Biographical Sketch

Sophia Jane Claybourn was born 14 January 1890 in Texico, Illinois. She married on 20 December 1906 to Pearl Howard (born 30 March 1885 in Kell, Illinois) at the home of her parents, Charles F. and LaVada Jane Claybourn in Texico, Illinois. Pearl farmed for many years and then worked for the C&EI Railroad. They always lived in or near Kell, Illinois. When Pearl died on 21 April 1979, it marked the end of a wonderful 72 year marriage. Following Pearl's death, Sophia spent a few moths with her younger sister Eula Osborn of Texico, Illinois., and then returned hom in Kell where she lived alone until the Lord called her home on 30 June 1982. Both funerals for Pearl and Sophia were conducted at the Osborn Funeral Home in Kell, and both are buried in the Jordan Chapel Cemetary, about halfway between Dix and Texico, Illinois.

Sophia and Pearl had two children, listed below.

Pedigree Chart

						Ephraim Claybourn 1788 - 1850
				William Divine Claybourn 1819 - 1896
						Mary "Polly" Browning 1792 - 1874
		Charles Frank Claybourn 1865 - 1939
						Francis Starnes b. 1798
				Elizabeth Maxey Starnes Claybourn 1828 - 1910
Sophia Jane Claybourn 1890 - 1982
				Rev. James Jackson Williams
		LaVada Jane Williams 1867 - 1918
				Sophronia Jane Bryant

Descendants

1. Maurice Earl Howard was born 3 January 1911 in Kell, Illinois. He married on 3 September 1933 to Blanche Adams (also born 3 January 1911 at Kell). Blanche was a farmer and the two lived in Sibley, Illinois. Blanche died in 1960 and was buried in the Donoho Prarie Cemetary, along with his infant son. Maurice and Blanche died have borne three children:

   1. Dewaine Howard was born and died on 8 September 1943. He is buried at the Donoho Prarie Cemetary, east of Kell, Ill.

   2. Linda Kay Howard was born on 30 October 1945 in Kell, Ill. She married George Perry, and together they had one son. Linda later lived in Bradley, Illinois.
      1. George Eric Perry was born on 1 January 1966.

   3. Sandra Gay Howard was born on 8 March 1947 in Kell, Ill. She married Donald Meyers on 26 September 1969 in Cowden, Illinois. Later they lived in Salem, Ill. Donald worked for the Farthing Vet. Supply Co. of Odin, Ill. and Saundra had a day care center for small children in Salem, Ill. Together they had one son:
      1. Brandt Aaron Meyers, born on 25 February 1973.

   Following Blanche's death in 1960, Maurice remarried Ferne Prosise Garrison on 26 May 1961. They were married in the Cartter Christian Church in Cartter, Illinois. Ferne was born on 18 June 1932, north of Kell. Maurice had lived most of his life near Kell, with the exception of the short time he lived at Sibley, Illinois, where he worked as a farmer. After he and Ferne were married, he worked for Acco Babcock Co. of Salem. He retired in 1972, and in retirement enjoyed his flowers, yard and garden.

   Maurice and Ferne had one child, Deborah Sue Howard, on 26 September 1966. Deborah worked as a teacher for the handicapped children atthe Warren G. Murray Children Center in Centralia, Illinois, and lived in Kell with her parents. Maurice also had four step-children he raised, who in turn had a number of their own children. The step-children were (i) Steven Lee Garrison, born 24 Sept. 1952, (iii) Stanley Gene Garrison, born 11 Dec. 1954, (iii) Vicki Lynn Garrison, born 17 Sept. 1957, and (iv) Kennith Dale Garrison, born 19 Dec. 1958.

2. Clydia Pauline Howard was born 4 October 1917 in Kell, Illinois. She married William Duncan Byars, but the two separated. Clydia lived a number of years with William and his second wife Caron due to an illness that Clydia suffered from. All three lived on an acreage north of Okmulgee. William Robert, discussed below, was the only child of Clydia and William Duncan.

   1. William Robert Byars, born 31 May 1938. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the Air Force, where he spent four years. While in the Air Force he met and married Jeanne Koch of Madison, Wisconsin. He was discharged from the Air Force in 1960. They had two daughters:
      1. Pamela Jane Byars was born on 22 September 1961 in Denver, Colorado. At an early age she moved to Wisconsin and then later attended college in Minnesota. She married Randy Sanders on 5 March 1983 in the Woodcrest Baptist Church of Fridley, Minnesota. Randy was born on 4 Jan. 1957 and worked in a Computer Plant. The two lived in St. Paul, Minnesota and had one son, Jonathon Randal Sanders, born on 12 May 1985 in Blaine, Minn.
      2. Paula Jean Byars was born on 7 March 1964 in Denver, Colorado. At an early age she moved to Wisconsin and remained unmarried, eventually settling in Alhambra, California. She worked as an assistant to the editor of Teen Magazine in Los Angeles, California.
      William Robert and Jeanne divorced and he remarried to Caron Ann Weedman Palmer of Denver on 5 May 1967. They were married in the First Methodist Church of Golden, Colorado. William Robert lived and worked in Denver for several years but in May of 1971 he and Caron moved to Okmulgee, Okla. so that he could go back to school to learn heating and air conditioning work. He graduated with honors and also took a pilot training course, receiving his commercial license. He owned his own plane and flying was a primary hobby. Eventually he worked for the Oklahoma Electric Co. William Robert and Carol Ann had three sons:
      1. Christopher Dean Byars, born on 14 August 1974 in Tulsa, Oklahoma
      2. Todd Alan Byars, born on 12 January 1982 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma
      3. Jason Aaron Byars, born on 8 January 1982 in Okmulgee, Oklahoma
      Carol Ann also had a son, Calvin Reid Palmer, from a prior marriage.