Montie Ephraim Claybourn

Biographical Sketch

Montie Ephraim Claybourn was born on 14 September 1900 in Texico, Illinois, to Charles and Lavada Claybourn. He would move throughout his life. On his World War I draft registration card in 1918 he was living in Jefferson County, Illinois, and listed his occupation as farming. Soon thereafter he married (1st) on 1 January 1919 to Anna May Breeze of Dix, Illinois. They had one child, Marjorie, and later divorced.[Anna Breeze was born on 26 February 1902 to John D. Breeze (1861-1955) and Cassie Cruzen (1862-1933). She later married to Edward A. Harvey on 25 September 1925. Anna died on 19 April 1969.]

Montie married (2nd) on 23 October 1926 to Mable Beatrice Scott of Springfield, Illinois.[Mable Scott was born on 1 February 1905 in St. Charles, Missouri.] They had five children together – Harlie, Montie, Norma, Darlene, and Franklin – but Mable would later die of cancer on 17 November 1937.

Montie married (3rd) Helen Wallace.[Helen Wallace was born on 13 July 1921 in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma.] They had five children — Kathryn, Joyce, Donald, Richard, and Judy. Montie eventually divorced from Helen and lived in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Helen would marry Floyd Parker (1910-1995) on 7 March 1949 in Crawford County, Arkansas. She died on 19 November 2011 in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. She and Floyd are buried together in Woodland Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa County.

Montie was a veteran of World War II and enlisted on 24 November 1942 as a warrant officer. Later he was a member of the American Legion Post No. 794 in East Alton, Illinois. He worked for a while for Olin-Mathieson Chemical Corporation as an inspector.

Montie married (4th) Martha Woolard, who preceded him in death in July 1967 in East Alton, Madison County, Illinois.[Martha C. Walls was born on 1 March 1908 in Webster County, Kentucky. She married (1st) at age fourteen to Buell Bradley (b. approx. 1904) with whom she had her only child, Homer C. Bradley (1926-1985), born in Evansville, Indiana. She married (2nd) to Ezra Earl Permberton (1894-1951) from about 1939 to about 1942. She married (3rd) to George William “G W” Woolard (1884-1947) from about 1944 to his death.] She is buried with her third husband in Wolf Creek Cemetery in Saline County, Illinois. Montie died on 16 April 1968. At the time of his death, he had 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Descendants

1. Marjorie Nan Claybourn was born on 19 October 1919 near Chicago, Illinois, to Montie and Anna. On 12 December 1935 she married Emmett Lowell Ellis (born on 3 May 1916 in Wayne County, Illinois). They owned and operated a cafe in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. In December 1980 their cafe faced two lawsuits for refusing service to local Negro residents. They had three children, listed below. Emmett died on 2 February 1978 in Mt. Vernon and Marjorie followed on 9 February 1983. They are buried together in Bethel Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Jefferson County, Illinois.

   1. Billie Joyce Ellis was born on 22 July 1937. She married on 2 February 1956 to Gerald Paul Clark (born on 5 August 1936 in White County, Illinois). They lived in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois. Gerald worked for Bell Telephone Company. They had two children, listed below. Billie died on 6 October 2010 in Bardwell, Kentucky. Gerald died on 15 April 2011 in Cairo. He is buried in Bethel Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

      1. Cynthia Jo “Cindy” Clark was born on 17 January 1957. She married (1st) in about 1980 to Edward Eugene Hitchcock (born in about 1944). They had two children, listed below. Cindy married (2nd) on 2 January 1987 in Smith County, Texas, to David Leon Guhl (born in 1955 in Starr County, Texas). That marriage was annulled. She married (3rd) on 14 January 1995 in Ballard County, Kentucky, to Charles W. Rollins (born in about 1959). They had one child, listed below.

         1. Emily Hitchcock was born in about 1981.

         2. Wade Edward Hitchcock was born in 1982 in Smith County, Texas. He married Sandra Jo.

         3. Linzy Rollins (a female) was born in about 1996, probably in Kentucky.
      2. Gerald Paul Clark Jr. was born in 1961. He married on 23 November 1984 in Smith County, Texas, to Pamela S. Stout (born in about 1961). They probably did not have children and are no longer together.
   2. Emmet L. Ellis Jr. (“Sonny”) was born 13 February 1939 in Mr. Vernon, Illinois. He was an outstanding athlete in multiple sports at Mount Vernon Township High School and at Southern Illinois University, where he majored in physical education and health. Emmet joined the Mount Vernon Township High School coaching staff in 1964 and was named head basketball coach in 1972. He was a member of the Mount Vernon Township High School Sports Hall of Fame. Emmet married (1st) to Patricia Basham of Mt. Vernon on 21 June 1959. He married (2nd) to Gloria Jean Fletcher (“Jean”). Sonny and Jean had son Michael Darin Ellis on 6 August 1967 in Mt. Vernon and he died on 8 August 1967. Sonny and Jean had daughter Jodi Lynne Ellis in 1977 in Mt. Vernon. She married on 2 September 2001 in Harris County, Texas, to Dr. Eugene C Lou (born in 1968).
   3. James Daniel Ellis was born 17 December 1941 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. He attended Mt. Vernon High School and married Sandra Kay Summers (born in 1945 in Jefferson County, Illinois). They had three children.

      1. James David Ellis II was born in 1964 in Mt. Vernon. He married Stephanie.

      2. Nikki Ellis was born in about 1972. He married Fernando Cacela and they lived in Chicago.

      3. Kimberly Dawn Ellis was born in 1974 in Mt. Vernon. She married Mark S. Ahlf.

2. Harlie Ephraim Claybourn was born on 8 July 1927 to Montie and Mable, but died there just two months later on 8 September 1927. He is buried next to his father in Jordan Chapel Cemetery.

3. Montie Edward Claybourn was born on 3 September 1928 to Montie and Mable. He married on 15 January 1950 to Elizabeth Francis Foster (born on 18 October 1925 in Denver, Colorado). They had two children. When Montie entered the Army the spelling of his name changed to “Monty” in 1946. He died on 22 August 1996 and is buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver County, Colorado. Elizabeth died on 3 August 2001 in Littleton, Colorado, and is buried with her husband.

   1. Monty Edward Claybourn was born on 1 May 1951, possibly in Alaska. He married (1st) Shirley Bober. They divorced and Monty married (2nd) Bernadette Gonzales (born about 1957). They had four children. Monty married (3rd) to Terry Lee Fellows (born in 1955), who was previously married to Wister Lide Jr. (1941-2005).

      1. Shana Louise Claybourn was born on 3 August 1975 and was adopted by Monty and Bernadette.
      2. Tiffany Dawn Claybourn was born on 6 January 1978. She may have married a Mr. Moralez and moved to Michigan.
      3. Monty Eddie Claybourn (“Eddie”) was born on 15 June 1981.
      4. A baby was due in June of 1985, possibly Justin Gonzales Claybourn.

   2. Lucille Ann Claybourn (“Lucy”) was born on 5 April 1966. She attended Columbine Cosmetology School in Denver, Colorado.

4. Norma Jean Claybourn was born on 22 October 1930 (or 1931) to Montie and Mable. Following her mother’s death when she was six or seven years old, Norma was raised in the Odd Fellows & Rebekah’s home in Lincoln, Illinois. She married on 25 January 1950 to Edward James Chasco Jr. (born on 8 August 1927 in Kansas). They had two children and eventually they lived in Carlsbad, New Mexico, where Edward was a potash miner. Norma and Edward divorced on 9 March 1973 in El Paso, Texas, and Edward would die on 29 December 2012 in Macoupin County, Illinois.

   1. Susan Carol Chasco was born 16 January 1951 in Lincoln, Illinois. She died on 23 October 1971 in El Paso County, Texas, of systemic sclerosis. She is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Sangamon County, Illinois.
   2. Michael Stephan Chasco (“Mike”) was born 29 August 1955 in Carlsbad, New Mexico. He married Maxine Ludwig on 27 July 1973 and together they had two children, listed below. Maxine passed away on 2 February 2014 and Mike passed away on 14 February 2016.

      1. Michelle Jean Chasco Eades was born on 14 November 1976 and married Chris Elliot Eades on 1 July 2006. They had two children, Remington Stephen Eades (born and died on 17 May 2008) and Tian Jax Eades (born on 8 July 2009). They reside in Palmyra, Illinois.
      2. Lee James Chasco was born on 18 February 1980. He married Megan Carr and they had twin girls, Alexa Zoe and Evelyn Amaya. Lee and his wife reside in Washington.

5. Darlene Joyce Claybourn was born 9 July 1932 (or 1933) to Montie and Mable. Following her mother’s death when she was four or five years old, Darlene was raised in the Odd Fellows & Rebekah’s home in Lincoln, Illinois. She married on 15 October 1950 to Paul Edward Thompson (born on 16 October 1929 in Logan County, Illinois). He was in the service three years and was a part owner of a plumbing company in Lincoln. Paul died in Logan County, Illinois, on 20 November 1973 and is buried there in Zion Cemetery. They had one child, David Paul Thompson, born on 23 December 1958.

6. Franklin D. Claybourn (“Frank”) was born on 30 January 1936 to Montie and Mable and was raised in the household of his mother’s father, Roy Clarence Scott (1878-1969). He operated a plumbing business all of his life and loved all types of automobile racing. On 1 October 1958 he married Nadine Meredith in Springfield, Illinois. Frank died on Monday, 8 March 2010 at St John’s Hospice in Springfield and is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Sangamon County, Illinois.

   1. Connie Frances Claybourn was born in 1959. She married Kevin Wilson and the couple lived in Elkhart, Illinois.
   2. Traci Renee Claybourn (nicknamed “Skin”) attended Lanphier High School, Lincoln Land Community College, and worked as a union laborer. While working as a model at car show, she met Troy Charles Bandy, who owned a body shop called Custom Auto Rebuilders. The two married on 2 December 1988. Troy had a son named Sean from a prior relationship, and they also had a son together named Bud-Franklin Nickolas Bandy, listed below. Troy died on 9 October 1993. Traci married (2nd) to Steve Sheppard and worked as an owner/managing director at Shepp’s Bar & Grill in New Berlin, Illinois.

      1. Bud-Franklin Nickolas Bandy (“Nick”) was born on 24 November 1990. He married Rachel Elizabeth Dungey on 12 April 2016 and they had a son, Sebastian Charles Bandy, on 25 April 2016.
   3. Gary A. Claybourn lived in Chicago, Illinois. He married a woman named Doreen and worked primarily as a pipefitter and welder.

7. Kathryn Claybourn (“Kathy”) was born on 24 March 1942 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, to Montie and Helen. She married Danny R. Ozment (born in 1942 in McClain County, Oklahoma).
8. Joyce Claybourn was born on 12 August 1943 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, to Montie and Helen. She married Mr. David.
9. Donald Ray Claybourn was born on 22 September 1945 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, to Montie and Helen. He married a Susan B.

   1. John D. Claybourn was born in 1974 in Oklahoma and married a Brandy T.

10. Richard Lee Claybourn was born on 30 October 1946 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, to Montie and Helen. He married on 7 January 1966 to Vivian Louise Wallace (born on 13 November 1946 in Tulsa County, Oklahoma). They had two sons. Vivian died in Tulsa County on 7 May 2015 and is buried in Woodland Memorial Park Cemetery.

    1. Richard Lee Claybourn Jr. (known as “Ritchie”) was born on 30 December 1967 in San Antonio, Texas (Bexar County). He married Dorothy Louise House on 25 February 1989 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[Dorothy was born on 29 April 1971 in Cleveland, Oklahoma, to Earl Dewayne House and Peggy Irene (Sperry) House.] Ritchie and Dorothy both attended Charles Page High School. Ritchie became a machinist and started working for L.E.F. Engineering, then Downing, and finally with Computer Numeral Control as a CNC Machinist before he had to retire for health reasons. Ritchie loved tinkering on cars and lawn mowers, collecting hot wheels, and hunting. His family considered him a master griller at home. Dorothy worked in retail at Albertsons for 14 years and Joe’s Gas and Grocery for 15 years. Dorothy loved reading, writing, spending time with her children, cooking, and collecting cast iron. Dorothy and Ritchie had three children, two sons and a daughter, listed below. Ritchie died on 23 June 2018 and Dorothy died on 21 January 2021.

       1. Jeremy Claybourn

       2. Jordan Claybourn

       3. Jeffrey Claybourn

    2. Brian Keith Claybourn was born in 1972 in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. He married Amy Kristine Stickman (born in 1975) and yhey had one son, and later divorced.

       1. Bearett Claybourn was born in about 1997.

11. Judy Jane Claybourn was born on 14 November 1947 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, to Montie and Helen. She married Clarence J. Gilbert Jr. (born in 1941).