James Thompson Clayborn
Sixth Child and Youngest Son of Ephraim Claybourn
19 May 1822 - 5 May 1900

James Thompson Clayborn was born on 19 May 1822 in Knoxville, Tennessee [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959). Subsequent census data would seem to confirm this date.]. When James was still a young child of about three years old (c. 1825), his family moved to DeKalb County, Tennessee and lived two or three miles from the log cabin village of Liberty, Tennesee. At the age of twenty-one, on 21 December 1843, James married Melinda K. Scott, who was born on 17 August 1827 [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959). Subsequent census data would seem to confirm this date. ]. Roughly twenty years later James' parents left Liberty for Kentucky, but James stayed in the area and settled in on the farm his parents had owned.

James, Melinda and four of their children - Mary E. (5 yrs old), Martha M. (4 yrs old), Sarah F. (2 yrs old), and John (0.5 years old) - are all listed in the 1850 census, with James indicating farming as his occupation [1850 U.S. Census. District 11, Dekalb, Tennessee; National Archives and Records Administration, Roll: M432_876; Page: 22; Image: 172. ]. The following census in 1860, taken as hostilities between the North and South escalated, shows that James and Melinda's family continued to grow [1860 U.S. Census. District 11, De Kalb, Tennessee; National Archives and Records Administration, Roll: M653_1247; Page: 167; Image: 337.]. Nine of their oldest children are included with them in this census: Mary E. (16 yrs old) Martha M. (14 yrs old), Sarah F. (12 yrs old), John B. (10 yrs old), Ephraim (9 yrs old), Phebe (7 yrs old), Luticia (6 yrs old), William H. (4 yrs old) and James (2 yrs old). James T. is listed as a farmer with real estate valued at $500 and a personal estate valued at $400.

The tombstone for "James T. Claybourn" (left) and his wife "Belinda Claybourn" (right) in Dismal Cemetery in Liberty, Tennessee.

It is worth noting that James and Melinda each indicated in both the 1850 and 1860 census that neither of them could read or write, and in the 1870 census James indicated he could read but not write. This may help explain a number of variations in the spelling of this branch's name. In most of the census records the family's name is spelled "Clayborn", and that is also how most of James and Melinda's descendants spelled the surname. Yet on their tombstone James and Melinda used the spelling of "Claybourn", and Melinda's name is spelled "Belinda". Nevertheless, because "Melinda" and "Clayborn" appear to be the most commonly used and accepted spelling during and after their lifetime, that is the primary spelling used in this biographical sketch.

The American Civil War affected virtually every family in the country, and James was not immune. As a southerner James would be expected to join the Confederate cause, just as the family of his brother John B. Claiborne of Arkansas had done. On the other hand, his other brother William Divine Claybourn of Illinois ardently supported the Union and fought to keep it intact, as did William's children.

James faced a tough choice, and in spite of his southern location, he appears to have sided with the Union. In 1936 researcher Harriette Threlked visited Nancy Johnson, the youngest child of James. Nancy showed Harriette a certificate signed by J. A. Jusan, M.D., certifying that he had examined James and found him unable to perform militia duty because of "hemroids" (sic), signed 16 December 1861 [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959).]. William Divine once told Harriette that James was "loyal to the Union," so one could speculate that James might have concocted medical problems to avoid fighting for the Confederacy. Either way, James did not fight in the conflict.

Perhaps the most poignant evidence of James' sympathies is that in 1863, at the height of the War, he chose to name his newborn son Abraham Lincoln Clayborn after the famous president leading the Union. Taken together, the evidence strongly suggests that James supported the Union in the conflict and purposefully avoided fighting for the Confederacy.

After the War James appears to have settled into a relatively normal existence on his Tennessee farm. The family is listed in the 1870 census with nine children still living at home John B. (20 yrs old), Ephraim (18 yrs old), Pheba A. (16 yrs old). Lutitia (14 yrs old), William H. (13 yrs old), Thomas F. (12 yrs old), Malinda C. (10 yrs old), Lincoln (10 yrs old), and Nancy J. (3 yrs old) [1870 U.S. Census. District 2, Dekalb, Tennessee; National Archives and Records Administration, Roll: M593_1524; Page: 122; Image: 245.]. James is once again listed as a farmer and Melinda "keeps house." Their real estate in 1870 is valued at $800 and the personal estate at $1500. Ten years later in the 1880 census just five children were still living in the house with James and Melinda: Lutitia (24 yrs old), William H. (22 yrs old). Thomas B. (19 yrs old), Nancy J. (16 yrs old), Abraham Lincoln (17 yrs old) [1880 U.S. Census. Liberty, De Kalb, Tennessee; Roll: T9_1252; Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Family History Film: 1255252; Page: 124.4000; Enumeration District: 27.].

Life was not entirely idyllic, however, because from 1879 to 1885 James T. and his eldest son, John Branchford, were involved in a legal dispute before the DeKalb County Chancery Court [DeKalb County Chancery Court Rule Docket Page 160, Entry # 1322. Available online at http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/WILDER-SOUTH/2004-07/1090620060.]. The two were sued by several members of the Wilder family because James and John had apparently fallen behind on payments under a note for land. The Court ruled that title in the land was to vest in the heirs of the Wilder family. However the Wilder heirs could not divide the land among themselves satisfactorily, so it was sold to J. W. Scott and his son E.Y. Scott.

During Harriette's visit to the family farm in Liberty in 1936 it was owned by "Peps" Johnson, the brother-in-law of Nancy Johnson, James' youngest daughter. Nancy was the only one of his children living at the time. Harriette reports: "She was a neat, tiny little lady 69 years of age. We spent the afternoon visiting with her and her son's family on his farm about two miles southwest of Ephraim's farm. We went through Dismal from Liberty to reach this place" [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959).]. She goes on:

We examined James T. Clayborn's family Bible and copied the birth dates of his family from it. We saw his large framed photograph, and he bore a striking resemblance to the photo of his brother William Divine Claybourn. "Aunt Nan," as she was called, answered instantly that her grandfather was Ephraim Claybourn, but when asked her great grandfather's name, she couldn't recall it. When asked if it were Joshua, she brightened up, as if remembering, and said, "Yes, that's it." She had learned of a William Hawker, near Liberty, when asked if any Hawkers lived there then.

I also examined two old letters in her possession. She later lent them to me to copy. One was written by James and Martha (Claybourn) Lones from Allen County, Kentucky, to James T. Clayborn and wife "Malinda" and began, "Dear Brother and Sister." "Mother" was referred to, and they wrote, "We haven't had no letter from Billy or Taylor since Mother got home." The date was not clear but looked like 1870, so we wonder whether it refers to Polly's visit to Illinois after the Civil War and the "Billy" is William Divine, as that is what he was called. The Taylor is no doubt Taylor Bennett, a brother-in-law. However, the letter continues, "Father is no better. Mother has a very bad spell of fever though I think she is on the mend." The father and mother referred to could be the Lones side, for if the date is 1870, Ephraim had long been gone. [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959).].

The letter continued, "Tell Ephraim [this would be Martha's nephew] that he is certain of my prayers though he must put his whole trust in his Maker. He must not depend on a poor speckled worm of the earth like I am. - - He must put his whole trust in God. I am very sorry for you being in such trouble about your children" [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959).]. If 1870 is the correct date, the nephew Ephraim was then 28 years old and as shown below, lost his first three children. Harriette goes on:

The other letter was really an undated fragment and so worn along the edges that many words could not be made out, but it was written by Polly Claybourn to her son James. She was visiting somewhere and wanted to know when James could come for her.

She wrote, "I want to go home and I want to (know) when you think (you can) come. I could come on the train but I don't want to . . . without (someone) to take care of me." It is signed, "I remain your affectionate Mother until death. Rite soon. Polly Claybourn." [Claybourn, Verner M., and Harriette Pinnell Threlkeld. The Claybourn Family (A-1 Business Service, 1959).]

James died on 5 May 1900 in Liberty, DeKalb County, Tennessee and is buried in Dismal Cemetery in Liberty. Melinda died on 5 November 1907 and is also buried in Dismal Cemetery.

Pedigree Chart

				Joshua Clyburn 1758 - 1799
		Ephraim Claybourn 1788 - 1850
				Sarah
James Thompson Claybourn 1822 - 1900
		Mary "Polly" Browning 1792 - 1874
				Sally Browning

Descendants

The following records were taken from the family Bible, from correspondence with James' descendants in 1936, 1970 and 1985, and from cross-referenced data available on Rootsweb.com. James and Melinda's children follow:

1. Mary E. Clayborn was born on 12 October 1844. She married Littleton Vanatta, who was born in 1836.
1. Samuel
2. John
3. Thomas
4. James Vanatta - resided in Alexandria, Tennessee
5. Mary (Bain) - resided in Smithville, Tennessee
6. Mattie Vanatta
2. Martha M. Clayborn was born on 18 April 1846 and died on 1 August 1865.
3. Sarah F. Clayborn was born on 7 September 1847. She married William O. Neal on 3 July 1867 in DeKalb County.
1. Abraham Lincoln Neal was born on 20 December 1862 and died on 7 November 1882
2. Frances (Driver)
3. Harriett (Hale) - resided in Smithville, Tennessee
4. James Neal - resided in Liberty, Tennessee
5. Ephriam Neal - resided in Alexandria, Tennessee
6. Three other children who died when small
4. John Branchford Clayborn (click name for separate biographical sketch) was born on 3 November 1849 and died on 23 May 1932. He married twice and had ten children.

5. Ephraim Clayborn was born on 29 January 1852. He married Sarah Jane Neal (born in 1855) of Brush Creek, Tennessee on 25 July 1872. Together they had five children:
1. Sarah J. Clayborn ("Sally") was born in 1874 but had died by 1936.
2. William Clayborn was born in 1875.
3. Melinda Claybourn was born in 1878.
4. Arthur Clayborn resided in Brush Creek, Tenn. He spelled his name Cleiborn. Verner M. Claybourn had some correspondence with him.
5. Beatrice Clayborn married and allegedly lived in Illinois.
6. Phoebe Ann Clayborn was born on 24 January 1854. She married Sylvanus Shamus Crook (born in 1851) on 19 August 1871 in DeKalb County. Together they had four children:

1. Mary E. Crook was born in 1873.

2. William Horace Crook was born 10 December 1875. He married Matilda Emaline Hale (born on 6 May 1882) on 26 December 1897. Matilda died on 16 October 1955 and William followed on 5 July 1956. Together William and Matilda had thirteen children:
   1. Ada Crook married (1st) Edward Carmack Willoughby (born in 1912) and married (2nd) a man named Vantrease. She had at least one child, James D. Vantrease.
   2. Alene Crook was born in 1921. She was a DeKalb County native, a seamstress, and a member of the New Vision Baptist Church. She married Homer G. McMahan and together they had two children, listed below. Alene died on 20 May 2009 at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
      1. Emma Jo Farmer of Watertown.
      2. Kenneth McMahan, who married a woman named Brenda and resided in Alexandria.
   3. Alta Crook married a Malone.
   4. Charlie Crook
   5. Daisy Crook
   6. Floyd Crook
   7. Haskell Crook
   8. Lottie Crook married Edsel Evins "Yank" Cook (born on 1 November 1896) and had at least two children.
   9. Lucille Crook
   10. Paul Crook
   11. Willie Green Crook married Dewey Corley and had at least one child.
   12. Zula Crook
   13. Bertie Crook married George Truman Barrett (born 6 September 1920) and together they had at least four children. George died on 9 August 2001 in Smithville, DeKalb County.

3. Malinda K. Crook was born in 1877.

4. James H. Crook was born in 1880.
7. Luticia A. Clayborn was born on 31 August 1855. She married (1st) John Crook on 23 April 1888. She married (2nd) William Crook, John's brother. Presumably both William Crook and John Crook were related to Sylvanus Crook, who was married to Luticia's sister Phoebe. Luticia had at least one child, but it is not known who the father was.

   1. George Crook resided in Nashville, Tennessee.
8. William H. Clayborn (click name for separate biographical sketch) was born on 31 March 1857 and had five children, all in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
9. James F. Clayborn was born on 20 September 1859 and died on 12 July 1861.
10. Thomas B. Clayborn was born on 17 October 1860 and married Amanda Vanatta (born October of 1853) on 19 August 1880. They had eight children:

1. Jim W. Clayborn was born in June of 1881.
2. Melissa W. Clayborn was born in February of 1883.
3. Daniel Clayborn was born in February of 1885.
4. Ida J. Clayborn was born in March of 1887.
5. Sterling B. Clayborn was born in January of 1890.
6. Vernal Clayborn was born in October of 1891.
7. William P. Clayborn was born in April of 1893.
8. Demar D. Clayborn was born in March of 1897.
11. Belinda (called Malinda) was born on 20 September 1862. Married a McCaffrey

1. John McCaffrey
2. Jordan McCaffrey
3. Sarah McCaffrey
4. Lucinda McCaffrey
5. Willie McCaffrey
12. Abraham Lincoln Clayborn was born in 1863.
13. Manson Clayborn was born on 31 August 1864 and died on 27 July 1865.
14. Nancy Jane Clayborn was born on 31 July 1867. She married (1st) Samuel Malone on 27 December 1882. She married (2nd) Charley "Manis" Johnson on 17 July 1889. She was the only one of James Thompson Clayborn's children who was still living in 1936. It was Nancy and her son Linzy who first re-established contact between William Divine's Illinois branch and James Thompson's Tennessee branch through the efforts of Harriette Threlkeld. Harriette met with this family in 1936 and 1970, and corresponded by mail in 1985. Harriette writes: "The Johnsons lived in a five room house, very clean, with flooring of white ash wood. They were very cordial, and although there were several children and Aunt Nan there, they invited the six of us to stay all night, with true hospitality. That we could not do as we drove clear to Scottsville, Kentucky, before stopping for the night, and the next day visited Ephraim's farm and burial place. Aunt Nan kissed us all and cried when we left."

1. Linzy Thompson Johnson, a son, was born in 1890.
   1. Cordean (Starnes) - born in 1912 and resided in Liberty, Tenn.
   2. Gertie Irene (Scott) - born in 1914 and resided in Liberty, Tenn.
   3. Eunice Elmer (Caplinger) - born in 1916 and resided in Liberty, Tenn.
   4. Charlie Franklin Johnson was born in 1919 and resided in Liberty, Tenn. He worked for the Sheriff's department and retired in April of 1983. He joined the Masonic lodge in 1952 and he and his wife were longtime members of the Eastern Star. He had a son, Billy Johnson, in 1939. Billy married (1st) Peggy Parsley. Before they divorced they had four children:
      1. Tony
      2. Teresa, who married Larry Caldwell
      Billy married (2nd) and had two more children:
      3. Gail Johnson
      4. Travis Johnson
   5. Leon Johnson was born in 1921 and resided in Liberty, Tenn. He was in World War II from burns he had suffered.

2. Clifford Johnson was born in 1899
   • Virgie Mai - born in 1920

3. William Overton Johnson was born in 1906 and once resided at 1310 Jones St., Old Hickory, Tenn.
   1. Fred Everett Johnson was born in 1917 and lived in Ashland, Kyentucky for much of his life. He was a melter in open hearth at Armco Steel. Fred died at the age of 90 on 19 November 2007. He is buried at Rude Cemetery.
   2. Ned Johnson

4. Nealie Belle (Driver) was born in 1909 and once resided at 804 Bryant St., Old Hickory, Tenn.