Daniel James Clayton chair - 100 years later

Last month, Sharon Clayton Hood, granddaughter of Albert Anderson Clayton and Martha Welch, came to Itawamba County to meet and visit with some cousins and to see the lands of her ancestors.  Don Clayton, grandson of Albert's brother John Allen Clayton, was kind enough to open his home and serve as host for Sharon along with her husband, my mother (granddaughter of Albert's sister, Queenie Victoria Clayton Davis) and myself.   Above, Don is showing my mother a chair crafted by Daniel James Clayton, who was an uncle to Albert, John Allen, and Queenie and their siblings.

Daniel Clayton died suddenly in 1913, and his obituary in the Itawamba County News reported that "Mr. Clayton was a good citizen ... and he has made hundreds of chairs, quite a number of which will be good for years yet to come."   That prophecy was clearly true as nearly 100 years later, Daniel's chairs are still around.   Don indicated that he had four or five of these chairs made by his great-great uncle.

Itawamba County News
May 4, 1911
Mr. D. J. Clayton, who makes a good white oak chair, and his son, who live near Tilden, were here Monday.