Part of an old map of the San Jacinto area from the Texas Revolution

Veteran Bio

Texian Location:  Participant

The Kemp Sketch

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CLAYTON, JOSEPH ALVEY -- Born in Marshall County, Tennessee December 30, 1817 and came to Texas early in the year 1835. He was issued Bounty Certificate No. 376 for 1280 acres of land November 17, 1837 for having served in the army from March 2, 1836 to October 31, 1837. He was a member of Captain Amasa Turner's company at San Jacinto but the Land Office records do not show that he applied for the land due him for having participated in the battle. After the revolution Mr. Clayton returned to Tennessee to live and there on June 21, 1847 was married to Amanda Poole. Shortly afterwards Mr. Clayton returned to Texas with his bride and settled in Washington County. In 1852 they moved to Navarro County.

Mr. Clayton was in the Mexican War and participated in the battle of Chapultepec. He was also in the Civil War in the Confederate army. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Chatfield and was a Baptist.

Mr. Clayton had the misfortune to lose an arm, having it jerked off by a thrashing machine. Mrs. Clayton was seriously ill at the time and the news of the accident hastened her death. She was born in Tennessee, April 20, 1831 and died July 29, 1873. Mr. Clayton died August 1, 1873 unconscious of the death of his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Clayton are buried in the cemetery at Chatfield, Navarro County.

Children of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton were Ida C., who married James T. Forston; Mary E., who married Fletcher Bachman; Mitchell Steele, who married Georgia Panniel; Joseph H., who married Annie May Lisman; Albert Harvey, who married Mattie Williamson; Dixie Rena, who married J. M. Reid; James Roger, who was never married and Jennie Poole Clayton, who married Dr. W. E. Brown.

CLAYTON, JOSEPH ALVEY -- Born in Marshall County, Tennessee, December 30, 1817, and emigrated to Texas early in the year 1835. He received Bounty Certificate No. 4568 for 1280 acres of land for serving in the army from March 2, 1836 to October 31, 1837. He was a member of Captain Amasa Turner's Company of regulars but served in Captain Isaac N. Moreland's Company of artillery at San Jacinto. He did not apply for the 640 acres of land due him for having participated in the battle.

After the revolution, Mr. Clayton returned to Tennessee to live and there on June 21, 1847 was married to Amanda Poole, a lady much younger than himself, she being born in Tennessee December 20, 1831. They moved to Texas that year and located near Washington where they resided until 1852 when they removed to Navarro County. Mr. Clayton served in the Mexican War, Battle of Chapultepec and was a soldier in Confederate Army in the Civil War.

To Mr. and Mrs. Clayton were born eight children, Ida C., Mary E., Mitchell Steele, Joseph H., Albert Hervey, Dixie Rena, James Roger and Jennie Poole.

Mr. Clayton had an arm jerked off by a threshing machine on his farm. His wife was ill at the time and the news of the accident hastened her death. She passed away July 29, 1873. Mr. Clayton after being injured was taken to a neighbor's house for treatment and due to his serious condition was not told of the death of his wife. He died August 1, 1873 on the day his wife was buried. They were interred in the cemetery at Chatfield, Navarro County. Mr. Clayton was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Chadfield, Texas.



Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.


Battle Statistics

  • Died in Battle: No
  • Rank: Private
  • Company: Capt. Isaac N. Moreland

Personal Statistics

  • Date of Birth: 1817 Dec 30
  • Birthplace: Tennessee, Marshall County
  • Origin: Tennessee
  • Came to Texas: 1835
  • Date of Death: 1873 Aug 1
  • Burial Place: Chatfield, Navarro Co., Texas
  • Comments: U.S.-Mexican War; Civil War, Confederate Army
  • Bounty Certificate: 376
  • Wife: Amanda Poole
  • Children: Ida C. Clayton Forston; Mary E. Clayton Bachman; Mitchell Steele Clayton; Joseph H. Clayton; Albert Harvey Clayton; Dixie Rena Clayton Reid; James Roger Clayton; Jennie Poole Clayton Brown