Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Thomas Harmon Clay

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Descendants of Thomas Harmon Clay

Generation No. 1

1. Thomas Harmon² Clay (Mr.¹) was born 14 March 1848 in Russell Co., VA, and died 23 February 1919 in Nocona, Montague Co., TX. He married Martha Jane Minton 29 January 1874 in Castlewood, Russell Co., VA, daughter of Philip Minton and Nancy Meade. She was born 22 November 1852 in Russell Co., VA, and died 24 February 1945 in Nocona, Montague Co., TX.

Notes for Thomas Harmon Clay:
1870 Census - Virginia - Russell County
8 70/70 Clay Harmon, 21, M, W, Farm Hand, VA, >21
Source: Ancestry.com - Images Online: 1870 Census - Virginia - Russell County - Castlewoods Township - Pg. 312A, 4 Aug 1870, Roll: M593-1677.

THE NEW TEXANS!!
Thomas Harmon and Martha Jane moved to the Greenbriar Community in Montague County, TX about 1874. They bought and settled upon 400 acres in this community southeast of Nocona, TX. Thomas built a log cabin close to a buffalo wallow. At the time, there were still many Indians and buffalo herds living in the area. Thomas was a farmer, his wife Martha was a midwife for the community. They had ten children all together. At the time that Thomas and his family moved to Nocona, it consisted of one street, a hitching post, a grocery, a drygoods, and a blacksmith shop. It was reported by other Clay descendants in the Montague County History Book, that the Clay boys would ride their horses to town, tie them up at the hitching post, and do their business. One old-timer was to have remarked that this one street must be Clay Street, thus we have Clay Street as the main street going through town.

Thomas gave a spot of his land to the Greenbriar Community to be used for a school and a cemetery. The cemetery was named Greenbriar after the community. At one time there was a church and school located there. This is where the Clay children attended school in this early time. At the time Thomas moved here there were no fences, so they branded their cattle. Later, fences were built with tree limbs. Some of those fences and what appears to be part of an old corral are still standing.
Source: Short story provided by Gary and Cindy Eldred. <gceldred1389@aol.com>

1880 Census - Texas - Montague County
1 1/1 Clay Thos. H., W, M, 34, Md, Farmer, VA, VA, VA
Martha J., W, F, 28, Wife, Md, Keeping house, cannot read/write, VA, VA, VA
Laura V., W, F, 4, Daughter, TX, VA, VA
Oliver, W, M, 2, Son, TX, VA, VA
Josephine, W, F, 2/12, Daughter, TX, VA, VA
Source: Ancestry.com - Images Online: 1880 Census - Texas - Montague County - E.D. 123 (Precinct 5) - Pg. 448A, 3 Jun 1880, Roll: T9-1320 - Image 1.

1900 Census - Texas - Montague County
50 47/47 Clay Harmon, Head, W, M, Mar, 1848, 52, Md, 27y, VA, NC, NC, Farmer, can read/write/speak English, Owns farm, 275ac
51 47/47 Mat, Wife, W, F, Nov , 1851, 48, Md, 27y, 10 children, 8 living, VA, VA, VA, cannot read/write/speaks English
Josie, Daughter, W, F, Mar, 1880, 20, S, TX, VA, VA, can read/write/speak English
Chas., Son, W, M, Dec, 1881, 18, S, TX, VA, VA, Farm laborer, can read/write/speak English
Wellington, Son, W, M, Sep, 1883, 16, S, TX, VA, VA, attended school, 6 mo, can read/write/speak English
Scott, Son, W, M, Jan, 1885, 15, S, TX, VA, VA, attended school, 6mo, can read/write/speak English
Olive, Daughter, W, F, Jan, 1887, 13, S, TX, VA, VA, at school, 6mo, can read/write/speak English
Geo., Son, W, M, Jun, 1889, 10, S, TX, VA, VA, attended school, 6mo, can read/write/speak English
Monroe, Son, W, M, Jun, 1891, 8, S, TX, VA, VA, attended school, 6mo, can read/write/speak English
Source: Film No. 1241659: Texas 1900 Census; Milam, Mitchell, and Montague Counties; Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT and Ancestry.com - Images Online: 1900 Census - Texas - Montague County - Precinct 7 - E.D. 58 - Pg. 228A & B, 19 Jun 1900, Roll: T623-1660 - Image 45 & 46.

1910 Census - Texas - Montague County
20 5/5 Clay Tom H., Head, M, W, 62, M1x, 36yrs, VA, VA, NC, English, Farmer, Farm, can read/write, owns mortgage free farm
Martha J., Wife, F, W, 58, M1x, 36yrs, 8 chldn, 6 living, VA, VA, VA, English, no occup, cannot read/write
Josie, Dau, F, W, 30, S, TX, VA, VA, english, no occup, can read/write
Will, Son, M, W, 26, S, TX, VA, VA, English, Farmer, Home farm, can read/write
Johnu M., Son, M, W, 18, S, TX, VA, VA, English, Laborer, Home farm, can read/write
Source: Ancestry.com - Images Online: 1910 Census - Texas - Montague County - Other Townships - E.D. 179 (Justice Precinct 7) - Pg. 248A, 15 Apr 1910, Roll: T624-1579 - Image 1.

Authors Note: Jonah Monroe Clay served overseas in the U.S. Army during WW1 and returned home two months after his father's death in 1919.

OBITUARY of THOMAS HARMON CLAY
T.H. Clay, who lived for many years just southeast of Nocona, passed away last Sunday night, Feb. 23, 1919 at about 8 o'clock. He had been seriously ill for some weeks past and death was not, altogether, to be unexpected. He was born in Russell Co., VA March 14, 1848 and was therefore 70 years, 11 months and 9 days old. He married Miss Martha Jane Minton Jan. 29, 1874 and to them ten children were born. Two are dead and eight still living. One son, Jonah is in the Army in France. He professed Christ about 21 years ago and joined the Baptist Church and tried to live a true devoted Christian life. He moved to Montague County in 1874 and had lived here until his death. Funeral services and interment was at Greenbriar Cemetery on Monday afternoon. Services were conducted by Rev. Minor Bounds.
Source: Taken from the "Nocona News" issue of 28 Feb 1919 courtesy of Cindy and Gary Eldred of Nocona, TX. <gceldred1389@aol.com>

OBITUARY of MARTHA JANE CLAY
Mrs. Martha Jane Clay, 92, died at her home in Nocona on Feb. 24, 1945, at 5 o'clock AM after a week of illness. Mrs. Clay was born Nov. 22, 1852 in Castlewood, VA and came to TX in 1874 and has made her home here ever since. Mrs. Clay is survived by 4 sons and 2 daughters. She was a member of the Greenbriar Baptist Church for many years.
Source: Taken from the "Nocona News" issue of 2 Mar 1945 courtesy of Cindy and Gary Eldred of Nocona, TX. <gceldred1389@aol.com>

Thomas and Martha are buried at Greenbriar Cemetery. One thing to note is that the tombstone of T.H. reads J.H. Clay. However, in old time script it is quite possible that the T would appear to be a J.
Source: Personal recollection of Cindy Eldred, wife of Gary Lynn Eldred, great-grandson of T. H. Clay. <gceldred1389@aol.com>

Notes for Martha Jane Minton:
1920 Census - Texas - Montague County
10 Farm 80/80 Clay, Martha J., Head, Own Farm, F, W, 67, Wd, VA, speaks English, VA, VA, Farmer, Gen'l Farm, Owns farm
Josie, Daughter, F, W, 39, S, can read/write, TX, speaks English, VA, VA, no occup.
Jonah M., Son, M, W, 28, S, can read/write, TX, speaks English VA, VA, Farmer, Gen'l Farm, Owns farm
Source: Ancestry.com - Images Online: 1920 Census - Texas - Montague County - E.D. 103 - Page:
Date: Roll: Image 9.

1930 Census - Texas - Montague County
27 575/636 Clay Martha J, Head, Owns & lives on farm, F, W, 77, Wd, Md@21, can read/write, VA, VA, VA, speaks English
Josephine, Dau, F, W, 50, S, can read/write, TX, VA, VA, speaks English
Jonah M, Son, M, W, 36, S, can read/write, TX, VA, VA, speaks EnglishFarmer, Gen'l farming
Source: Ancestry.com - Images Online: 1930 Census - Texas _ Montague County - Nocona - E.D. 16 - Page: 270A, Date: 26 Apr 1930, Roll: T626-2377 - Image 47.

Marriage Notes for Thomas Clay and Martha Minton:
Russell County Marriages
29 January 1874 - Harmon Clay, age 23, b. Russell Co., mother: Emma; Martha Menton, age 23, b. Russell Co., parents: Phillip and Nancy. Marriage performed by E.A. Leonard.
Source: Russell Co. Marriages, Book 2, Page 39, Line 7. Extracted on 05 Sep 2000 at Russell Co. Courthouse, Lebanon, VA by Charles Clay, grandson of Charles Quincy Clay.

Children of Thomas Clay and Martha Minton are:

	2	i.	Infant³ Clay, born Abt. 1875 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died Bef. 1880 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX.
	3	ii.	Laura V. "L.V." Clay, born Abt. 1876 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died Abt. 1882 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX.
+	4	iii.	Oliver "Oll" Thomas Clay, born June 1878 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died 13 January 1958 in Tucumcari, Quay Co., NM.
	5	iv.	Josephine "Josie" Myriah Clay, born March 1880 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died Abt. 1953 in Nocona, Montague Co., TX.

Notes for Josephine "Josie" Myriah Clay:
Josie never married and is buried in Nocona, Montague Co., TX.

+	6	v.	Charles "Charley" Robert Clay, born 22 December 1881 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died 24 January 1953 in Nocona, Montague Co., TX.
	7	vi.	James Wellington "Will" Clay, born 13 September 1883 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX. He married Bertha N. Stansberry; born March 1896 in TX.
+	8	vii.	David Scott Clay, born January 1885 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died Abt. 1948 in NM.
	9	viii.	Olive "Ollie" Virginia Clay, born January 1887 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died Abt. 1948.
+	10	ix.	George Bunk "G.B." Clay, born June 1889 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died 20 November 1940 in Logan, Quay Co., NM.
	11	x.	Jonah Monroe Clay, born June 1891 in Greenbriar Community, Montague Co., TX; died Abt. 1933 in Nocona, Montague Co., TX.

Notes for Jonah Monroe Clay:
Jonah never married and is buried in Nocona, Montague Co., TX.

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