrate the graves or remains of Native Americans.

Learn More

For a list of modern atrocities committed against Native Americans read 10 Atrocities Committed Against Native Americans In Recent History. Geronimo’s missing skull ranks 3rd.