Biographical Sketch

Harry D. Carl as a young man.

Harry D. Carl Williams Claybourn was born on 27 May 1888 in Kinmundy, Illinois. He married on 30 June 1914, to Esther Victorine Slankard (born 11 June 1897). The two lived in Mt. Vernon, Springfield and Benton, cities in Illinois, as well as at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Esther died on 5 May 1937, and Harry died roughly four years later on 20 July 1941. The couple had seven children, listed below.

Pedigree Chart

						Ephraim Claybourn 1788 - 1850
				William Divine Claybourn 1819 - 1876
						Mary "Polly" Browning 1792 - 1874
		Reuben Cicero Claybourn 1854 - 1921
						Reuben Hawker b. 1794
				Frances Alla Hawker 1820 - 1863
						Nancy Hawker b. 1796
Harry D. C. W. Claybourn 1888 - 1941
				Rev. James Jackson Williams
		Mary Ann Eldorado Williams 1857 - 1914
				Sophronia Jane Bryant

Descendants

1. Carol Louise Claybourn Senior H.S. Picture

   Oliver Carl Claybourn was born on 17 April 1915 and lived in Columbus, Georgia. He died in 1963. Oliver married Crystell Keen and the pair had two children:

   1. Carol Louise Claybourn was born on 13 August 1945. She graduated from Fort Myers High School in Florida on 2 June 1964. She later married and lived in Ft. Myers, Florida.

   2. Robert Carl Claybourn was born on 21 December 1946. Like his sister, he lived for a time in Ft. Myers, Florida, but may have moved to Phoenix City, Alabama to learn the sheet metal trade.

2. Esther Eugenia Claybourn was born 7 August 1916. She was in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. She married (1st) Moran Pierce and married (2nd) Lynn A. Peggy. They had one child:

   1. Denise Lynn Claybourn was born on 6 March 1949. She married, lived in Denver, and had two children.

3. Juanita Ann Claybourn was born on 28 April 1918, and married (1st) to Jeptha Cecil Tripplett. They lived on South Talman in Chicago, Illinois, and had four children:

   1. Shirley Ann Tripplett was born on 10 March 1935 and died in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois.

   2. Jeptha Cecil Tripplet, Jr., ("J.C.") was born on 18 May 1936 and may have lived in Virginia for a time. J.C. married a pharmacist.

   3. Barbara Glendora Tripplett was born on 13 January 1941. She died in McHenry, Illinois in 1957.

   4. Harry Ross Tripplett was born on 3 May 1942 and married and lived in the Los Angeles area. Harry managed a Firestone tire center.

   Juanita Ann married (2nd) Walter Scott Wilkes and the two lived for a time at 808 Southgate, McHenry, Illinois. They had two children:

   5. Alan (or Allen) Scott Wilkes was born on 10 June 1950 and later married and had two children. He worked as a telephone repair man and lived in the Chicago area.

   6. Ann Marie Wilkes was born on 30 June 1954. She married and had two children, and lived in McHenry, Illinois.

4. Victor Noel Claybourn was born 28 August 1919, in Springfield, Illinois. He was a T/Sgt. in the R.A.A.F. in World War II. Victor died on 10 March 1983 and is buried in the Los Angeles National Cemetery. He married (1st) Ruth Martines but they divorced. He married (2nd) on 2 July 1941, to Dorothy Mae Clark (born 2 May 1920 in Janesville, Wisconsin). They had one child:

   1. Victor Noel Claybourn, Jr. was born on 11 May 1942 and died in 1983.

   He married (3rd) to Rose Schavio and they had two children:

   2. Ronald Vance Claybourn was born in April of 1948. He obtained a degree in oceanography from the University of Washington and worked at Lawrence Labs in Livermore, California.

   3. Kathleen Ann Claybourn

5. Lois Bea Claybourn was born 7 August 1920 and married on 9 October 1938, to Claude R. Henry (born 8 August 1918). Claude graduated from the University of New Mexico and the two lived on Garden Park Drive in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lois died in 1965 of cancer. They had two children:

   1. Richard Lee Henry "Chip" was born on 24 November 1939. He married and had at least one child. Chip worked as a dentist in Denver, Colorado.

   2. Janice Darlene Henry ("Jan") was born in 1942 and married Patrick Sheppard, a Navy Captain. Jan and Patrick had at least one child and lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

6. Charles Vance Claybourn was born on 10 November 1921 in Chatham, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was an electrician's mate, 3rd class. He was taken prisoner on Corregidor Island in the Philippines during World War II in 1942. He took part in the famous Bataan Death March and was held at Davao Penal Colony #502. Those who survived endured torture, beatings, forced labor, illness and near starvation. Charles, along with 750 others from the Davao camp, were marched shoeless onto a ship called the Shinyo Maru and placed in its holds. The Allies intercepted a message about the ship and, thinking it was carrying enemy soldiers, fired torpedoes on it. Only 83 survived the blast, and Charles was one of five who escaped by swimming to an island where they were later picked up by an American submarine. He received the Distinguished Service Cross and two Oak Leaf Clusters for his service.

   The Saturday Evening Post carried a short squib about him written by Lt. Gail M. Raphael. After the survivors reached Brisbane, Australia, they discovered they had two years back pay coming to them and felt a lively urge to throw a party. Thirty five Americans, joined by several Yanks and Aussies convalescing in the area, decided to spend their unexpected wealth on a real celebration. The story goes on:

   "But their plan hit an early snag. - - No place could be found in which to stage it. Party-wise hotel managers shook their heads sadly. No space available for such a gathering, they said, no space at all. The war, you know.

   "And then one night shortly before their departure, they got a break. They met a stranger who didn't merely manage a hotel, he owned one. Furhtermore, he was anxious to sell it. The price was 900 pounds, or about $3600. Divided among more than 40 boys, less than $90 each.

   "So they bought the hotel, and the party lasted for three nights and two days. On the morning of the third day, the boys emerged, tired and triumphant, but a little puzzled as to what to do with their hotel now.

   "They were standing in front of it in a group when a very pretty blonde started up the block in their direction. They looked at her, then at one another, then nodded solemnly.

   "As she came up to them, the first man's arms closed around her. He planted a resounding kiss on her cheeck and passed her on to the next. One by one, before she could protest, each man gave her a similar token of admiration. And when they were all through, THEY GAVE HER THE HOTEL."

   Charles married Genevieve Martin (5 June 1924 - Feb. 1992), daughter of F. Kendrick Martin of Philadelphia. After the war Charles and Genevieve settled in Kingsport, Tennessee. Charles was a sales manager of a factory which manufactured one-way opaque glass. Genevieve was a Storekeeper in the WAVES. Charles died 15 November 1986, and Genevieve passed away on 13 February 1992. Both are buried at Beaufort National Cemetery in South Carolina. Together they had at least five children:

   1. Charles Lance Claybourn ("Toddy") was born in 1946 and served as a senior personnel man in the U.S. Navy. He married (1st) Mary Waters. They had one child:
      1. Jason Claybourn, born 1969
      Toddy married (2nd) Delores Trostle, a chief Yoeman in the U.S. Navy. They had twins:
      2. Charles William Claybourn, born 1 November 1982
      3. Stephanie Claybourn, born 1 November 1982

   2. Suzanne Marie Claybourn (called "Penny") married (1st) George Hutchinson in 1964. They had one child:
      1. Steven Lynn Hutchinson, born in 1970
      Suzanne married (2nd) Edward Upp in 1975. He was a glass pattern and mold maker. She and Edward had one child:
      2. Jeramiah David Upp, born 1977

   3. Steven Lynn Claybourn was born in 1949 and worked with a telecommunications company before forming Masea Motorsports LLC in 2002.
      1. Andrew Claybourn, born 22 July 1991
      2. Hannah Claybourn, born 7 December 1993

   4. David Mark Claybourn was born in 1950 and worked as a quality assurance engineer, specializing in nuclear fuel and fossil power plants. He lived in Palacios, Texas.

   5. Ann Michelle Claybourn married Wayne Scott, a warehouse foreman. They had three children:
      1. Jessica Laurel Scott was born in 1977 in Lancaster, Ohio.
      2. Amanda Scott was born in 1982.
      3. Shannon Scott was born in 1984.

7. Verner Claybourn ("Little Vern") was born on 1 January 1923. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard in World War II and was later Ship's Officer for the Texas Oil Company. He settled in Port Arthur, Texas, and married on 29 November 1950 to Reba Mae Suire. They had two children:

   1. Vicki Sue Claybourn, born 8 February 1954

   2. Sally Ann Claybourn, born 16 January 1958