The
fourth child of David Claxton and Rosanna Moore.
Born:
9 Nov 1836 in Bedford Co., TN
Died:
26 Jan 1912 in Cameron, Milam Co., TX
Buried:
Oak Hill Cemetery, Cameron, TX
Married:
Mary Ann Anderson 2 Dec 1855 < Bedford Co., TN>
Born:
11 Apr 1837 in Bedford Co., TN
Died:
26 Nov 1909 in Cameron, Milam Co., TX
Buried:
Oak Hill Cemetery, Cameron, TX
Some
records show the spelling of his name as Jonathan and others
Johnathan, but he was known as John in Milam Co., TX. Many
called him by his nickname “Buck”.
John
married Mary Ann Anderson 2 Dec 1855 based on the following newspaper
article:
The
Thorndale Thorn, Thorndale, Milam Co., TX, Fri., Dec. 8, 1905
50th
Wedding Anniversary - Cameron, Dec. 3rd - Mr. & Mrs. J.
Claxton celebrated their golden wedding at their home in this place
yesterday. It was not largely attended. For years they have lived in
Milam County.
Mary
Ann was the daughter of Joseph Anderson and Lucinda Wilson both born
in NC. Joseph was born 10 May 1805 and died 10 Aug 1873 and was
buried in the Crowell Cemetery in Bedford Co., TN. Lucinda was
born 15 Jan 1809 and died 11 Nov 1891 and was buried in the Pleasant
Valley Cemetery in Bedford Co. Mary was from a family of
four brothers and four sisters.
1.
Lucinda Jane Claxton 1859 - 1930
2.
Mahala A. Claxton 1861 - 1889
3.
Martha Elizabeth Claxton 1865 -
1883
4.
Emma D. Claxton 1867 - 1880
According
to the following obituary, John served in the Civil War:
Dallas Morning News, 27
January 1912, p. 13
Claxton
– Cameron, Tex., Jan. 26 – J. Claxton died suddenly here
this morning, due to infirmity of age and heart failure. He was past
75 years, and has been identified with this county for many years. He
served in the Confederate Army from Tennessee. He was a member of the
Methodist Church and Masonic Lodge and will be buried under auspices
of that Lodge tomorrow afternoon at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Civil
War Records show a J. Claxton-Confederate, 23rd Regiment, Tennessee
Infantry (Martin’s).
John
was the first of David’s children who moved to TX. In
1870 John and his family were living on his farm northwest of
Shelbyville in the 11th Civil District of Bedford Co., TN.
He owned $2000 in real estate and $1200 in personal property.
In 1872 all were living in Milam Co., TX. Land records indicate
that John sold his land in TN in 1872 while living in TX.
According to the Texas census there were only three Claxton families
living in TX in 1880: C. V. Claxton in Hamilton Co., Sarah
Claxton in Ellis Co., and Jonathan Claxton in Milam Co. There
are no known records at this time indicating any relationship between
these families.
John
and Mary kept close ties with both their families in TN.
Because of John and Mary’s financial success in Milam Co.,
several members of the Claxton and Anderson families also moved to
Milam Co. during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Mary’s
niece, Lucinda Jane Anderson, married William H. Claxton, John’s
younger brother. Mahala Anderson, Lucinda Jane’s sister,
moved to Milam Co. in the late 1800s and married Henry Albany Jackson
from TX. Both were buried in the Salem Cemetery in Milam Co.
Two of their three daughters were buried in John and Mary’s
cemetery plot at Oak Hill. Another Anderson niece, Lucinda Ann “Lou”
Orr, lived with John and Mary in Milam Co., in 1900. She married
William Fletcher Crowell from Unionville, Bedford Co., TN. Both
were buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in the Crowell plot next to John
and Mary’s plot. Mary’s nephew, Robert Franklin
Anderson, moved from Bedford Co. to TX with his family in 1904.
They lived in Valley View, Cooke Co., TX. Robert, wife, and
several of their children were buried in the Valley View Cemetery in
Cooke Co. Other members of the Claxton family who moved to
Milam Co. were John’s sister, Martha Ann Claxton Locke, with
her three children, and, two of John’s nephews, James Abram
Claxton and James Abram "Abe" Claxton. One was the
son of William H. and the second was the son of James J. Claxton of
TN.
John
was a very successful farmer and property owner in Milam Co. He was
well known in and around Cameron, TX. John rented his land to
sharecroppers and invested his income in buying additional land.
According to the probate of John’s will dated 14 June 1912, his
estate was inventoried to include 13 farms totaling 1,630 acres, 11
separate lots / blocks (some with houses) in Cameron, TX, 5 lots and
2 blocks in Ben Arnold, TX. His total estate was appraised at
$179,316.00 in 1912.
The
following is part of a letter that Marvin Claxton received from Vera
Claxton, a niece of John living in Cameron, Milam Co:
Dear
Sir:
In
regard to the letter of March 5, 1966, that you wrote to the Chamber
of Commerce at Cameron, Texas I do hereby reply.
The
relative that you spoke of – Jonothan Claxton, that might have
been his name but he was known to his relatives and friends of Milam
County and the city of Cameron as John Claxton. He was born in
Bedford County, Tennessee, November 9, 1836. He died January 26,
1912.
He
was married to Mary Anderson, also of Tennessee. She was born
April 11, 1837 and died November 26, 1909.
I
was a very small girl when Uncle John passed away, about seven years
old. I can still see him sitting in his chair with his long
white beard, he was a big man. He and his wife are buried in
the Oak Hill Cemetery here in Cameron…
They
had one daughter, Lou Claxton. She was married three times.
Her first husband was named Harbans. Second marriage was to a
Mr. Gandy. She had three sons, Johnny Gandy, Harvey Gandy, and
Henry Gandy. All are now deceased. Lou was born August
17, 1869 and died January 20,1930. Her last marriage was to a
Brown.
Letter
courtesy of Marvin Claxton, Descendants of David Claxton
(NOTE:
Lou was born in 1859, not 1869. Her headstone also reflects the wrong
date as 1869. Lou married (1) Gandy, (2) Harbour, and, (3) Brown).
According
to the 1900 Milam Co., TX census, John and Mary had a total of seven
children with only one living as of June 1900. All known
records at the time of this writing show four daughters. Three
children must have died at birth or at a very young age. The
1870 Bedford Co. TN census and the 1880 Milam Co. TX census show only
four daughters, all born in TN, and most likely all in Bedford Co.
Their
four children who lived past childhood:
The
first child of John Claxton and Mary Ann Anderson.
Born:
17 Aug 1859 <Bedford Co., TN>
Died:
20 Jan 1930 in Milam Co., TX
Buried:
Oak Hill Cemetery
Married:(1)
James“Jim” Gandy 8
Jan 1880 in Milam Co.
Born:
1858 in Jasper Co., MS
Died:
Between 1889 and 1900
Buried:
<Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron, Milam Co., TX>
Children: 3
(2)John R. Harbour 15 Oct 1890, Milam Co., TX
Born:
16 Dec 1846 in AL
Died:
4 Jan 1908 in Milam Co
Buried:
North Elm Cemetery in Milam Co., TX
No
children
(3)Sam E. Brown 16 Jul 1912
Born:
About 1871 in OH
Died:
Unknown
Buried:
Unknown
No
children
Jim’s
parents were Nicholas William Gandy from SC and Sarah Kelly from MS.
His parents were buried in the Marak Cemetery in Milam Co. No
record has been found of Jim’s death. It is my belief
that Jim was buried in a Gandy plot next to the John Claxton plot in
the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron without a headstone. Jim and Lou had
three sons who all died in their 30s in 1919, 1920, 1921.
Lou
and Jim’s three children.
1.
John William Gandy 1882 - 1919
2. Henry Hurst Gandy 1883 - 1921
3. James Harvey Gandy 1886 - 1920
(4.1.1)
John William Gandy was born 20 Mar 1882 in Cameron, Milam Co., TX,
and died 6 Jan 1919, Milam Co., at the age of 37. It is my belief that
John was buried in the Gandy plot, without a headstone, next to his
infant son in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron. John married
Stella Parker 16 Sep 1906 in Milam Co. Stella was
born 27 Oct 1891 in TX and died 26 Aug 1982. Stella was from a
family of five sisters and was the daughter of Andrew Jackson Parker
of Montgomery, AL and Hellon Nancy Letterman of Milam Co.
Immediately after John’s death, Stella and their daughter
Hellon, moved to Temple, Bell Co., TX to be near her family.
After several years she married John R. Vaughan. Stella and her
parents were buried in the Little Flock Cemetery east of Temple, TX.
John and Stella had two children.
(4.1.1.1)
Dewey Parker Gandy was born 21 Sep 1907 and died as an infant 21 Apr
1909. He was buried in a Gandy plot near John and Mary Claxton
in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Cameron, TX.
(4.1.1.2)
Hellon Pearl Gandy was born 27 Aug 1911 and died 8 Feb 1988.
Hellon lived with her mother in Temple, TX and later married William
Miller. She was buried in the Little Flock Cemetery, Bell Co,
TX as Hellon Gandy-Miller.
(4.1.2)
Henry Hurst Gandy,
the second child of Lou Claxton and Jim Gandy, was born 16 Oct 1883
and died 15 Oct 1921 in Milam Co. Henry never married and died
of epilepsy at the age 38. He was buried on his birthday (16
Oct) in John and Mary Claxton’s family plot in the Oak Hill
Cemetery in Cameron, TX.
(4.1.3)
James Harvey Gandy
was
born 1 Dec 1886 in Cameron and died 11 Feb 1920 Milam Co., TX at the
age of 34. Harvey married Mary Elizabeth Slaughter 3 Feb 1907
at her parent’s home in Ben Arnold, Milam Co., TX. Mary
was born 26 Aug 1886 in Camp Hill, Tallapoosa Co., AL and died 25 May
1946. Her parents were John Thomas Slaughter and Annie Davis
Henderson from AL. After Harvey’s death, Mary moved to Houston,
Harris Co., TX with her children and never remarried. She died
at her home in Houston and was returned to Cameron to be buried next
to Harvey in the Oak Hill Cemetery. Harvey and Mary had six
known children.
(4.1.3.1)
James Edward Gandy was born 29 Aug 1908 and died 11 Jan 1967 in
Harris Co., TX. Edward was buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in
Cameron, TX.
(4.1.3.2)
Thomas Dwight Gandy was born 7 Sep 1910 and died 26 Jan 2003 in
Tyler, Smith Co., TX. Dwight married Mary Evelyn Whitehurst and
they had at least two known children.
(4.1.3.2.1)
Thomas Dwight Gandy was born 13 Jun 1936 in Harris Co., TX and died 12
Jan 1998 in Jefferson Co., TX.
(4.1.3.2.2)
Sylvia Ann Gandy was born 1 Oct 1940 in Harris Co., TX.
(4.1.3.3)
Christine Gandy was born 11 Sep 1912 and died 25 Nov 1922 at the age
of 10. She was buried in her parent’s plot in the Oak Hill
Cemetery in Cameron, TX.
(4.1.3.4)
Elizabeth Gandy was born 30 May 1916 <Milam Co.> and died 6 Nov
1988. Elizabeth married (1) a Westgate and (2) an
England.
(4.1.3.5)
Fred Harvey Gandy, the fifth child of James Harvey Gandy and Mary
Elizabeth Slaughter, was born 7 Mar 1918 <Milam Co.> and
died 2 Mar 1977 in Houston, Harris Co., TX. Fred’s wife
was Virginia. She was born 19 Sep 1917 and died 29 Dec 1972.
Fred and Virginia were buried in the Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in
Houston, TX. They had one known daughter.
(4.1.3.5.1)
Peggy Gandy
(4.1.3.6)
George Vanzant Gandy was born 28 Dec 1919 in Cameron, Milam Co., TX
and died 14 Apr 1985 in Houston, Harris Co., TX. George married Louise
Lillian Hajl about 1946. Louise was born 6 Apr 1925 in Caldwell, TX
and died 2 Jun 2007 in Austin, TX. George was in the Army during WWII; retired from the Houston Police Department after 30 years; and,
was a bank security guard in Houston for ten years. George and
Louise were buried in the Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in
Houston. They had two sons.
(4.1.3.6.1)
George Vanzant Gandy, Jr. was born 5 Jun 1947 in Harris Co., TX and
died 21 Dec 2004 in Houston, Harris Co., TX. George was a SP5 in
the US Army Vietnam. He was buried in the Forest Park West
Cemetery in Houston.
(4.1.3.6.2)
Gary Wayne Gandy was born 5 Jul 1952 in Harris Co., TX. Gary
married Debra Fritsche 14 May 1977 in Harris Co.
Lou
Claxton married (2) John R. Harbour in 1890 in Milam Co who died in
1908 of Bright’s disease. This was also a second marriage
for John who was first married to Margaret Fuller in Perry Co., AL 3
Jul 1866. He was buried next to Margaret in the North Elm
cemetery in Milam Co., TX. John served in the CSA, Co K, 8th
AL Inf. during the Civil War. In June 1900, John and Lou were
living on Belton Rd. in Cameron, TX and John was a carpenter.
There were no children from their marriage.
After
the death of John Harbour, Lou married (3) Sam E. Brown on 16 Jul
1912 in Milam Co., TX. Sam was born about 1871 in Ohio. On
29 Jan 1920 Sam, Lou, and her son Henry Gandy were living on the
Cameron and Ben Arnold Rds. in Milam Co. As of Apr 1930, after the
death of Lou and her son Henry, Sam was living as a boarder in a home
on Rockdale Rd. near Cameron and was unemployed.
(4.2)
Mahala A. “Haley” Claxton [Sibling List]
The
second child of John Claxton and Mary Ann Anderson.
Born:
24 Jan 1861 in <Bedford Co., TN>
Died:
18 Oct 1889 most likely in Milam Co., TX
Buried:
Marlow Cemetery in Milam Co., TX
Married:
Henry Hurst 2 Dec 1879
Born:
Aug 1849 in Germany/Prussia
Died:
1927 in <Milam Co., TX>
Buried:
Oak Hill Cemetery, Cameron, Milam Co., TX
Haley
married Henry at the age of 18 and died at the age of 28. There
have been no records found showing children from this marriage. On
the 1880 Milam Co. census, Haley and Henry were living with John and
Mary Claxton. Henry was shown on the 1900, 1910, and 1920 Milam Co.
census records with his second wife, Julia Lee, and there was no
mention of children. He was buried next to Julia in the Oak
Hill cemetery in Cameron.
(4.3)
Martha
Elizabeth “Mattie” Claxton [Sibling List]
The
third child of John Claxton and Mary Ann Anderson.
Born:
25 May 1864 in <Bedford Co., TN>
Died:
15 Mar 1883 in <Milam Co., TX>
Buried:
Marlow Cemetery, Milam Co., TX
Married:
R. H. Vanter on 6 Sep 1882, Milam Co., TX
Mattie
died at the age of 17, six months and nine days after her marriage.
No other information has been found on Mattie’s husband.
(4.4)
Emma
D. Claxton [Sibling List]
The
fourth child of John Claxton and Mary Ann Anderson.
Born:
29 Jul 1867 in <Bedford Co., TN>
Died:
29 Nov 1880 in Milam Co., TX at the age of 13
Buried:
Marlow Cemetery, Milam Co., TX
Very
little information has been found on John and Mary Claxton’s
last three daughters other than marriage records. Their graves
were found by accident while I was searching for a headstone for E.
D. Claxon in a small, remote cemetery named Marlow about five miles
east of Cameron. The three sisters were buried side by side with
matching flagstone markers with their dates.
Dallas
Morning News, Dallas, Dallas Co., TX
Houston
Chronicle, Houston, Harris Co., TX
The
Thorndale Thorn, Thorndale, Milam Co., TX
Bedford
Co., TN Census Records
Beeman,
Craig (Anderson Family)
Bell
Co., TX Census Records
Cameron
Daily Herald, Cameron, Milam Co., TX
Cemetery
Markers
Cemetery
Records of Bedford County Tennessee,
1985, Helen & Timothy Marsh
Cemetery
Records, Cooke Co., TX
Clark,
J.C. (Slaughter Family)
Descendants
of David Claxton
by
Marvin Claxton
Falls
Co., TX Census Records
Harris
Co., TX Census Records
Hickman
Co., TN Census Records
Milam
Co., TX Census Records
Milam
Co., TX Court Records
Obituaries
Texas
Birth
Records
Texas
Death
Index
Texas
Marriage
Records
Thomison,
Corine (Parker Family)
WWI Draft Registration Cards
Jonathan "John" Claxton, Cameron, Milam Co., TX. Photo identified by
Mary Rider (g'daughter of James Abram Claxton).
Photo
from Eugenia Campbell Claxton's family album.
John's
home in Milam Co., TX. Henry Gandy, Mary Ann (sitting),
and "Lou".
Photo
from Eugenia Campbell Claxton's family album.
Written
on the back of the photo of John and Mary Ann's home:
|
"To
Mrs. Eugenia Claxton, Genia this is the best your Aunt can
do. I have not got any of our family groups. I will
send you one of Johnnies picture and Harveys. I am proud of
the groups you send to me. They are nice and intelligent
looking children. You ask about Nannie's post office.
I don't know. It used to be Palmetto. Johnathan is
sick in bed has high fever. I am not well but keep up.
You come see me when you come to Cameron. Give my best
respects to Mrs. Campbell. Write Sometimes -
Your
Aunt Mary Claxton Here is Henry and Lou Ann picture
with me."
|
Gandy,
is on the left. The curbed plot in the background is the Gandy plot.
The plot on
the
left is the William Fletcher Crowell family from Unionville, Bedford
Co., TN.
Photos:
B. Brittain
Oak
Hill Cemetery, Cameron, Milam Co., TX - Jonathan &
Mary Ann Claxton
of
birth is incorrect. Actual date is 1859. Photo: B.
Brittain
TX
Death Records show Oct 15, 1921. Photo: B. Brittain
Marlow Cemetery, Cameron, Milam Co., TX
Daughters
of Jonathan "John" and Mary Ann Claxton. Mahala
"Haley", Martha "Mattie", and Emma Claxton.
Photos: B. Brittain
Jim
and Lou Gandy's 3rd son, James Harvey and wife Mary Elizabeth
Slaughter.
Oak
Hill Cemetery, Cameron, Milam Co., TX. Photo by: Brad Brittain