James Verner Marvin Claybourn
Third Child and Oldest Son of Reuben Cicero Claybourn
1 January 1882 - December of 1962

Biographical Sketch

Vern as a young man

James Verner Marvin Claybourn ("Vern") was born 1 January 1882, at Woodlawn, Illinois (Jefferson County). He graduated from Kinmundy (Illinois) High School in 1900 and served as president of his class. He won a scholarship by "county central examination" and passed for a teacher's certificate. As you will come to see, he was committed to advancing his career - to use a commonly known poker hands term, he was building up to a 'full house'! Later Vern finished a correspondence course in mechanical engineering, became a licensed engineer and later a master of dredges. Three years after graduating from high school, Verner married Permelia Catherine Reisner (Pearl) on 24 March 1903. She was born 6 July 1885, at Falmouth, Illinois.

In 1900, after graduating from high school, he was employed by the Mississippi River Commission at Memphis, Tennessee. His uncle, Ephraim Smith Claybourn ("Uncle Doc"), was chief engineer, captain of a dredge, and later master mechanic of the machine shops. In 1905 when the best sub-aqueous excavation men were called to build the Panama Canal, Uncle Dock's superior, F.B. Maltby, was called to Panama, and among the first men he sent for was Uncle Dock. Maltby's successor as superintendent at Memphis, William Gerig, put Vern in his office after Verner took a competitive examination. When Gerig later went to Panama, he cabled for Vern in 1907. After several years of office work, Vern asked for mechanical work and worked on cranes, cableway machines, and on lock construction. Later he worked on dredges until he resigned in 1922.

He was Secretary of the Gatun Cableway Club and for five years served as Secretary of the International Brotherhood of Steam Shovel and Dredge Men. He was Keeper of Records and Seal, Master of Finance, and Chancellor Commander of the Knights of Pythias. He was active in the Y.M.C.A., Red Cross, the Liberty Loan committees, and the Canal Baseball League. He was also a member of the "Society of the Charges," receiving a Roosevelt medal with two bars.

The U.S.S. Ancon passing through the canal on 15 August 1914, just as the First World War was erupting in Europe.

Vern received a card signed by Gov. George W. Goethals (first Civil Governor of the canal zone) permitting him to ride on the first commercial ship that went through the canal, the U.S.S. Ancon, on 15 August 1941.

Vern in 1961

During his years on the Canal Zone, Vern and his family returned to the States for vacation six times, but he and Pearl feared that their children were losing something by not having a United States environment. Therefore, in 1916, Vern bought a house at North 4th Street in Mt. Vernon, thinking he might return there to live. However, he decided on California as more agreeable after living in the tropics.

Settling in Montebello, California, he was active in civic affairs, engaged in building construction and had other business interests. During World War II, his experience on the Canal was called into use. He served as Mechanical Superintendent of the U.S. Engineers Machine Shops in Honolulu, and as inspector on the cantonment constructionin Santa Maria, which is now the Vandenburg Base.

Vern later constructed his own home in Whittier, California, where he and Pearl lived near some of their children and grandchildren, at 8521 South California Street. They were members of the First Methodist Church in Whittier, and Vern was a member of the Panama Canal Club in Los Angeles.

Vern became interested in the family history and at least as early as 1906 he began collecting data and corresponding with James Harrison Claybourn, forming the foundation for the information making up the Claybourn Genealogical Society. Without Verner this website would never have been made.

Vern died in December of 1962. His wife Pearl lived on to the ripe old age of 95, passing away on 20 September 1980.

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
James Verner Marvin Claybourn 1882 - 1962
				Rev. James Jackson Williams
		Mary Ann Eldorado Williams 1857 - 1914
				Sophronia Jane Bryant

Descendants

1. Mary Adelais Claybourn was born 28 December 1905, in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Montebello High School and was nicknamed "A". She married on 27 October 1923 to Herbert Edward Allred (born 21 October 1904). Herbert's 2nd great-grandfather is John Allred, who was born in 1772 and died in 1850 in Newton County, Arkansas. This John Allred is also the 5th great-grandfather (on his maternal grandmother's side) of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. Herbert worked for General Petroleum Co. in Los Angeles and Sacony-Vacuum Co. in Egypt and Venezuela (both Standard Oil). He retired in 1958 after 37 years with them. Herbert died on 2 March 1962 and Mary followed on 22 February 1966. They had one child:

   1. Shirley Patricia Allred was born 17 July 1929 in Whittier, California. She graduated from Whittier High School and spent two years at Fullerton Junior College. She married on 4 October 1949 to Donald Chase (born 9 September 1926) at Tigrita, Venezuela. Donald was from San Antonio, Texas. The couple had three children and made their primary residence in Corpus Christi, Texas (and later Van, Texas).
      1. Richard Edward Chase was born 17 August 1951 in Venezuala but died just a day later.
      2. Michael Edward Chase was born on 24 January 1953. He graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1984. He works as a senior software devloper in Houston, Texas.
      3. Darrell Lee Chase is the head golf professional at Peach Tree Golf Club in Bullard, Texas.
      4. Robert Allred Chase was born on 30 September 1960 and lives in Van, Texas.

2. Ethel Catherine Claybourn was born 17 March 1907 in Memphis, Tennessee. She graduated from Montebello High School and was nicknamed "Pink" because of her red hair. She primarily worked as a telephone operator. Ethel married on 1 Sept. 1925 to Paul Victor Ritter (born 26 Aug. 1905 in Kansas City, Missouri). Paul was a butcher and had done cross country trucking. Ethel died on 5 August 1966. The pair lived in East Los Angeles and had at least one child:

   1. Paul Victor Ritter, Jr. was born 28 Sept. 1930 in Los Angeles. He graduated from El Monte High School and spent one year at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California in 1945. He was in the Army during the Korean conflict from 1950-1952. Eventually he married on 9 June 1956 to Esther Saenz (born 20 July 1932 in Los Angeles). They couple had at least one child:
      1. Stephanie Anne Ritter, born 12 Nov. 1957.

3. John Gilbert Claybourn was born on 8 January 1909 in the city of Cristobal, which is in the Panama Canal Zone. John graduated from Montebellow High School but died at the age of 21 on 16 March 1930 in Montebello, California. He is buried at the Rose Hills Cemetery in Whittier, California.

4. William Harrah Claybourn was born on 27 March 1910 in the city of Gatun, which is in the Panama Canal Zone. However, William died one day later and is buried at the Rose Hills Cemetery in Whittier, California.

5. Jimmie Verne Claybourn (a girl) was born on 30 May 1912 in Gatun, a city in the Panama Canal Zone. She graduated from Montebello High School and would go on to work as a secretary at a law firm. She married on 24 Jan. 1932 to Leonard Martz Stanfield (born 11 Feb. 1911 in Rivera, California). Leonard was in the business of raising citrus fruit with his father but would go on to work as district manager of the Southern Counties Gas Company. The couple lived for a time at 8525 South California Avenue in Whittier, California. Leonard died on 20 April 1970 and four years after his death, Jimmie married (2nd) David E Alldrich on 5 April 1974 in Nairobi, Africa. Jimmie and Leonard's three children follow:

   1. David Leonard Stanfield was born on 7 March 1933 in Whittier, California. He graduated from Whittier High School and attended Whittier College. David married on 3 Jan. 1951 to Shirley Ann Anderson of Iowa (born 24 July 1934). The two divorced on 19 Sept. 1958, and David married (2nd) Barbara Jeann Fredricksen on 14 May 1966. Barbara was born on 11 November 1932 in England. Prior to his second marriage, David and Shirley Ann had three children:
      1. David Leonard Stanfield, Jr., born 17 Oct. 1951. David L. Stanfield, Jr. married a woman named Dianne had at least one child:
         1. Christina Lea, born 19 Sept. 1979.
            1. Shayna Skye Tafoya-Stanfield, born 16 Sept. 2005.
      2. Deborah Lee Stanfield, born 28 Aug. 1953. Deborah married James Charles Boeckx (born 2 March 1948) on 10 Jan. 1973. Deborah and James had three children:
         1. Kimberly Lynn Boeckx Roelfson was born 1 March 1974. Kim married Christopher Douglas Roelfson (born 14 June 1974) on 21 Dec. 1991. They had three children:
            1. Alex Michael Roelfson, born 4 Feb. 1991
            2. Abigail Lee Roelfson, born 8 Feb. 1994
            3. Aaron Ezekiel Roelfson, born 19 Jan. 1998
         2. Keri Ann Karl was born 2 Sept. 1976. She married Robert Scott Karl (born 2 April 1967) on 10 May 1997. They had four children:
            1. Samuel Nathan Karl, born 21 March 1998
            2. Chloe Ann Karl, 18 June 1999
            3. Nicholas James Karl, born 1 Aug. 2002
            4. Benjamin Timothy Karl, born 4 Aug. 2004
         3. James "Christopher" Boeckx was born on 19 May 1985 in Littleton, Colorado.
      3. Stephen Eric Stanfield, born 22 March 1955. He had one child:
         1. Savanna Lace, born 11 July 1988
      David married (3rd) Lu Hatton (born 5 April 1933) on 23 June 1994.

   2. Gerald Marvin Stanfield was born on 16 Dec. 1935 in Whittier, California. He graduated with a B.A. from Whittier College and went on to study law at the University of Southern California, thereafter passing the bar exam. He married on 19 Aug. 1955 to Ann Louise Miller (born 8 Sept. 1934). She graduated from Whittier College with a B.A. and taught Domestic Science at Whittier High School. Gerald had two children by Ann:
      1. Gregory Miller Stanfield was born 31 Oct. 1957. Greg received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Redlands and his law degree from Western State College of Law in Fullerton, California. He is currently a partner with the law firm of Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer, & Jensen, LLP. Gregory married Terri Lynn Davis Stanfield (born 16 Feb. 1958) on 13 Jan. 1990. They had two children:
         1. Kyle Davis Stanfield, born 30 Aug. 1990
         2. Lauren Rose Stanfield, born 1 Dec. 1993
      2. Douglas Allen Stanfield was born on 18 April 1962 and had one child:
         1. Lucas Claybourn Stanfield, born 25 August 2000
      Gerald and Ann divorced and Gerald married (2nd) Betty Irene Pollinger (born 30 July 1943). Following this second marriage, Gerald married (3rd) Janet Louise Sletvold Stanfield (born 1 Jan. 1954) on 27 Oct. 1991. They had one child:
      1. Eric Gerald Stanfield, born 20 May 1992

   3. Pamela Louise Stanfield (called "Dixie") was born 20 Feb. 1938 and graduated from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California [Some information on Pamela and her family was confirmed and/or corrected by Pamela in correspondence between Pamela and Joshua A. Claybourn in April of 2009.]. She received a B.A. in liberal arts and went on to teach. Just before turning 21 she married (on 1 Feb. 1959) Robert Rolstin Link of Visalia, California (born 1 July 1937). He obtained his B.A. from the University of Redlands in 1959 in business administration. Robert worked in a men's clothing store in Visalia. Together Pam and Robert had three children:
      1. Jeffery Norman Link was born 30 May 1960. He married Valerie Kay Condra (born 6 Jan. 1967) on 8 Aug. 1992. They had two children:
         1. Emily Michelle Link, born 26 June 1997
         2. Kaitlyn Elizabeth Link, born 23 March 2001
      2. Terry Marie Geiger was born 27 December 1961. She married Paul Michael Geiger (born 3 Feb. 1960) on 28 Jan. 1988. They had two children:
         1. Michael Robert Geiger, born 9 Sept. 1989
         2. Alex Paul Geiger, born 31 July 1991
      3. Leslie Marie Cantrell was born 4 February 1966. She married Darrin Lee Cantrell (born 29 June 1969) on 3 June 1994. They had two children:
         1. Parker Leonard Cantrell, born 30 October 1998
         2. Abigail Louise Cantrell, born 17 January 2001

6. Robert Maury Claybourn was born on 11 Feb. 1918 in Ancon, a city in the Panama Canal Zone. He married (1st) on 21 June 1940 to Elta Bettie Jamieson (born 28 Aug. 1918). They divorced, but had one child:

   1. Sharon Diane Claybourn was born on 4 May 1941. She attended college in Santa Barbara, California. Sharon married Denis De Zonia. Together they had three children:
      1. Cynthia Leane, born 16 October 1961
      2. Jeffrey Gene, born 25 June 1965
      3. John Paul, born 2 May 1971

   Robert married (2nd) on 12 Nov. 1948 to Mrs. Lola Aileen (Richey) Rhoads (born 25 Jan. 1911 in Grandview, Illinois, and died on 14 February 2003). Bob married (3rd) to Adele Bengela on 17 May 1968. Bob's occupation for much of his life was in the printing business. He died on 2 February 1973.